7:14 am, October 20, 2008
ONE in every three used car buyers will choose a smaller model as their next car, says a survey by Glass’s.
This is to offset rising fuel prices and the tightening of economic conditions.
Nearly 30 per cent of respondees to the survey on www.glass.co.uk also plan to swap from diesel to petrol, with an eye to reducing CO2 emissions and thus saving on tax.
Adrian Rushmore, managing editor of Glass’s Guide, said: ‘This new survey illustrates how attitudes towards higher-polluting cars are hardening. Household budgets are being squeezed ever-more tightly, and consumers are looking for new ways to reduce their outgoings.
‘The findings highlight just how keen motorists are to cut the cost of owning and running their cars. Concerns about running costs are not likely to go away, and we expect further shifts in demand during the short and medium term.’
But he also offered dealers some advice for their customers who are keen to go diesel. Remind them, he explained, that these models tend to cost more up front, and it can take years to recoup this if the buyer covers a low annual mileage.
‘It is advisable to calculate estimated annual fuel costs and depreciation, for example, before committing to a diesel-powered car.’
This will also ensure your used petrol stock doesn’t suffer in the face of blind-panic moves to diesel…
