New 17 plate and vehicle excise duty changes spark increased sales activity
Used car of the month: Škoda Yeti
Used bike of the month: Suzuki SV650
MyCarCheck.com’s valuation experts reveal significant trends in the UK used vehicle market and choose a car and bike of the month.
Vehicle Valuation Manager at My Car Check, Jon Wheeler, said: “The spacious and frugal Škoda Yeti represents great value as a used family car. A good range of engines, from 1.2 petrol to 2.0 diesel, all deliver decent fuel economy, and the 4×4 option on the 2.0 diesel transforms the Yeti into a go-anywhere off-roader. Our pick would be the 2.0TDI 4×4 which commands a small premium over the petrol models but will get you through a muddy field and usually return over 50mpg. Of all the Yeti models we checked last year, just 1.64% had been previously written-off, 3.69% were on finance and none were listed as stolen.”
As to market trends, Wheeler said: “With thoughts turning to a new car for summer, March is traditionally a busy time in the motor trade. If you’re in the market for a brand new model, don’t overlook the new vehicle excise duty (VED) rates which come into force on 1 April. Buying before the changeover may result in a considerable saving. For used car buyers, part-exchanges against the latest 17-plate vehicles create a welcome influx of fresh stock. Do your homework, try a cheeky initial bid and you could grab a bargain.”
On the motorbike, scooter and moped sector, My Car Check’s Mark Field said: “Perfect for novice or experienced riders, commuting or weekend fun, the Suzuki SV650 is sure to put a smile on your face. It has a good reputation for reliability, undercuts its main rivals on price and is relatively cheap to insure. The SV650 started life in 1999 so there are some cheap older examples around. Our choice would be 2016 model, which benefited from a 5hp power increase and a weight loss program resulting in an 8kg reduction. Newer versions also boast a redesigned dashboard, a low RPM mode and ABS as standard. Of all the SV650 models we checked last year, a reasonably high 18.96% had been previously written-off, but less than 2% were on finance or listed as stolen.”
As to market trends, Field said: “Spring has finally sprung and bike dealerships are reporting an increase in footfall. Economic uncertainty may prevent some from taking the plunge but registrations were well up last year and early indications suggest 2017 could be even better. Factors such as soaring rail prices, the new VED tax for cars and the rising cost of fuel should all help to tempt more people onto bikes and scooters. There are some great finance offers out there at the moment and, due to the introduction of the new Euro 4 legislation, there are deals to be done on pre-registered Euro 3 models.”
With information from the police, DVLA, insurers and finance houses, My Car Check holds comprehensive data on every vehicle on UK roads – things that buyers should be aware of before making an offer.
CDL Vehicle Information Services, which owns My Car Check, performs over a million look-ups a day for companies including AutoExpress, CompareTheMarket, Go-Compare, Moneysupermarket, Swiftcover and Tesco.
