Please don't take this as if I'm having a rant or anything

Obviously the car market both new and used is in some difficult times and I'd like to know what is the actual reason that people are not buying cars?

1) Is it the lack of low rate finance available?

2) Or cost of living has increased giving you less money each month?

3) Interest rates on mortgage have increased?

4) Has the price of fuel had any affect on your decision?

5) Perhaps the new road tax bandings have put you off?

6) Are you happy with your existing car and have no reason to change it?

7) Lack of job security?

8) Unpredictable income?

I probably should make this into a poll but not sure how, if someone wants to edit this into a poll that would be great.

I'm just curious as to the actual reason that car sales have gone down so much, and if anyone has any ideas of things that could be done to help the situation I'd appreciate any suggestions.

Thanks!

My reason is number six for once I'm happy with a car since my first car, my last couple of cars I only owned for a year and half each one was causing me too mnay problems and the other my last car was well getting to the stage where the water pump was on it's way out and the fact I had been recommended the Fabia vRS by my future brother in law.

I have no intention until the finance is paid off in September 2010 where I will pick up my next car (which I already have chosen) and with me getting married as well money is a bit tight but the main reason is I'm happy with the car.

I'm trying to change my car, and downsize. Unfortunatley my car hasn't sold yet.

I'm downsizing because:

I know rent a house and have to pay bills and support SWMBO in uni, rather than live with my dad.

Price of fuel is coming down (92.9p for 95ron near me), tax will only increase marginally...

So while I *could* carry on affording to run my Octavia, I would be happier, and be in a better possition financially if I sold it and had a year or so of cheap motoring

So.. someone... please... buy my car?

I bought my car two and a half years ago and at the time intended to change it after three years.

I am still considering it , but it will depend on what sort of deal I can get in a few months time.

Working for the change is that I want something more efficient - 60+ mpg and that there may soon be cheap loans (last one was at 5.5% unsecured) plus desparate dealers.

Working against the change is that I expect to be offered a pittance for my current Octy , though should get a good price on the new car.

Also , my job is pretty secure but the cost of living has risen so I have less disposable income and it will be financially more sensible to keep my car for four years instead of three. I can pay off the loan soon and be out of debt in case of the unforseen though that would use up most of my savings.

One other thing - even though fuel is cheaper again I'll definitely be buying the most economical car I can get that meets my needs which wasn't what I'd planned a year or so back

Option 2 for me really.

Having been made redundant a few years ago, my new job means i'm earning a lot lot less than i did before.

So less spare money = no new car.

But then, i'm pretty happy with what i have.

No. 6 for me - only got the car in May and just finished getting it pretty much how I want it.

I'm working to a rough plan of buying cars at two years old and selling them at four years old, so won't be due for another 18 months at least unless something drastic happens.

Bit of a combination between SWMBO and I both being happy with our cars, money still being owed on both cars, and Brisky's contribution to exorcising the demon of my inability to do anything about my first car's (un)reliability, which made me buy new and replace often for a period...

I will be but not just now. Not after spending 2k to go to austrailia for christmas!

Well for me I'm digging myself out of debt, and I'm genuinely happy with what I've got now.

For most though, I think people still feel that we are in times of uncertainty. Even those in relatively secure jobs feel a little vulnerable, the cost of living is increasing quicker than wages etc etc.

Instead of buying new cars, most are thinking "can we get another year out of this one". Although for some, the market is perfect for a bargain.

Having previously bought a £500 car (lasted 3 months) and then a £3K car (lasted over 2 yrs) I bought a new car with the intention of running it for 5+ years. Still got 2.5 years to go :(

However a change in circumstances will mean that my next car will cost whatever I can afford in cash at the time, no matter how low the finance is. So I'm afraid I'm not much help for you.

Off topic, what happened on your abortive run to Greece? I was waiting with interest. One day I'd like to drive to there myself but I was thinking of a route down to the Italian coast and getting a ferry to mainland Greece.

1) Is it the lack of low rate finance available?

I personally would only ever buy a car if I could afford it with money I actually have.

4) Has the price of fuel had any affect on your decision?

Not really; driving is my hobby and I'm not going to give it up any time soon.

5) Perhaps the new road tax bandings have put you off?

Not really; driving diesels leaves me relatively unaffected.

6) Are you happy with your existing car and have no reason to change it?

That's my reason for not changing at this particular time.

Thanks for the replies guys. Quite interesting to see the different circumstances and the different reasons. I think for the moment at least gone are the days of people religiously changing their car every 36 months.

Daiking- I couldn't get into the Republic of Montenegro as I didn't have a V5 for the car with me which I needed as RoM isn't in the EU. So I had to turn back, I did consider driving North and getting to Greece through Romania and Bulgaria but instead I went into Northern Italy and then back up into Austria, Germany and then home.

I would recomend driving down the Adriatic coast on the Croatian side the views are similar but somehow Croatia feels more distant than Italy and also I find driving in Italy quite er, interesting. I also though of getting a carferry from Italy to the Albanian town of Durres but the ferry would have cost 420Euro and I don't like boats very much. I'm going to be doing a couple of roadtrips next year and going down to Greece/Turkey armed with V5/Logbook is one of my options. My plan so far. If you are planning a roadtrip and got any questions feel free to ask!

Fuel does not put me off at all, I know mine is a diesel and the fuel will last a lot longer than the last car I had (1.6 focus) but Yegnold has said driving is my hobby and there is nothing I like but having a say a week off and just going runs in the car even if it is costing me more fuel than I would normally spend if I was working.

My last car I can remember spending about £90 on fuel in one week, just because I went out driving.

I've not long got it (about a year) and I tend to hold on to my cars until they cost about £400 at MOT time.

Also, we've got other things which require money at the min, so a car is at the back of our minds...

I've not long got it (about a year) and I tend to hold on to my cars until they cost about £400 at MOT time.

Also, we've got other things which require money at the min, so a car is at the back of our minds...

That's quite an interesting method. Waiting until it costs you £400 to MOT it. Quite clever though I've never thought of that before.

/goes to raid the MOT invoices.

You can buy a car for £500 that'll do everything a brand new one will (go from a to b etc). You could even get modern luxuries like leather seats, air con, electric mirrors and windows etc at under £1000. In my opinion it's best to buy what you can afford in cash. What's the point in getting credit for a brand new car which will easily add a good few thousand on top of the purchase price over the life of the agreement.

When you can get a car for £500 you have a choice about whether you get credit or not. With a house OTOH, not many of those can be bought with an amount of cash you'd be able to withdraw from the bank.

My suggestion is start putting a few more good second-hand cars under £2000 on the forecourt to increase sales. Skoda dealers seem to hate displaying anything more than a few years old - I guess the reason is they don't want to look like a trashy banger dealers, or have people repeatedly coming back with faults etc?

Reasons 6 7 and 8 for me.

I'm happy with my Felicia.

People might think its a "banger" but its a solid reliable car, simple and doesn't have out of this world repair costs.

For me i said i would keep the car for about 5 years anyway, tempting to get another cheaper loan to clear the one i have but cost of living has increased. Road tax doesnt bother me to much, but will be a factor on my next car, but with more and more companies making job cuts each day and the high cost of living, every penny counts.

Road tax is getting more expensive even for my car.

£175 in 2006, 180 for 2007 and 185 this year.

But that said I'd rather spend that then a few grand for a car just for cheaper road tax.

I tend to keep my cars a long time because I am happy with the choices I have made. Mr P has had his car from brand new in 1999! I had my Golf for probably at least six years.

I can't believe my vrs is going to be three years old in March, it's gone so quick. I would change it tomorrow if I could find the extra 18k aswell as part exing to get what I really want! Seriously, I really don't know what I'm going to do come March.

I think if I was to buy a completely brand spanking new car I would keep it for longer say five years and get my money's worth, I've never bought a brand new car in my life as it has always been a second hand car or one thats a year to a year and half old so it still has warrenty on it. I know for my next car I will buy brand new or maybe a few months old and keep it longer as who knows what will happen.

I think I come from a tradition in my family that me and my dad for example buy cars around the same time as each other so we are always changing every three years.

Option 9 - there just don't seem to be any particularly good cars out there at the moment. They seem to be getting less involving to drive - power outputs are constantly increasing ensuring that they are expensive to run, but without actually making them any better to drive.

Wonder if Lotus will ever make a four seater Elise... :rubchin:

Rob.

Poll Added

I've never bought a new car, but my last two Octy's have been a year old from a Skoda dealer. I plan to trade them in at three years old, before the value drops too low against another one year old. I will be looking to trade my current Octy II in from the end of Jan to March 2009. That is assuming that I can get the right deal and that I have enough work coming in to make it worthwhile. I need a good reliable car for my business, the wife runs a 52 plate Furby with 33k on the clock and it's a good solid runabout, which she will probably keep for another couple of years.

If second hand values drop, then the difference in the cost when trading in will put buyers off.

Because Mrs Stig woun't let me :orb_upset