Where Are The New Cars?

[xux42]

Pottering along this morning I mused on not seeing any '60' reg. cars then remembered with a jolt that '60' has been out for 6 weeks not 2!

In 35 years I can't recall ever going that long not seeing a new car.

Where I live is middle of the road money wise, plenty of 59s and 10s about. And 2 days a week I drive through the Cotswolds.

So where are they? SMMT figures suggest sales were down but not catastrophically.

Who verifies the SMMT figures? How can be sure they are not bulked out with manufacturers pre-reg's and cars forced on employees who already have 6month old cars they are perfectly happy with (I know Mitsubishi do that for a fact).

Any trade insiders care to spill?

[deflation]

I didn't notice any for at least 2 weeks afer 1st Sept but am seeing them frequently now.

I think some of it is down to perception. You noticed the 10 plate more, e,g, VK10 BBB, the eyes deceiving you that there is an i in the no plate. VK60 BBB doesn't have the same visual impact. Neither did VK59 BBB.

In fact I saw a car with a no plate that at first glance looked like P60 xxx.. The plethora of number plates bought from DVLA dilutes the impact too.

[tonytramcar]

Head south a bit, xux42, there are plenty of 60 plates in Somerset.

[xux42]

Head south a bit, xux42, there are plenty of 60 plates in Somerset.

Ah well maybe the quantity of 59s and 10s around here explains it - too soon to change, maybe?

If deflation's right I'm taking my new glasses back.

[deflation]

Ah well maybe the quantity of 59s and 10s around here explains it - too soon to change, maybe?

If deflation's right I'm taking my new glasses back.

I meant 'you' in a general way, not you personally. The fact that the numeral for 'one' is used in the UK without the little tick at it's top left makes it look like an I. Look at the frankly pathetic way owners move letters and numbers around on their plates for effect, i.e. look at me, I'm a p***k.

I'm not against private plates, had a few myself, if you can afford 911 GUY, then fair enough, but the squeezing, stretching, ridiculous fonts and strategically placed black or yellow screws are just "well sad."

Edited October 12, 2010 by deflation

[Warwick-Watcher]

Pottering along this morning I mused on not seeing any '60' reg. cars then remembered with a jolt that '60' has been out for 6 weeks not 2!

In 35 years I can't recall ever going that long not seeing a new car.

Where I live is middle of the road money wise, plenty of 59s and 10s about. And 2 days a week I drive through the Cotswolds.

So where are they? SMMT figures suggest sales were down but not catastrophically.

Who verifies the SMMT figures? How can be sure they are not bulked out with manufacturers pre-reg's and cars forced on employees who already have 6month old cars they are perfectly happy with (I know Mitsubishi do that for a fact).

Any trade insiders care to spill?

Perhaps you need an eyesight test?

Let me know when you're on the road and I'll make sure I'm off it

[jonboy2010]

Pottering along this morning I mused on not seeing any '60' reg. cars then remembered with a jolt that '60' has been out for 6 weeks not 2!

In 35 years I can't recall ever going that long not seeing a new car.

Where I live is middle of the road money wise, plenty of 59s and 10s about. And 2 days a week I drive through the Cotswolds.

So where are they? SMMT figures suggest sales were down but not catastrophically.

Who verifies the SMMT figures? How can be sure they are not bulked out with manufacturers pre-reg's and cars forced on employees who already have 6month old cars they are perfectly happy with (I know Mitsubishi do that for a fact).

Any trade insiders care to spill?

I dropped my daughter off at school this morning one parent pulled up in 60 reg 4x4 merc the teacher drove in a 60 reg volvo 4x4 and another parent in a audi convertible 60 reg! Me i can just about to afford to run my old car let alone buy a new one.

[19 year mortgage 8itch]

I thought I was seeing more 60s than I expected. The low SMMT figures tell me I'm wrong.

[or in excess of]

How many years will it be, before every car made, will be silver in colour?

[Austin Allegro]

Does it really matter nowadays? Everybody knows the really classy people have personalised number plates like '3 SUM', 'B1G B055',

or '1N DE8T'

[Minos]

I didn't notice any for at least 2 weeks afer 1st Sept but am seeing them frequently now.

I think some of it is down to perception. You noticed the 10 plate more, e,g, VK10 BBB, the eyes deceiving you that there is an i in the no plate. VK60 BBB doesn't have the same visual impact. Neither did VK59 BBB.

In fact I saw a car with a no plate that at first glance looked like P60 xxx.. The plethora of number plates bought from DVLA dilutes the impact too.

Were the people driving them all boomers with free bus passes, 400 BTL properties and winter fuel allowances?

[Harry Monk]

Does it really matter nowadays? Everybody knows the really classy people have personalised number plates like '3 SUM', 'B1G B055',

or '1N DE8T'

This is classy, in it's own way.

[profitofdoom]

Sales to private buyers are very weak.The main reason being that scrappage pulled all the deals forward.After Jan 1 with the VAT hike private buyers of new cars will be endangered species.Companies will not be affected as they reclaim the VAT.

[Number79]

I read this thread before and realised that I have yet to see any new cars so, where are they all?

I read the comment about 60 plates not really registering.

I just walked to the village shops and 'noticed' 4 brand new 60 plate cars parked in the road outside the shops.

[AThirdWay]

Sales to private buyers are very weak.The main reason being that scrappage pulled all the deals forward.After Jan 1 with the VAT hike private buyers of new cars will be endangered species.Companies will not be affected as they reclaim the VAT.

Already noticed an increase in advertising for commercial vehicles dropping through the office door. Reading the weekend comics, I noticed that Arnold Clark et al are targeting the Motobility market.

That's a big clue to who their marketing gurus think are furure customers!

[Diver Dan]

Sales to private buyers are very weak.

This could be the perfect opportunity to indulge in one of my favourite games:

Pay a visit a car show-room posing as a prospective private buyer, "looking for a bit of a change" and then blag test-drives in the most expensive cars you can find. Look up the prices later and compare with a friend.

What makes it even funnier is that the sales-people think you're playing hard-ball when you try to walk away from their pitch afterwards and invariably lower the price and start adding sweeterers to the deal.

[longtomsilver]

This could be the perfect opportunity to indulge in one of my favourite games:

Pay a visit a car show-room posing as a prospective private buyer, "looking for a bit of a change" and then blag test-drives in the most expensive cars you can find. Look up the prices later and compare with a friend.

What makes it even funnier is that the sales-people think you're playing hard-ball when you try to walk away from their pitch afterwards and invariably lower the price and start adding sweeterers to the deal.

and then you are unable to resist temptations of the furry dice and floor matts. All on a sweet HP deal. SOLD SOLD SOLD oops

[SNACR]

I get the impression dealers are struggling to move new cars. I've seen a lot of very keen deals around on new and a real convergence towards secondhand prices with new being only £1k or so more than a year old 2nd-hand with 10k miles. There's VAT in the new price which, although the public wouldn't necessarily realise makes 2nd hand look even worse value.

By the time it gets to Dec, when vehicle sales are slack anyway, I reckon there'll be even better deals around and it might actually pop the 2nd hand bubble. 2nd hand 4x4's seem to defy gravity depreciation-wise despite their dire fuel economy. I think the snow last winter encouraged people to get one but would've expected it to wear off by now.

The ubiquitous BMW X5 seemed to have been overtaken by the Range Rover Sport but don't notice nearly as many of those around now.

Commercial vehicles seem very dire. There was a new shape Renault master van out a fair while ago and I think I've only seen one on the roads and this used to be a very popular van.

Edited October 12, 2010 by Soon Not a Chain Retailer

[Diver Dan]

and then you are unable to resist temptations of the furry dice and floor matts. All on a sweet HP deal. SOLD SOLD SOLD oops

The thing is, the salespeople don't know that I actually have become attached to my current car and would feel bad about selling it without a good reason. I expect to keep it for the forseeable future.

You wouldn't swap your three year old dog for a puppy just to get that "new dog" smell.

[Flob]

Just bought a new (to me) car on an 05 plate.

Talking to the dealers the market for good low mileage, recent reg 2nd hand is very strong and the new market very week.

The chap two door up from me is a dealer and he reckons he's just had a bumper week selling 11 second hand cars instead of his usual 5 or 6.

Edited October 12, 2010 by Flob

[fellow]

What does 60 mean in relation to the year 2010?

[Dave Spart]

This is classy, in it's own way.

Surely the point of this type of business is to remove filth rather than actually deliver it?

Edited October 12, 2010 by Dave Spart

[gasket37]

Companies will not be affected as they reclaim the VAT.

erm - they can't, not unless they are a taxi firm etc.

so does that mean people are buying them to avoid paying an extra 2½% come january?

[Toto deVeer]

Does it really matter nowadays? Everybody knows the really classy people have personalised number plates like '3 SUM', 'B1G B055',

or '1N DE8T'

How about:

OU812

[the primitive]

Pottering along this morning I mused on not seeing any '60' reg. cars then remembered with a jolt that '60' has been out for 6 weeks not 2!

In 35 years I can't recall ever going that long not seeing a new car.

Where I live is middle of the road money wise, plenty of 59s and 10s about. And 2 days a week I drive through the Cotswolds.

So where are they? SMMT figures suggest sales were down but not catastrophically.

Who verifies the SMMT figures? How can be sure they are not bulked out with manufacturers pre-reg's and cars forced on employees who already have 6month old cars they are perfectly happy with (I know Mitsubishi do that for a fact).

Any trade insiders care to spill?

Funny I was surprised how MANY I had seen given the supposed hard times.

Why not wait for the sales figures though , not just inherently unreliable anecdotes