Experian reports tougher trading as year begins
publication date: Jun 29, 2010
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author/source: Robin Roberts
| Experian says used car sales in the UK for the first
quarter of 2010 were 7.6 per cent lower than Q1 2009. The fall was led by the upper medium segment down by 12.2 per cent, followed by the multi-purpose vehicles (MPV) segment which saw sales fall by 10.6 per cent. | |
| However, the quarter-on-quarter picture reflected a
common trend for
this time of the year by increasing, up 14.8 per cent compared to Q4
2009. In contrast to the year-on-year change, this was led by sales of MPVs with a 27.3 per cent increase in sales when compared with the previous quarter. Within this segment, the Vauxhall Zafira was the top-selling model. Mark Wilkinson, Head of Sales for Experian Automotive, said, “Despite the VAT increase being delayed until January next year, challenges will continue to face the industry for the foreseeable future. “With 2009 seeing some of the lowest sales volumes of the last ten years, and with the scrappage discount incentive at an end, a smaller supply of younger, good quality stock will be available for the second-hand market. Retailers are likely to be reviewing stock profile more than ever. This means that they will be looking to maximise profitability from the stock available and that managing risk and avoiding vehicles with a chequered history will become a top priority." The mini category, which includes the Daewoo Matiz and the Fiat Seicento, was the only segment to buck the trend and avoid year-on-year decline in sales. All the other segments suffered, with the upper medium segment, including cars such as the Ford Mondeo and BMW 3 Series, seeing the highest drop of 12.2 per cent. Year-on-year, used cars from all makes saw their sales fall. After Rover, Fiat saw the highest decline in used car sales, down 10 percent. The biggest increases from Q4 2009 to Q1 2010 came from Citroen, Renault and Peugeot. | A Welsh mechanic has won silver in the annual
Automobile Technology skills competition. Phil Roberts from Central Garage in Llanwrst impressed judges with his abilities in what is seen as the garage trade's equivalent of The Brits awards. Eighteen year old Alex Knight who works for Gatwick Honda in Crawley, West Sussex, has been crowned the Automobile Technology overall winner in the national skills competition. |
| BEN recently launched Dealers backing BEN to follow on
the success achieved with its unique fund raising initiative Fleet
Disposal Contribution Plan. Launched in April 2010, the Fleets Backing BEN initiative has already seen 12 of the UK 's top 50 Contract Hire companies sign up, including ING and Leaseplan. Fleets Backing BEN is incredibly simple- vendors sign up through BEN, the participating auction house collects the money and passes it to the charity. | |
| Hybrid cars saw the most significant increase in sales
(65 per cent) when compared with Q1 2009. However, it was also the only
fuel category that saw a decline since the last quarter (2.3 per cent).
Petrol fuelled cars still dominate the market with over 70 per cent of
sales. Of all the age groups, younger cars, aged between 0-3 years old, saw the biggest increase in sales when compared to the last quarter (Q4 2009), with a 23.2 per cent rise, but also the biggest decline compared to Q1 2009 (down 18.4 per cent). | |