Carmony.co.uk Lifestlye Search – A More Efficient & Relevant Way To Buy A Car

Lifestyle Search

With Carmony now listing over 100,000 approved used cars for sale with either manufacturer approved franchised and non-franchised dealers across the UK, over 1 million visitors have successfully used and taken full advantage of our innovative Lifestyle Search feature, designed to assist in helping to find their ideal car.

A car is a big ticket item and is arguably the second most expensive purchase after buying a house. Therefore, we are finding that more and more car drivers are taking that little bit longer before committing to paying for a car.

Given the current economic climate, ever increasing fuel costs and a growing concern about CO2 emissions, Carmony has seen our Lifestyle Search feature being used as a valuable tool in helping to recommend cars that fit in better with the demands of the 21st Century.

Consumers are just as concerned about fuel efficiency as they are about budget. Consequently, an increasing number of users want to set the criteria of what they want from a car.

As the cost at the pumps spiral upwards and more of the population embrace the need to reduce their carbon footprint, it is only a matter of time before car drivers base their search for cars not by make, model, CC or even primarily by budget, but by fuel efficiency, road tax band and MPG.

Low interest in running costs...

Research by used-car website Carmony.co.uk shows that 22 per cent of car buyers soon regret their purchase because they failed to work out how much it would cost to run.
Buying factors including price, mileage and age tend to outweigh considerations such as longer-term running costs that mount up over the years, the research concluded.

Read the full story in the Telegraph

Petrol to hit £1.15 per litre

Petrol prices have been steadily climbing over the past few weeks, and it looks like they could surge to £1.15 per litre before the end of summer. Diesel will climb also, with the figure £1.26 being likely.

The price hike is largely down to the city speculators forcing up the price of crude oil, as they gamble on its future value.

The current average price for Petrol is over a £1 per litre and is hitting motorists, who have already had the impact of the fuel tax rise and the increase in road tax.

Research is now showing that the increase in fuel prices is forcing drivers to use their cars much less, to help control spending. The study by AA/Populus, found that a quarter of the 15,000 drivers surveyed are using their cars less.

It is important to think about all the costs associated with a car when purchasing a car. The asking price for a vehicle should not be the only criteria you think about. At Carmony we display all cars with running costs. These running costs include: road tax, estimated service maintenance and repair costs, plus details on fuel expenditure (for which mileage can be dictated). This is to help you make a much more informed choice when deciding which approved car to purchase.

Road Tax

This week has already seen a rise in fuel tax, which will reportedly cost the average driver £54 a year. Broken down per week, this does not seem like a huge amount, but once you start to add this to your service and maintenance costs and your road tax - then the figure is important.

The DVLA website currently lists seven categories for car road tax:

Band CO2 (g/km) 12 month rate 12 month rate
A Up to 100 £0 £0
B 101 -120 £35.00 £15.00
C 121 -150 £120.00 £100.00
D 151 -165 £145.00 £125.00
E 166 - 185 £170.00 £150.00
F Over 185 £210.00 £195.00
G Over 225 £400.00 £385.00

The same webiste has details on the new prices and categories coming into effect next month.

Changes to the system

From 1 May 2009, an increase in the number of bands, bringing the total number to 13

The following year will see the introduction of different vehicle tax rates for new cars in the first year of registration. The aim being to provide an environmental signal for motorist at the time of purchasing a new vehicle. This rule does not apply to people buying used cars.

The increase to Road Tax in May will be no more than a £5 addition. 2010 will see higher emitting cars charged between £20 and £30 more, whilst lower emitting cars will be charged up to £30 less.

With all this in mind Carmony.co.uk provides cars with both running costs and green scores. The running cost information includes road tax costs, estimated fuel costs (allowing you to alter your estimated mileage) and estimated service and maintenance costs. The aim is to provide you with a clearer picture on how much the car will cost to own, not just buy. Green scores are also included, for those looking to be a little greener and for those looking to save on other costs.