Kia dealers are the happiest in UK, but Jaguar franchise holders are most pessimistic. Dealer satisfaction regarding current profit returns have experienced a slight decrease, with an average score of 6.1, down by – 0.1 from the Summer 2023 edition (-1.6% change) of surveys by the National Franchised Dealers Association. Assessing the trends, from previous DAS surveys, current profit return … [Read more...]
KIA is king say dealers but PSA are pitiful
Kia is the highest rated marque by dealers in their annual showroom and business survey while PSA Group companies were among the lowest. The all-important question ‘how would you rate your manufacturer overall on a scale of 1 to 10?’ returned an average of 6.5, on par with six months ago. Kia (9.3), Lexus (9.2), and Mini (8.8) were the top performers whilst Vauxhall (3.7), Jaguar (3.7), and … [Read more...]
As the 72-plate looms, take advice on getting a good deal
The 1 September sees the second vehicle plate change of 2022 in England, Wales and Scotland, with the arrival of the new “72” vehicle registration. A car is often the second most significant purchase after buying a property and The Motor Ombudsman dedicated to the automotive sector is highlighting ten handy tips for motorists when looking to get behind the wheel of a new vehicle. Shop around … [Read more...]
EVs lead sales recovery – Government must help
UK new car registrations rose by 15.0% in February as 58,994 new cars joined Britain’s roads, said the Society of Motor Manufacturers and Traders. The rise of 7,682 units was in comparison with the same month in 2021, when the pandemic shut car showrooms across the UK. Despite this positive performance, registrations are down -25.9% on pre-pandemic levels, as vehicle supply remains constrained by … [Read more...]
Bigger spenders returned to forecourts last year
Figures from the Finance & Leasing Association show that the consumer car finance market reported new business volumes up in December 2021 by 2% compared with the same month in 2020. In 2021 as a whole, new business volumes grew by 9% compared with 2020 to almost 2.1 million cars financed, but remained 14% lower than in 2019. The consumer new car finance market reported new business up 11% … [Read more...]
Britons’ love of car dealers revealed
The majority of car owners (76%) buy their car from a car showroom, rising to 86% of over 66s, compared to just 58% of under 34s. The survey of 2,000 UK drivers, commissioned by InsuretheGap.com, a leading supplier of GAP Insurance (Guaranteed Asset Protection) for new and second-hand cars, finds that drivers, who prefer to buy from showrooms, do so because: 34% wish to part-exchange their … [Read more...]
Is the pricing bubble about to burst? ask BuyaCar
Used car prices may have reached a ceiling, signalled by a shrinking cost gap between newer and older cars. According to the online car supermarket BuyaCar.co.uk, the average price paid for a 2021-registered car is just 4.6% higher than for cars registered in 2020. BuyaCar research shows that the gap was 24.1% in 2019, before the coronavirus pandemic and the global electronic chip shortage … [Read more...]
Rising hesitancy over buying is the new norm
There is no doubt that new and used car sales are right at the forefront of the car retailer’s commercial strategy at the moment, said Rupert Pontin, Director of Insight at Cazana, the motor trade analysts. As another week of strong sales performance passed by and the retailers continued to make the most of the pent-up buyer demand, new car sales looked good, although the restrictions on supply … [Read more...]
More buyers looking for new cars after lockdowns
Some 2.7 million more drivers are planning to opt for a new car this year than previous years, according to Close Brothers Motor Finance’s upcoming Britain Under the Bonnet Report. For 45% of drivers, a new car is the preferred option – significantly up from 38% last year. The lockdown has fuelled fresh demand for a private vehicle and working from home has enabled lots of consumers … [Read more...]
Advertising brakes but car sales accelerate
Sales enquiries for both new and used cars have seen an increase during the last week as retail buyers appear to have gained a little more confidence and seem more willing to start to spend the money they have inadvertently saved during the current third lockdown period. However, new car sales for the month are still looking to be at around 60% of normal levels with a considerable constraint on … [Read more...]