Used sales downturn

Trade downturn is good news

It’s official! Second-hand car figures have confirmed what our used experts have been saying for some time – it really is a buyer’s market.

Auto Express Car Reviews

Fall in sales means it’s a great time to haggle

25th November 2007

We predicted a quiet autumn for sales staff, and the first official statistics for September back up this claim. According to the Society of Motor Manufacturers and Traders (SMMT), this September was the slowest for used car sales in the past six years. In all, 627,104 second-hand vehicles found homes in the month – compared to 657,827 in 2006 and 654,228 the year before.


	A combination of rising petrol prices and high interest rates has hit used sales

You have to go all the way back to 2001, when 504,173 cars changed hands during the first month of autumn, to find a quieter period. According to industry experts, a combination of factors has hit sales, including rising petrol prices and high interest rates.

However, there is a silver lining for canny buyers. As Mike Brewer predicted, now is the perfect time to haggle hard on prices.

Used values normally rise in January, once the Christmas festivities are over, so if you want to make a big saving on a second-hand car, get your skates on. Many dealers complete their financial year at the end of December, and those garages will be looking to turn their stock into cash – ready to reinvest in 2008.