Buyacar has highlighted car dealers’ “dash to pre-register cars” by identifying the top 18-plate used car bargains for potential customers – just weeks after the March plate-change got underway.

The online motor retail specialist identified retailers early push to meet their monthly registration targets across a number of brands when it compiled a top ten list of potential savings for those looking to buy as nearly-new 18-plate vehicle.

Savings totalling more than £36,000 have been cut from the best ten bargain models, representing savings of up to 17.6% and an average for the biggest ten cash savers of nearly 13%.

BuyaCar.co.uk said in a statement that the early pre-reg activity was a sign of “the mounting pressure on dealers to beat a forecast drop in new car sales this year of 5.6%, while they’re still feeling bruised from last year’s 5.7% fall”.

Austin Collins, managing director of BuyaCar.co.uk, said: “This year is unusually good for buyers because dealers do not typically make such cars available until the dash to pre-register cars right at the end of the month so they can hit manufacturer targets.

“But we have been able to offer the brand new ‘plate with big discounts much earlier than we’ve seen before.”

Collins alluded to the fact that the sale of such recently registered, 18-plate cars as used vehicles undermines the incentive for franchised retail customers to swoop on a new car to benefit from the profile of having the latest numberplate.

He said: “It isn’t just the big cash savings that make this a remarkable month for anyone wanting to show off the latest plate, because these cars are available immediately. That means there’s no waiting for delivery after placing an order.

 “For people who really want to keep up with the Jones’s, the best aspect is that nobody will know you didn’t buy a brand new car – unless you show them the log book.”