Will 2014 be the Year that Motor Traders have all been waiting for?

Yes: it looks like we could finally seeing light at the end of the car-sales tunnel

 

I have been saying it for a while (and I did start to bore myself at one point) but 2013 started to see a bit of a change for me. 

Something began to feel a little different about half way through the year. There seemed to be a change in mood and a more upbeat tempo with clients and fellow Motor Traders alike.

The recessionary fog seemed to finally be lifting. 

SMMT Sales Figures

 

Luckily, the latest SMMT figures have backed my hunch up; they have revealed that car registrations were up by over 10% compared to 2012. This was quite a way above the prediction for 2013 so it seems that things are going to keep on getting better. 

Interestingly, we are leading the way as far as our comrades in Europe are concerned. It seems that our enthusiasm for cars takes some beating. But – aside, perhaps for a little more money floating about and people feeling more secure when it comes to tying their monies up in automobiles – it is our deals and the actual advancements with the cars themselves that have made all the difference.

Great Deals and Low-Running Cost Cars

 

Finance rates are low, leasing and contract hire deals are heavily supported (by manufacturers and funders alike) and owning a used car for many is not presenting them with the savings that it used to. New cars are really starting to stack up. 

Nowadays, emissions are dropping (meaning lower benefit in kind tax for company car drivers) and fuel economy is improving with each new model. In fact, fuel consumption overall has improved so much that the savings a consumer can make in fuel alone can often far outweigh the cost of leasing the vehicle in the first place. 

But Where Does this Leave the Used Car Market? 

 

Well, this December saw a flurry of activity in the auction rooms as used car dealers made sure that their forecourts were not bereft of stock for the New Year, so it’s not all bad. In fact, from the reports that I have had so far, I am hearing that used car sales are booming, too.

As time goes on, used cars will continue to be refreshed and the whole pool of available cars will get more economical (and reliable) as a matter of course.

So, What Will 2014 Bring? 

 

The main thing is that we seem to – finally – be back on our feet. A bit wobbly perhaps, but we are getting there. However, things will never quite be the same again. 

People look for different things now when they are choosing their next car. Of course, there will always be a proportion of buyers who will be looking for bling, but the majority are looking for practicality and value-for-money as far as their every-day family car is concerned.

I have written about the buying patterns of us Brits and there is a definite need for sensible cars in the current car-buying generation. Sensible cars that cut the design mustard, that is.

We haven’t lost our style, just yet.

Written by @MotorMistress
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