Main image for post: How much can you save on a used car?

One of the main reasons why many people choose to buy a used car is because of the savings you can make even on nearly-new low-mileage models - but just how much can you save on a used car?

Here we'll take our Car of the Month, the Audi A3, and have a look at the kinds of savings you can make when you buy a used Audi A3 on finance deals.

You might think buying a used Audi A3 on finance would cost more, due to interest payments and deposits, but in fact that is not the case.

But first, what are the savings to be made on the actual purchase price of an Audi A3 Convertible or Saloon?

New vs Used Audi A3 on Finance

A brand new Audi A3 Saloon starts from £25,270 for the basic spec, while an A3 Cabriolet - the convertible model in the range - starts from £29,255.

In comparison, used Audi A3 Saloon finance deals can save you £5,000 on a car that is just one year old, while a 2015 Cabriolet - just two years old - can save you over £10,000.

Go back further and you can save anywhere around £2,500 per year, depending on the exact spec and condition of second-hand Audi A3 you choose, and of course the model you choose - Saloon, Cabriolet, Sportback or the classic A3.

Audi A3 finance deals for new models include interest at an APR of 4.5% for the Sportback, 4.9% for the Saloon and around 6% for both the original A3 trim and the Cabriolet.

In comparison, cartime's used Audi A3 finance offers are available interest-free, meaning even if you choose to spread your payments, you won't have to pay 5-6% more per year of your purchase plan - a saving of around £1,000 on a typical used Audi A3 finance deal.

Ready to Roll

It's worth pointing out that when you buy a used Audi A3 from cartime, just like all of our cars, it will have been put through a rigorous 62-point mechanical check, any dents and scratches in the bodywork are repaired and the vehicle is put through a full MOT.

We even give the exterior a showroom polish, so every second-hand Audi A3 we sell will feel showroom-new when you drive it away - you don't lose out on that as-new feeling of driving home your new car.

Finance Deposit Contribution

Finally, one of our best Audi A3 finance offers is our £500 finance deposit contribution on certain vehicles, which means cartime will pay some of the initial deposit for you.

This is a lump sum saving of £500 on those vehicles, on top of the roughly £1,000 saved on our interest-free Audi A3 finance offers and the £2,500 per year on a typical purchase price of older models and the £5,000-10,000 that comes off in the first one to two years.

Add it all up and you're looking at a potential saving of £15,000 quite comfortably on second-hand Audi A3 finance deals for vehicles just a few years old, and still in prime condition, effectively making some models half their original on-the-road price, even if they are packed with optional extras beyond the basic spec.