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Record Second Hand Cars Sold - MikeM100

I read (in another paper) that a record 8.2m second-hand vehicles were bought last year.

www.thisismoney.co.uk/money/cars/article-4227156/C...l

An increase of 7.3% year on year !

I drive by car dealers forecourts (Swindon) and they are stuffed with secondhand cars.

I see TV & hear radio adverts where big dealers are boasting of umpteen thousand cars in national stock but I think asking prices are still high, particularly cars with 80-100k on the clock.

What is happening ? Is it 'cheap' money and low interest rates encouraging people to spend rather than save. Is it Brexit ?

Or is it just madness ? When (and how) is this going to end ?

Record Second Hand Cars Sold - RobJP

Earlier this week there was another article, which went through how people are using their disposable income. (data is 2015-2016, however, so already outpaced by the Brexit vote and any effects).

A link to the article on the BBC website : www.bbc.co.uk/news/business-38991443

Tobacco and alcohol (home consumption of alcohol) continue to drop, whereas restaurant (including alcohol consumed in restaurants) and hotel spends show continued growth.

All this ties in with a high level of employment and consumer confidence - though it was pointed out that the total figures were nearly identical to a year before, so confidence was not increasing at the same rate.

Overall, interest rates continue to be low, credit continues to be very affordable, and people are happy to take on credit because they seem to have confidence in their employment - after all, expensive cars and the discretionary spending that fuels them took a huge hit in the last recession, and no reason to think the next recesssion, when it happens, will be any different.

As to the 'When or how will it end ?', the simple answer is that it will end with another recession at some point. Probably in another decade or so, though political effects can never be ruled out.

Record Second Hand Cars Sold - RT

Low/zero interest rates means that price is irrelevant - buyers only worry about monthly cost which can be reduced by unrealistic long terms.

Record Second Hand Cars Sold - Sofa Spud

I wonder how many cars were sold twice during that period, bumping up the figures!

Record Second Hand Cars Sold - bathtub tom

There was a recent report about a record number of new cars being sold, I believe that was assumed on the basis of new car registrations. It was pointed out many of these could be dealers pre-registered cars.

I wonder how many of these pre-registered cars are now being recorded as second hand sales?

Record Second Hand Cars Sold - Manatee

I wonder how many of these pre-registered cars are now being recorded as second hand sales?

Yep, just bought one. 9 recorded miles, registered 22 December.