A popular used car buying personality has taken to YouTube to share a number of cars that motorists should never purchase brand new if they are looking to save money.
Johnny Brighton regularly posts videos to his YouTube channel CarsWithJB in which he recommends certain models to viewers based on a wide range of factors and discusses cars to avoid.
In a popular video, Johnny discusses new cars that have a reputation for depreciating in value at a fast rate, highlighting that the Tesla Model Y is best bought used.
He explained: “I’ll be honest with you, I’ve never been a fan of the way this car looks on the outside or in, but the fact that it is so quick means I’m sure it will bring its own beauty to whoever is driving it.
“In 2022 it would have cost around £60,000, but today we are looking at spending around the £32,000 mark at the bottom end, with plenty sitting at £36,000. That means in just two years they have dropped by about £28,000, working out at 46.67 percent [of its overall value].”
Launched in 2020, the Tesla Model Y has been one of the American brand’s most successful models, with more than 1.2 million sold in 2023 alone.
Whilst many experts are anticipating a facelift, which will likely add the new front end from the latest Model 3, the best value can be found on the used car market.
Generally, used examples start at £32,500, with many of the cheapest examples still featuring the powerful dual-motor setup that can accelerate from 0-60mph in around 3.5 seconds.
However, Johnny suggested that drivers looking to save some money on a luxury car can get a 24-month old Mercedes Benz EQS for around half the price of a new example.
He continued: “Luxury does come at a cost and, brand new, these would have cost around £105,500 in 2022, whereas today they start at the £52,000 mark, with many available for under £63,000. That’s [a decrease of] £25,200 per year, which is just ridiculous. It’s like a London graduate starting salary lost every single year of this car existing.
“The design was focused on making the car the most aerodynamic car produced on release, which is obviously very important from an efficiency perspective, hence the flowing lines and slightly anonymous looks overall.”
Finally, Johnny suggested that motorists after a true sportscar should consider a used Porsche Taycan, with some examples of the all-electric coupe now falling below £50,000.
He added: “Whether it’s in Sport Turismo, Cross Turismo or standard saloon spec, it’s a lovely looking car whichever you go for. However, more importantly, it’s gone from being £95,000 for a base model new in 2022, give or take, to around £63,000 at the bottom end for a 2022 example today.
“You can get down to below £50,000 if you buy yourself a model from 2020, but typically 2022 models sit at below the £67,000 mark, meaning an annual depreciation of £16,000.”
