The second new car registration period of 2014 is now well underway. July was the second busiest month of the year after January with more than 16,250 new cars sold in that month alone, whilst August finished 28% up on last year with 4,708 units sold according to the latest new car sales figures released this morning by Motorcheck.ie.

Sentiment in the new car market is hugely positive as new car sales for the year to date are up 26.95% (86,727 units) against 2013 and commentators expect sales to be in excess of 93,000 units by year end. 

However the trends emerging from the new dual registration system seem to show that after the July boom sales fall off sharply in the remaining months of the year. This is great news for the new car buyer looking to bag a bargain before year end. Dealers keen to keep riding the crest of the wave but will be very aware that sales of new cars in the coming months will fall sharply so buyers should expect a little more room to maneuver when negotiating.

Buoyant new car sales also means lots of trade-ins arriving on dealer forecourts. What this translates into for used car buyers is choice, which always allows prices to deflate a little and increases the buyers scope for haggling. Not to mention the impending winter months also means dealers are keen to move this stock before the slow Nov-Dec period. So for used car buyers the coming months will also be ripe with opportunity to bag that bargain.

Great deals are there to be done, but there are underlying dangers which car buyers need to be aware of according to car history experts Motorcheck.ie. As the market picks up, but values start to fall, those who care not for the rule of law will try every dirty trick in the book to maximise the asking price for their cars, while cutting back on their own investment.

“It’s great to see the new car market back on its feet and this is also very positive for the used car market as buyers have more choice and affordability, said Michael Rochford, Managing Director of Motorcheck.ie. But as we reach a time of year where great deals are there to be done we would urge buyers to exercise caution make sure they perform some basic background checks before they part with their hard earned cash” he
continued.