Y is for...

Year (as in Model Year)

Car makers carry out subtle modifications every year. The changes range from cosmetic tweaks to revisions to the entire line-up. But whatever updates have been made, as soon as the latest version 

is in showrooms, dealers will be under pressure to shift old stock. 

Differences can be hard to spot, but some brands make a virtue of them – even listing outgoing model-year cars separately (with lower prices). The trick is to see what’s on offer. Specs typically improve as cars get older, to maintain interest, but if you don’t care about the extra kit, you could save by buying an identical older car.