Variety adds spice

Something seemed to happen in May in the used car market. Sales of used imports were the best they've been all year according to the Motor Trade Association (MTA). Not as good as May last year and used car sales are still down 7percent for the year but it's not all doom and gloom and what's being bought can depend on where you live in Northland.

 

Up the top in Kaitaia, Archibald Motors say big cars are selling well and there's a strong demand for utes. It probably has something to do with the terrain and rural requirements but as one sales person there remarked that if there's a recession going on ''it's being ignored way up north'' in the used car trade.

In Kaikohe the smaller cars (1.3 litre to 1.6 litre) are go and if they're under $10,000 even better. Buyers are looking for economy and the six cylinder cars are what was described as 'sale proof'. The recent drops in fuel prices haven't yet filtered through toacorresponding increase in inquiry on middle range used cars either.

 

In Kerikeri and Waipapa the four-wheel drive double-cab commercials priced around $30,000 are in strong demand which again points to the fact that people need cars regardless of the state of economy.

Pacific Motor Group in Waipapa say the biggest problem they face at the moment is being able to supply trade-ins and part of that stems from the new laws on emission technology now required on used imports and the fact sellers generally prefer to list their cars on TradeMerather than trade in and then come looking for a replacement with cash in hand.