Since Carzone.ie started compiling these motoring reports in 2012 the most searched for model year on the site has been 2008, the year Ireland’s car tax system moved over to emissions-based ratings. We initially expected the popular year to move forward gradually, but up until the end of 2014 there was no change, as buyers were keen to move into the new taxation system, but clearly on a limited budget.
This is supported by answers from our survey respondents, as, of those that had bought a used car in the past six months, 34% went for a car that was between five and ten years old. However, our site search data from the start of 2015 indicates that change may be on the way - in line with optimism in the economy in general.
The most searched for year in the first quarter of 2015 was still 2008, but crucially it was only marginally ahead of 2012 and 2011, indicating that site users are now considering three- to four-year old cars once more.
One thing that shows no sign of changing is the colour palette on Irish roads, as black is, overwhelmingly, the most searched for colour across the board. It accounted for just over 24% of all colour searches for the last six months of 2014, a full 10% more than the next most popular colour - white. As before, silver, blue, red and grey take the runner-up spots.
Looking at it on a model-by-model basis there is evidence that white is gaining ground, as there were nearly as many buyers searching for the BMW 5 Series, Volkswagen Golf, Audi A4 and Audi A3 in white as there were in black, while those interested in the Mercedes-Benz C-Class and Opel Insignia actually favoured white.
There’s surprising uniformity even across the counties, with just a few anomalies. Site users in Cavan and Laois, for example, favour blue for their cars; Monaghan motorists like white; red is the most popular colour in Leitrim and Sligo; and those in Carlow and Wicklow put silver above black on their wish list. Don’t follow the herd in terms of colour or car choice and you could find yourself in a stronger bargaining position.
Site search data is all well and good, but there’s nothing like hearing from our users, which is why the survey is so invaluable. This time around we received 1,404 entries within the allotted time and as ever the data is illuminating. One of the first things to jump out at us from the responses was the shift to diesel. Now in one way, that’s not surprising, as there’s been increased focus on diesel power since 2008 to reduce emissions of greenhouse gases - and some 70% of the new car market is now diesel. On top of that, our users have told us they want to keep costs down and are interested in diesel. But this is the first time that more of our users that bought a used car in the past six months went for diesel over petrol. We expect that balance to firmly tip in the favour of diesel over the next few reports.
Backing that theory up, the top three financial concerns of our survey respondents when it comes to running a car are fuel costs, road tax and insurance costs. This hasn’t changed in the past three years and will continue to drive sales towards diesel cars for some time to come.
Saying that, when we asked our respondents why they sold their car, the majority (45%) said they just wanted a change - while only 19% indicated it was to reduce costs. Most motorists opt for part exchanging their car (47%), with just 29% sell privately online. Some 65% said they chose their selling method to save time, clearly prioritising that above getting a good price, as only 19% of respondents prioritised that. In contrast, 36% of sellers said the biggest obstacle was not getting the price they wanted.
Finally, we asked our users how much they spend per year on running costs - including insurance, tax, fuel, repairs and servicing. The average figure came out as €3,878.90, up from €3,744.64 in 2012. A massive 64% of respondents expect to spend more on motoring in the next decade and they have fears that those trying to afford a car in two years’ time will struggle with the cost of the car first and foremost, closely followed by fuel costs.