New Car Sales Down 13% In July

[19 year mortgage 8itch]

Following a 6.1% yoy drop in June: http://www.housepricecrash.co.uk/forum/ind...132&hl=smmt & http://www.housepricecrash.co.uk/forum/ind...124&hl=smmt

July is down twice as much! http://www.smmt.co.uk/articles/article.cfm?articleid=17852

July new car market down by 13% in July and 3% year-to-date.

* Diesel registrations up 7.3% over the year-to-date and take 43.1% of the market.

* Demand for alternatively fuelled vehicles up 19.4% in July to 1,479 units.

“The 13% decline in July new car registrations reflects the continued deterioration in consumer confidence being experienced across the economy. Rising fuel and household bills, alongside falling house prices are making consumers reluctant to commit to new expenditure,” said Paul Everitt, SMMT chief executive. “Vehicle manufacturers are doing their bit to support consumers. New cars are now 22% more affordable than they were ten years ago and new technology is delivering more fuel efficient motoring. Industry needs the support of government in order to encourage the uptake of lower-emitting vehicles and ultimately lower the cost of motoring for consumers.”

SMMT would like to thank Urban Science International Limited for their help in producing this month's figures

Certainly looks like people are starting to be really strapped for cash

edit: forgot source

Edited August 6, 2008 by daiking

[Yoss]

All discretionary spending in the UK is gunna take a big hit and keeping that old banger going a few more years is first on the list for cost cutting.

It's not just value range, this is M&S value range...

[19 year mortgage 8itch]

Forgot to say I'm loving the Nationwide-esque spin:

New cars are now 22% more affordable than they were ten years ago

[The Masked Tulip]

I was looking at some 1 year old Toyota Versos 1.8 petrols with about 12K on the clock yesterday for £12,650 - today they are £11,400.

[Guest sillybear2]

Isn't that normal, people waiting for the 58 reg in Sept?

[19 year mortgage 8itch]

Isn't that normal, people waiting for the 58 reg in Sept?

No its not normal as its 13% down on the amount sold in July last year when people were waiting for a new reg too

July 2007 - 176K new registrations

July 2008 - 153K new registrations

[The Masked Tulip]

I suspect many were buying last year even in June and July ordering a new reg car for Spetember 1st. At that time last year there were often anywhere from 6 to 16 weeks waiting lists for numerous makes and models.

Been surprised in the last week or so to have several dealers, of different makes, telling me that 2 - 3 weeks is the waiting time and that is only if you order something unusual. Apparently bog-standard models are pretty much immediately available.

[bobdylan]

Note that the 13% covers both fleet and private. Private sales are actually down 16.8% YOY.

[Caramba]

I suspect many were buying last year even in June and July ordering a new reg car for Spetember 1st. At that time last year there were often anywhere from 6 to 16 weeks waiting lists for numerous makes and models.

Been surprised in the last week or so to have several dealers, of different makes, telling me that 2 - 3 weeks is the waiting time and that is only if you order something unusual. Apparently bog-standard models are pretty much immediately available.

I believe these figures are actual registrations and not just orders

edit:spelling

Edited August 6, 2008 by Caramba

[The Ayatollah Buggeri]

Prospective buyers might also be scared that the government will fook with the road tax bands again, and/or have decided to wait until the Tories are in power before changing their cars, on the basis that they're less likely to slap punitive and retrospective taxes on them.

[Malthus]

"New cars are now 22% more affordable than they were ten years ago"

BOGOF's coming soon at tha rate

buy a Smart car get a Range Rover Sport free

[AwaitingFairPrices]

"New cars are now 22% more affordable than they were ten years ago"

BOGOF's coming soon at tha rate

buy a Smart car get a Range Rover Sport free

You can tell the manufacturers are in pain. Despite the credit crunch and increased interest rates on most things, Vauxhall, Citroen and Fiat are all able to offer 0% Interest Free Deals!

AFP.

[The Masked Tulip]

You can tell the manufacturers are in pain. Despite the credit crunch and increased interest rates on most things, Vauxhall, Citroen and Fiat are all able to offer 0% Interest Free Deals!

AFP.

And Toyota. I even had a VW dealer claim that he could offer me 0% 'unofficially' a few weeks back.

[Bloo Loo]

People turfed out of their homes can now afford better cars to live in

[Malthus]

You can tell the manufacturers are in pain. Despite the credit crunch and increased interest rates on most things, Vauxhall, Citroen and Fiat are all able to offer 0% Interest Free Deals!

AFP.

Word form a mate who works for a Citroen dealer is that the only thing selling is C1's , can't give the rest of the range away even with the 0% interest and cash backs .

[AwaitingFairPrices]

Word form a mate who works for a Citroen dealer is that the only thing selling is C1's , can't give the rest of the range away even with the 0% interest and cash backs .

The C1 deal is sweet though, I'm even considering it and I'm a longtime 'never buy new' advocate. £3,500 for a 5 year old average diesel that can do about 50mpg, or £5995 for a brand new C1 which can do 62mpg, 3 years warranty and super low emissions giving £35 tax (yum). It is tempting and I can understand why they are still selling.

AFP

[19 year mortgage 8itch]

I've taken out some of the "noise" of low volume sellers but htis gives an idea of who is hurting this year so far - Aston Martin, Bentley, Jeep, Lexus, Porsche. Even some of the mainstream manufacturers are down 10% or more (Honda and the Frenchies) so far and overall sales are only down 3%.

MARQUE YEAR TO DATE Sales YoY % Change

Alfa Romeo 4070 8.24

Aston Martin 1134 -24.45

Audi 63906 2.15

Bentley 1157 -17.18

BMW 72007 11.79

Chevrolet 11598 11.32

Chrysler 4647 -16.39

Citroen 52394 -13.05

Daihatsu 3135 16.37

Dodge 2643 60.18

Fiat 35234 -0.69

Ford 210625 -2.4

Honda 57949 -9.36

Hyundai 18194 0.98

Jaguar 13165 14.46

Jeep 2893 -17.53

Kia 20573 26.52

Land Rover 23629 -14.08

Lexus 6794 -22.43

Lotus 428 1.9

Mazda 30913 1.22

Mercedes-Benz 47372 3.6

MINI 26688 -0.14

Mitsubishi 11565 -1.06

Nissan 44182 16.7

Perodua 404 -18.38

Peugeot 79864 -11.5

Porsche 4383 -25.09

Proton 1018 -35.61

Renault 65795 -16.07

Saab 10941 -24.18

SEAT 19545 -3.36

Skoda 24322 2.82

smart 4665 96.42

Ssangyong 459 -50.96

Subaru 3356 -7.42

Suzuki 16544 -12

Toyota 69133 -7.06

Vauxhall 196039 -3.55

Volkswagen 114011 -2.92

Volvo 21155 19.46

[19 year mortgage 8itch]

Word form a mate who works for a Citroen dealer is that the only thing selling is C1's , can't give the rest of the range away even with the 0% interest and cash backs .

He's right, sales down 13% so far this year

[The Masked Tulip]

The C1 deal is sweet though, I'm even considering it and I'm a longtime 'never buy new' advocate. £3,500 for a 5 year old average diesel that can do about 50mpg, or £5995 for a brand new C1 which can do 62mpg, 3 years warranty and super low emissions giving £35 tax (yum). It is tempting and I can understand why they are still selling.

AFP

I thought they were tiny cars? I rode in the back of a C3 in France and the ride was veryb comfortable as it is a short axle car but it had loads of headroom and was smart if basic. Felt that it was tinny though and not up to much in an accident.

[Malthus]

He's right, sales down 13% so far this year

pretty average then

[Yoss]

Prospective buyers might also be scared that the government will fook with the road tax bands again, and/or have decided to wait until the Tories are in power before changing their cars, on the basis that they're less likely to slap punitive and retrospective taxes on them.

Yup yet more government medling to raise taxes, guess joe public is waking up! retro tax, nail the (TORY gas guzzlers) with a retro tax, neglecting to think about all those labour voters that actually build the sodding things....That will win you an election..all be it in the name of GREEN.

Sounds like a career poltician is control without ever having been exposed to the real world, sure inflation is running at 3.5% if everything you really need is paid for on expenses!

"It is the economy stoopid!"

[19 year mortgage 8itch]

pretty average then

Not even close to average. Average for the year is 3% compared to Citroen's 13%. Citroen was actually down 21% in July

[Malthus]

Not even close to average. Average for the year is 3% compared to Citroen's 13%. Citroen was actually down 21% in July

missed the YOY on the list , very nasty how's the French government at under the counter grants to prop up failing industrys at the moment ?

[john_travolta]

Septembers 58 plates arent going to be popular with any chinese customers neither, thatll hit german and japanese companies hard i would have thought.