We’re getting a new car for Christmas and told to expect it before the years end but a friend has told me not to take delivery until Jan 1st due to the car being considered a 2024 car rather than 2023 which can make a difference when selling on. Does it make much difference?

Bought a new motorbike yesterday - and dealer did ask if I wanted to wait till next month for same reason. 

 

Suppose if I was likely to sell it in 1-2 years it may be relevant, but as I've had current one since 2013 (and keeping it) think as time goes by the date of first registration is less relevant than the condition, odometer reading, service history.

Most buyers ignore paperwork and refer to data plate attached to vehicle which indicates date of manufacture.

Being this close to new year, you won't get the proper plates till next year anyway, which is when the official registration begins.

 

I've been told by a Honda dealer guy who inspects and values cars for trade in, that he looks more at the car's design year than the actual year of registration anyway.

I think you are wrong, I ordered a New Car and asked for it for the New Year . When I got it in the New Year, it had been registered as the date at which I ordered it .

On 12/20/2023 at 9:26 AM, poppysdad said:

We’re getting a new car for Christmas and told to expect it before the years end but a friend has told me not to take delivery until Jan 1st due to the car being considered a 2024 car rather than 2023 which can make a difference when selling on. Does it make much difference?

No. The date of manufacture is on the VIN plate.

As said it is the date of manufacture that counts, not when it is registered.  

unless the dealership is quick in getting their papers, which is unlikely, if you take delivery now registration date will be 2024,

but the model year is most likely 2023, 

Further to this topic, my wife has just received phone call from dealership saying car has arrived and what colour screen tints do we want to which my wife replies with the sensible ones and the next question was

”you now go find old monk to decide on what day you come to take car”

So, I think the monk’s decision has more relevance to when we collect car than the registration date. Guess where we are going this morning and it’s not the dealership. 

For me the model year is much more relevant than the sale year. After all, it's quite possible to buy a 2022 model year car in 2024. And if you go looking for new or replacement parts for your 2024 car, you're going to be very disappointed when the don't fit/work. Also, the infamous Blue Book deals with model year. The only point in the sale year is if you're trying to convince somebody to buy it based on sale year.

I recently faced a similar dilemma when buying a car and came across an article addressing this concern. According to what I found, the model year designation can indeed affect resale value and how the vehicle is perceived in the market. Cars released late in the year are often considered part of the following year's lineup. Taking delivery on January 1st could make your car a 2024 model instead of 2023, which might influence its resale value. After weighing the pros and cons, which I found in an online article: https://www.a1autotransport.com/should-i-buy-a-car-now-or-wait-until-2024/ I decided to wait until 2024 to take delivery of my car. However, deciding to buy a car now or wait until 2024 ultimately depends on your situation and priorities.

Life is to short to worry about bull<deleted> like that