Retail
- Dealers are better managing their diesel stock to meet consumer demand following negative headlines over emissions.
- There is now a balance between petrol and diesel listed vehicles, with dealers buying less diesel stock and setting more appealing price points for consumers.
- Alternatively fuelled vehicles continue to struggle compared to diesel and petrol.
- Supermarkets selling 7 days slower year on year, with independents and franchises managing more stable stock turn (average 2 days slower).
- All car segments selling slower year on year with consumer demand slightly higher for smaller vehicles.
Wholesale
- The average sold price for both ex-fleet and part exchange vehicles remained on par with April (£6,649), and up 12.6% on May 2017 (£5,906).
- Wholesale volumes increased in May, up 7.3% with a clear growth in vehicles in the £10-40k price brackets (up 25.6% year on year).
- 13% year on year increase in volumes and an average sale price increase of £510 to £4,440 through Dealer Auction, the trade-to-trader online auction platform, proving that the adoption of digital bidding is gaining pace.
Dealers
- Three in five dealers surveyed reported margin pressures. In addition, over half indicated footfall had worsened compared to 2017.
- 45% of dealers indicated an increase in days in stock, echoing data revealed in Motors.co.uk across all sectors.
- The economic outlook remains similar with only 9% anticipating improvements and 34% expectant of further decline.
- 36% of dealers envisaged sourcing stock to worsen while 11% foresee improvement over the coming months.
