Every one of us in the trade has fallen foul of the wrong car from time to time - it is an occupational hazard. But what is the 'wrong' car? Well, the answer to that can vary according to circumstances, but at the moment you have to be especially suspicious and cautious of big, older smokers - because everyone else is.
At last all the speculation about the T-plate and its impact on late plate values is over and instead, we are seeing the results and it has to be said 'they ain't pretty'.
March finished with registrations 73% higher than the corresponding month last year, and the industry at odds over its significance.
Never are the differences between new and used car buyers more apparent than when it comes to spec. Referring to the corporate sector, because of its dominance in the new car market, enhanced specification is often a badge of success. This is why many higher spec cars show their differences on the outside.
For the second year running, sales of the Renault Megane are growing faster than those of any other car in the UK. Analysis of detailed registration figures, published by the Society of Motor Manufacturers and Traders, shows the Megane added more than 25,000 units last year, a growth rate of 44%.
Everybody assumes that vehicle condition appraisal only applies to used cars. But I would suggest that appraisal should start even before the car is bought. We are used to having our ears bent by colleagues in the disposals world. But the situation is worse than normal.
Carmakers and dealers are braced for a dramatic market decline this month as the official January registration figures reveal the true effect of a March plate change on annual buying patterns.
Last month I promised to explode a few myths which plague the world of future residual values. And what better way to start than with the simple and dangerous way of setting residual values as percentages of list price.
The upturn in trade and retail activity has turned out to be a blip, rather than the start of a significant recovery and one of the factors causing this is the continuing realignment of new prices by manufacturers. The trade is increasingly wary of price cuts, such as the recent slashing of Citroen Saxo by up to £1,200. This is bound to impact on late-plate values and therefore 99Ss are the latest big worry.
Although the past 12 months have been quite disastrous for many used car people, a more positive mood emerged ahead of January. Used car buyers returned during December and although they were inevitably cherry-picking, they were leaving with cars.
Although demand for Mazdas and Mitsubishis is hardly on fire, medium sector Japanese imports are generally faring well in the used market.
The latest Astra is hardly a thing of beauty and dealers report private new sales can be stimulated only by substantial discounting.
