June 1, 2023

Mechanic Escape

Built for the human race

What now for used car prices? eBay and Glass’s weight in

Dealer Auction launches new profit calculator tool

“The old adage ‘what goes up will have to come down’ doesn’t feel to use to made use of cars, at least not for the time remaining. The unprecedented raise in common used auto values that we’ve noticed in the past 12 months demonstrates no sign of a key reversal. Our expectation is that this new degree of pricing will be the norm for the coming months.

“The shortages of inventory that have been the primary driver of selling price improve, appears to be set to continue – particularly as we appear up to the 3rd anniversary of the Covid outbreak and the severe shrinking of the new car or truck sector. Put merely, for costs to drop, the source of used cars wants to improve considerably, and we be expecting that this is not likely to transpire.

“However, very low client self esteem indicates that these superior prices do not always signify the earnings amounts that several sellers benefited from post-lockdown. We know from our Shopper Perception Panel investigate just how a lot the tougher economic problems are suppressing demand, with a single in 5 auto purchases getting delayed since of the expense of residing disaster.

“This however interprets into a substantial volume of applied motor vehicle transactions, as quite a few purchase conclusions are led by necessity to transform. Having said that, affordability troubles might necessarily mean that shoppers are on the lookout to lessen priced cars and trucks and this produces an imbalance as these vehicles are extra highly-priced than they employed to be.

“Opportunities will continue to exist, but sellers will want to be good to purchaser urge for food, sourcing the ideal types of autos and internet marketing them quickly and properly. Individuals will be anxious, delivering the option for sellers to outperform the marketplace by delivering a supportive gross sales tactic sympathetic to the pressures that each and every household is experience.”

Phill Jones, head of eBay Motors Group


“Set from a backdrop of 2021’s excellent utilized car or truck industry, where desire drove residual values (RVs) to unparalleled ranges, the initial 50 percent of 2022 was rather downbeat. Dominated by a absence of retail demand, trading in the wholesale market was comparatively bad, with dealers not needing to replenish inventory as routinely.

“Initially, auction hammer prices held up properly, but in quarter two they came less than tension, ensuing in RVs suffering heavier depreciation than we have observed for in excess of 12 months. In quarter a few, wholesale action started to boost with hammer price ranges stabilising, and Glass’s values stabilised far too, remaining broadly amount in July and August just before slipping just underneath .5% in September.

“Both poor desire and weak source have been obvious in modern months, and this unconventional dynamic is expected to carry on in the remaining quarter of 2022. There is a danger that need will slide further owing to the festive period, with its financial stress looming significant on the horizon, incorporating to the strain that households are by now contending with due to the mounting ‘cost of living crisis’ that has designed during 2022.

“The outlook for quarter 4 is not pretty as poor as it could have been, many thanks to the UK’s new Primary Minister throwing something of an financial lifeline in the condition of a proposed cap on power bills. Without having this, individuals clients without having a fastened energy offer would have confronted the prospect of sharp boosts in bills thanks to the conclude of Ofgem’s latest vitality cost cap and large boosts in world power rates. This would have had a important influence on disposable incomes, with payments predicted to have far more than doubled for numerous individuals.

“A economical shock of this character could have led to a important fall in purchaser self confidence, which is presently at an all-time low. Though it appears to be like very likely this will be averted, it is crucial to bear in mind that lots of households are currently suffering from shrinking disposable incomes owing to vitality selling price rises early this yr, alongside one another with value increases of quite a few day to day necessities.

“While there is no doubt the UK’s used auto sector faces problems in quarter 4 and into 2023, Glass’s does not hope a crash in used automobile values. There is most likely to be extra depreciation than we have seen over the past two several years, but that is not abnormal as cars have traditionally been a depreciating asset.

“Delays in new vehicle source that have afflicted the movement of cars and trucks entering the employed industry at both deal de-fleet or by means of the element-exchange route are continue to commonplace. This lack of inventory is encouraging to secure residual values. Had there been bad need and strong offer above the past few months, residual values would have occur underneath really serious pressure.”

Jayson Whittington, chief editor, Glass’s