The SMMT suggests that car sales are up because of their value for money.
Could not the record car sales of 2001 merely be the result of the UK's public transport system being so bad that people are driven to purchase cars in desperation?
Rob K.
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It was a marvelous year for the finance houses and next year will be a good year for the repossesion industry.I wonder what percentage were British built.
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A wonderful comment from Andy. I know that's how Britain looks from outside Britain, but whenever I've gambled on it I've lost.
HJ
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Probably some truth in that new cars appear to be 'cheap' compared to what they were.
But I think Andy is closer to reality, I know every time higher sales figures for High Street sales, cars, houses etc are announced SWMBO (she works in debt recovery) rubs her hands and says 'We'll be recruiting then.'
Sadly she's nearly always right, one man's meat........
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It's amazing just how gullable people are when buying new/used cars on finance.
You've seen the adverts:
* BMW 3 series ,P registration from just £ 8.50 a week !!! (20 in stock)*
20 in stock means - 20 cars spread all over the UK.
and the photo next to the advert will be of a BMW M3 but the actual car will be a 316 in white with 100K miles.
The same dubious tactics go on with new cars.. its about selling finance not cars just like Andy implied.
Do the new car sales figures include cars personally imported ?
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Its not just the motor business with the sharp finance deals,what about when you go into the lovely sofa shops after watching their nice TV ads.Has anyone managed to pay the finance off b4 the sofa fell to pieces?
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Yes, the High Street multiples can make more selling you the money to buy the knickers than just by selling you the knickers. And they are marked up at least 500%. True.
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Oh Andy - you are so full of positive thoughts! [Reposession]
David :->
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Rob K.
Cynical of you - but I am sure you're right!
Martin.
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Strangely, Citroen sales are up 52%. What are people buying? Has all that growth come from people carriers?
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I guess reduced price Picasso's and special cheap deal Saxo's ?
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Andy
FYI 25% were British-built
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If cars are lasting longer and fewer are being destroyed in accidents (presumably) where are they all going?. I can only assume that the number of vehicles on the road is increasing at almost the same rate as new vehicle sales.
Any statistics anyone?
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Brian,
Cars may be lasting longer but I'm not sure they are actually being kept on the road much longer.
Years ago everything in the breakers was full of rust with patches on the patches. Engines were worn out at 75K and interiors shabby.
Take a look round now. They're full of cars with nice paint, no rust, decent engines and unworn interiors (and I'm meaning the condition they arrive in, not after a month being moved round with the forklift prongs!).
They're scrapped due to the economics of "repair vs buy another quite decent car for £1000"......or a move upmarket on finance.
David
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David W wrote:
>
> stuff about scrap yards........
David,
Won't this entail less of a demand for the parts from scrap yards, eventually leading to their reduction or potential demise ?
I spent many a happy (?) hour doing the same job twice - once to take my car apart and second to take apart the scrap car to get the bit I wanted.
I once cycled about 10 miles on my grandmother's bicycle with a drive shaft and CV joint for a GS club tied around my neck with a piece of string.
My grandmother was about 5' and I am over 6'. The bike was about 2 million years old and it was all up hill.
Mark.
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David W
You're probably right.
Seeing as it takes about as much energy to make a car as it consumes as fuel in its lifetime, such a policy does not seem to make sense from a "green" point of view.
It seems from your interpretation that more stringent safety features and regulation is forcing the premature scrapping of roadworthy vehicles and therefore undermining any energy efficiency savings.
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