Following a record start to 2014 in terms of new and used car sales, it’s clear there’s optimism in the market and more consumer confidence than there was this time last year. In the used car market, that’s supported by an increase in searches for large executive saloons on Carzone.ie. So much so that the BMW 5 Series is now the second most searched for model of all. Used car transactions were significantly up around the country according to Cartell.ie and they show no sign of slowing any time soon. Carzone.ie remains at the forefront of bringing high-quality used cars and happy buyers together. Over 100 million searches for used cars were carried out on Carzone.ie during the first half of 2014. Carzone.ie is not only Ireland’s Ultimate Motoring Marketplace with over 20 million visits generating over 900 million page impressions last year, it’s also an authority in the used car market and the search data allows an incredibly detailed look at buying trends.
As before we’ve broken down the data so it can be looked at on a county-by-county basis, which makes for very interesting reading. Complementing this was a survey of 2,520 Irish drivers of all ages and backgrounds. We asked them to tell us about their car buying and selling preferences, how they feel about the economy, what their biggest financial worries are and, for this edition, what they think about safety, both in terms of their own cars and driving in general. The results were a little startling in places, especially with regards to mobile phone usage while driving.
Some of the analysis in this document was made possible by accessing Cartell.ie’s database of vehicle transactions. Cartell.ie was the first company to offer car history checks in Ireland and continues to lead the industry.
The first six months of 2014 have been fascinating from a motoring point of view. We hope the rest of the year follows the upward trend.
Key Findings
Used car sales are up by an average of 20% in 2014
The cost of fuel is the biggest financial concern for Irish motorists
Black is the most searched for colour in the used market
Volkswagen Golf best-selling new car this year
Used car buyers continue to favour cars from 2008
The BMW 5 Series is now the second most searched for used car on Carzone.ie after VW Golf
Warren Cray
General Manager