I can share my experience.
I bought a Hyundai i20 in September 2013, on a 3-year PCP.
Nice car, but not built that well, and I started to get itchy feet halfway in, earlier this year. I know someone with a new i10 (new one much better than my old i20), and spoke to the dealer about swapping over.
The upshot was, as I was at around the halfway point, I was at the stage when the value of the car was the same as what was outstanding on the PCP. However, the deal on the i10 was poor, and I walked.
Friend of mine bought a new Corsa, and with all the discounts, it looked like a good bet. I went in and spoke to the dealer, and to trade in, I was offered essentially what was again the closing figure on my Hyundai PCP. I managed to trade in, and now pay less per month than before, and I didn't put a deposit down either. Result!
Upshot of the story is supposed to be, that around halfway through your 3-year deal, you could well be at a point where your settlement figure matches the cars value, so you can either walk, or trade in and start again.
I think you can get the figure through the finance website, so you can find out what you owe before you speak to a dealer to see what they offer you.
I did some reading online before going in, and it is quite common to go early. In fact, some do actually just walk, and buy something else instead. As long as you don't owe, apparently you can. There are some interesting stories out there that made me do it. Saves buying a service pack as well, as you'll only have 1 before you get rid!
