Get ready for a second-hand...

Get ready for a second-hand MINI adventure! The brand’s 150 dealers are hosting a special event this weekend, with the spotlight on the used car line-up. MINI Insurance is offering buyers a 25 per cent policy discount on pre-owned models bought across the weekend.

All cars purchased under the approved Cherished banner have a full service history, MoT and a 12-month unlimited mileage warranty. And with a whopping 96 per cent of new MINI buyers opting for the five-year/50,000-mile tlc service package, used customers will also benefit from any unexpired cover.

THEY"RE having a shake-up at Autoquake. The online car sales outlet (www.autoquake.com) is expanding its operation in Leeds, with more staff and extra space at the site from the start of June.

Autoquake sells ex-fleet cars to private buyers using auction

site eBay, and is planning further growth across the UK. As the firm has an eBay feedback rating of 98.8 per cent, most customers

pay a deposit before even seeing their new wheels in the metal.

USED buyers are wising up to the high cost of dealership finance. While the number of new cars bought on hire purchase increased in the first three months of the year, the proportion of used models with showroom-arranged loans fell.

That’s because finance rates on second-hand vehicles are not as competitive as manufacturer-backed deals offered at new car dealers, which can compete with high street and online lenders. To get the ideal rate, buyers are advised not to take the first offer of finance, but to compare the best bank loan rates with those quoted by showrooms.