Used car sector gets competitive
With 2011 predicted to be a difficult year for used car franchise dealerships and approved used car programmes they have had to up their game to entice customers and fill them with confidence. A good example of this is Vauxhall’s new lifetime warranty scheme which now extends to all approved used cars too, obviously certain criteria has to be meant for this to apply.
In light of this, independent dealers and car supermarkets are working to develop their own used car propositions which will match car manufacturers’ used car programmes. The RAC which provides use car warranties says that independent dealers are gradually developing packages around used car purchases that provide a high degree of reassurance to the buyer.
What these independent used car dealers are trying to put together is a highly specified and comprehensive warranty, a service plan and the option of trading in a used car after a certain time period for a new used car.
Sales and marketing director Ian Simpson said, “The used car sale of 2011 is all about confidence. The majority of buyers remain worried about the potential effects of the difficult economic conditions on their job and general standard of living.”
Iain Simpson was quite aware that if independents developed these packages and up the game then the manufacturer baked franchises will also up their game and come back with an even better proposition.
He added, “It is possible for a non-franchise dealer to put together a ‘peace of mind’ package around a used car that matches some of the traditional manufacturer programmes. However, if we are entering a period when car makers start to enhance their used car offering, then it may be that independent retailers find it very difficult to match them in the medium term.”
Healthy completion in the used car market is welcome, especially if it means consumers will benefit from better prices and better quality used cars in Northern Ireland and the rest of the UK.
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