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Car sales for the year so far down 12pc

Thursday, November 01 13:00:21

Car sales for the year so far are down by 12pc and it is expected that, by the end of the year, sales will be just short of 80,000 - 10,000 fewer cars than last year, according to SIMI today.

Spokesperson, Suzanne Sheridan, said that the car sector has been struggling again since the ending of the Government's scrappage scheme.

"Without Scrappage we have seen new car sales fall and both used cars and the Servicing/Repair sectors have also seen reduced activity so it's been a tough year for the Motor Industry. At this stage though, the Industry is now firmly focused on 2013 and despite consumer concerns about the forthcoming Budget, the good news for car buyers is that Dealers are now quoting prices and cost to change that should mean no unexpected price increases as a result of the Budget," she said.

"There will no doubt be a VRT increase in the Budget but as used car values tend to rise in relation to such increases, the cost to change should not affect buyers. At the moment, dealers are anticipating all of this so consumers can have some certainty if they are planning to buy now."

"Also, at the moment, we understand that many dealerships are offering significant discounts on 2013 cars if the order is placed before the end of the year so there are huge benefits in getting out and shopping around now."

"A change in the registration system has been widely reported and the Industry is very hopeful that consumers will be attracted by the prospect of a new format number plate in January. Cars with a new number plate tend to hold higher value than those under the earlier system so this would be another big plus for buyers in 2013."

"Also, cars are still great value with the average price of a new car today 10pc less than 5 years ago," said Ms Sheridan.