The fair wear and tear limits are clearly laid down in the t@c's.Most now offer smart insurance..so for a one off payment of around £300 you get cover for most minor things,like stone chips,small dents wheel scuffs,etc.This is detached from your main insurance and in no way affects it.Most deals will require 3 months down and 23 payments........or 6 months down and 35 payments..or even 9 months down.Do the sums and add up the total payments for the duration.If the sums add up try to go for the smallest deposit, because if the car becomes a total loss within the first months you will lose the deposit.The overall costs for some high end cars will not even cover depreciation and make a lot of financial sense..if its a new car you want.However if you are not VAT registered the gains will reduce significantly.