Over the last few years, the cost of living crisis has become an unfortunate daily reality for countless people all over the UK, and while there are some encouraging signs in certain areas (inflation is technically easing, for example), the crisis is still far from over. Consumer budgets remain under pressure, with further increases still due for household bills like council tax, broadband, water and standing energy charges.
That means consumers find themselves having to tighten their belts still further – and the UK public’s choice of cars constitutes an obvious pressure point. It’s little wonder, then, that recent research by the Motor Ombudsman found that many motorists are now avoiding buying brand new cars, and instead favouring cheaper used cars or salvage cars, just like those typically found in our own online car auctions here at RAW2K.
So, what else did the research find?
Saving money
The primary motivation for buying a used car is one that you probably could have worked out without us explicitly telling you the context: it’s cost. More than half of respondents to the Motor Ombudsman’s survey said that their primary motivation would be to save money. Interestingly, four in ten respondents said that they would also ideally prefer buying a car that had one or more previous owners. In case you’re wondering, the idea there is to avoid bearing the initial loss in value (depreciation, in other words), which they’d otherwise have to take more or less sole responsibility for if they bought the car from new.
So does that mean people are avoiding dealerships?
Well, not necessarily. About half of the respondents (48%) said that they’d prefer buying from an established trader, as opposed to, say, social media adverts. That’s mainly because buying from an established trader provides them with the added reassurance that their car would have undergone all the crucial checks that it needs prior to inspection.
Unfortunately, that’s an experience that lots of buyers have had, and contrary to what some people assume, that’s not necessarily down to any kind of deceit on behalf of the seller, either. Lots of cars are sold-as-seen, and with the lack of legal protections and consumer rights with social media sales, that can make it annoyingly easy to end up buying a lemon.
So, with all these new concerns and conditions, what type of car were the survey’s respondents eyeing next? Well, the survey doesn’t get hugely specific, but it does mention that most people wanted a petrol car (46%), and that the most likely people to be looking for one tended to be in the 55-or-over age bracket.
Whether you’re on the hunt for a petrol vehicle yourself, or any other type of car, rest assured you’ll always be able to find something to suit you here at RAW2K. We take pride in providing you with a huge range of salvage cars to choose from in our online car auctions, including not just models from the likes of Ford and Volkswagen, as well as a range of other world-famous brands like Mercedes, Honda, and Peugeot. Our auctions are refreshed on a daily and weekly basis, so there are always bargains to be found. Why not take a look around, and see what you can find?
