Fiddle sick?

I was looking to buy a new Mazda6 estate and visited local dealer. On the windscreen was an "on the road price" which was about £1,000 less than list. However the moment I mentioned I wanted to avail myself of the Government scrappage scheme I was swiftly told the £2,000 comes off list price under Mazda's rules, so effectively I only save £1,000. Does this sound correct to you or is the dealer trying to con me?

Asked on 27 June 2009 by

Answered by Honest John

That's basically correct. Though there may still be room for further negotiation. And Mazda is offering both 0% and low APR finance on the scrappage scheme, according to the amount of deposit. Remember, on a car like this, the Government isn’t actually giving anything away. If you wind up paying £11,000, the Government takes home £1,435 in VAT, which is £435 more than it contributed and which it would not have grabbed if you had not bought a car.

Tags: estates car prices buying new cars large family cars scrappage scheme

Dear Honest John,

Please help me choose my next car. I would like it to have:

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