Between March and August 2007, up to 386,000 people intend to buy a new car and none intend to haggle, research by Sainsbury's Bank claimed.

The study estimated that car buyers could save an average of £1,585 on each transaction if they were prepared to barter, which amounted to a saving of £611.81m.

Sainsbury's Bank offered several tips to consumers to help secure a better deal.

They included acquiring a new car just before the plate change months and buying a vehicle just before the manufacturer introduced a new model.