If you’ve ever read a car’s specification and felt more confused afterwards you’re not alone. For those who don’t know their torque from their horsepower and their OTR from their MMRP researching new cars online can be a bit of a challenge. But before you think about heading to those car dealers in Southampton it’s worth understanding the basics.

The price is probably one of the most important considerations when you are buying a new car. Online, and offline, cars are sometimes advertised with two prices but the one you need to pay attention to is the OTR, or on the road price. This includes everything to ensure your car can be driven legally, it includes the showroom price and everything else from registration fee, number plates, delivery charges, road tax (for at least 6 months), insurance, VAT and sometimes even an extended warranty and fuel. Generally the OTR price is non-negotiable but it doesn’t hurt to haggle! MMRP or Manufacturers Recommended Retail Price and list price are the same as on the road price.

Car specifications are often broken down by technical data, including information on engines and dimensions, and a breakdown of equipment, interior and safety features for example, all of which vary depending on the ‘trim line’. What is a trim line? A trim line is a model variant, and is often defined by engine size and the number of standard features that are included. Not to be confused with estate and hatchback versions of the same model. For example Studio, Edge and Zetec are trim lines of the Ford Fiesta. The least expensive trim line will have fewer standard features and is sometimes referred to as an entry level. If a feature, such as air conditioning is said to be included as ‘standard’, this means that its included in the price of the car. If the feature is ‘optional’ on that trim line a price will often be included. Read the rest of this entry »