Cartell’s latest data can reveal has a significant increase in overall levels of car finance in Ireland for key years. From a sample of over 5,906 vehicles offered for sale and checked via the Cartell.ie website in the first 6 months of 2022, the figures show that a 1-year-old vehicle now has a 32 percent possibility of being on finance, up 4 per cent for the equivalent figure 12 months ago.

Readers will recall that last year the comparable figures showed a decline in car financing level in Ireland, over those recorded in 2020, which we attributed to a slow-down caused by the pandemic. The market is clearly firmly out of this environment and finance levels have risen significantly since July of 2021.

Car FInance Ireland: Older Vehicles

In the case of two-year-old vehicles (2020) the levels of vehicles offered for sale with finance outstanding is 36%. This means there is still more than a one-in-three chance of a two-year-old vehicle being offered for sale with finance outstanding and the overall level has risen from 32% last year.

In the case of four-year-old vehicles checked last year (2017) there was a 20% chance of a vehicle from that year being offered for sale with finance outstanding based on checks on Cartell.ie in the year gone by, but, like other key years the four-year-old-car level of finance has increased – to 22% this year.

Graph 1: Percentages of Vehicles with Outstanding Finance by Registration Year checked on Cartell.ie (Source: Carstat, Cartell.ie)

Older vehicles are also showing relatively high levels of finance: a six-year-old vehicle, for example, shows 17% with outstanding finance in 2022 whereas the comparable figure last year, in 2021, was lower – 16%.

Warning On Buying Cars With Finance Owed

Ross Conlon, CEO CarsIreland.ie and Group Director New Business at Mediahuis Ireland, says: “The overall percentages of vehicles offered for sale with finance outstanding in key registration years has risen since the declines we witnessed last year. Buyers should we aware that there is now a one-in-three chance that a vehicle three-years-old or less is for sale with outstanding finance.”

“Buyers are strongly advised to be cautious in the market as you cannot take good title in the asset until the final payment has been paid to the financial institution. This means you may be buying a huge problem.”

Cartell speculated last year on why there had been a noticeable drop in finance levels when we compared the years 2020 and 2021. The reasonss for the increase seen between 2021 and 2022 is likely due to increased market activity, opening up of markets since the pandemic shut down; also the lack of availability of new cars owing to microchip shortages may have increased car-finance in the residual market.

Cartell.ie is Ireland’s first and most comprehensive automotive data supplier providing Car History Checks to consumers and dealers. Launched in 2006, Cartell.ie is the automotive data expert providing tailored vehicle intelligence data to insurers, financiers, parts suppliers, vehicle manufacturers, and all sectors of the automotive industry. We supply data for multiple European countries such as, UK & Ireland, Spain, Portugal, The Netherlands, Malta and more. A three star Cartell car history check provides information on if a car has finance outstanding on it or not.

The post Car Finance Ireland – Number of Cars with Finance Owed Increasing appeared first on Cartell Car Check.

Graph 1: Size of Private Fleet (incl. imports) 1999 to 2022, 1^stMarch and 1^st August each year (Source: Cartell Carstat)

Age of the Private Fleet gets older

Cartell.ie can also report on the age of the private fleet. Our latest data reveals that the age is increasing as owners hold onto their vehicles longer during the pandemic. The overall picture shows the age of the private fleet, both native and imported, has returned to a level last seen in May 2016. This coincides with a drop in used car transactions in the market every year since 2017 a factor which tends to point towards owners holding onto their vehicles longer.

Cartell.ie tracked the age of the fleet (both native fleet and imported fleet) on the first day of each month between January 1999 and May 2022. Between May 2021 and May 2022 the fleet as a whole has advanced in age by 66 days from an average of 3162 days to 3228 days (+66 days). For the equivalent period the imported fleet has also increased significantly from 3271 days to 3444 days (+173 days). The average age of a private car in Ireland, both native and imported, is now 8.8 years. The average age of an imported car in Ireland stands at 9.4 years. An indigenous Irish vehicle’s average age is currently 8.6 years. So while levels of car ownership have increased in Ireland so too has the length of time that people are holding onto their cars.

Graph 2: Age of Private Fleet, Native fleet, Imports 1999 to 2022 (Source: Cartell Carstat)

Trends in Car Ownership and Age of Fleet in Ireland

Ross Conlon, CEO CarsIreland.ie and Group Director New Business at Mediahuis Ireland, says:

“Cartell have been tracking the age of the fleet since its inception in 2006 and this data is very useful for the market in terms of assessing what age of vehicle the individual buyer is pursuing and in viewing shifts in the market place. The increase seen in the age of the private fleet year-over-year has been particularly notable – especially the imported fleet which had increased by almost half-a-year in 12 months – this is what is dragging the overall age upwards. The size of the fleet also hit an all-time high last August recording almost 2.5 million vehicles.”

The post Car Ownership In Ireland: Private Fleet Size Hits Record High appeared first on Cartell Car Check.

Table 1: Most Popular Models in the Irish fleet (Private Used and Imported YTD 2022) (Source: Cartell Carstat)

The results show that the top two models, in terms of actual purchases of private vehicles in the Irish fleet, used and imported, in the year to date in 2022 were the VW Golf and the Ford Focus. And the equivalent top-two on the CarsIreland.ie list, in other words, those vehicles most-searched by a prospective buyer were likewise the VW Golf and the Ford Focus. However, when we looked at the overall most-searched-marques on Carsireland the results showed that both Audi and BMW entered the top-3 each constituting 9% of the overall number of searches on the site so far in 2022.

These results highlight both the popularity of the Golf and Focus end-to-end in the sales cycle from initial search by the potential buyer through to a completed transaction for the vehicle, and, interestingly, that potential buyers are eyeing up more exclusive marques in the early stages of their search – Audi and BMW.  This shows that significant volumes of searches early-on in the buying cycle may be aspirational or may be indicative of the prospective buyer starting off his or her search in the marketplace by focusing on the higher-end of the market, considering values, before ultimately deciding to purchase in a different segment. Evidence of this trend can be seen further down the list where the BMW 5 series, the Audi A4, Audi A6, BMW 3 Series and Mercedes Benz E Class all appear in the top-10 on the list of most-searched vehicles on CarsIreland.ie in 2022.

Table 2: Most Popular Marques Searched on CarsIreland (2022) (Source: CarsIreland intelligence)

Table 3: Most Popular Models Searched on CarsIreland (2022) (Source: CarsIreland intelligence)

Ross Conlon, CEO CarsIreland.ie and Group Director New Business at Mediahuis Ireland, commented:

“These results show, on the Cartell.ie side, that buyers are opting for similar vehicles to last year: the Golf and the Focus again occupy the top two spots. However, earlier in the purchase-cycle prospective buyers are opting to consider other vehicles: the CarsIreland.ie results do not match like-for-like with the Cartell.ie results – Audi and BMW feature in the top-3 – tending to show purchasers are possibly initially considering what their budget can stretch to or are simply viewing aspirational vehicles before settling on a different purchase.”

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Hyundai Electric Cars Most Popular

Cartell.ie looked at the numbers of EVs sold by manufacturer in the year to date and the results show Hyundai has outsold its rivals, with Kia in second position and Volkswagen (the leader in our equivalent analysis last year) now in third. Tesla, the premium brand, has sold 800 vehicles during the period under review, leaving them in fifth overall.

Table 1 Numbers of EVs sold by manufacturer Jan to April* 2022 (Source: Cartell Catstat)

*April figure is for an incomplete month

Hyundai Ioniq 5 EV model making a big impression

The top selling EV model is the Hyundai Ioniq 5 , making a huge impression with buyers. Cartell.ie looked at the total number of EVs sold by model in the year to date and found the top best-selling model so far this year is the Hyundai Ioniq 5 followed by the Nissan Leaf and VW ID 4. The Tesla Model 3 is currently in 4^th position.

It is worth bearing in mind though that supply issues may be having an effect on manufacturer market share and the related number of electric cars sold in Ireland. Consumers can only purchase what electric cars are available to them at a specific moment in time and some manufacturers may be impacted more by global supply chain issues than others.

Table 2 Numbers of EVs sold by model Jan to April* 2022 (Source: Cartell Catstat)

*April figure is for an incomplete month

EVs Change of ownership

Cartell.ie also report that compared with their petrol and diesel counterparts, owners of EVs tend to hold onto their vehicle longer. Cartell looked at all private cars in the fleet, all fuel types, to consider ownership changes. The company found that 75 per cent of EVs registered are still on their first owner – this contrasts with a figure of 29 per cent for the private fleet as a whole.

Overall numbers of EVs

Finally Cartell.ie looked at the overall number of EVs sold in Ireland between January and March each year for the last 4 years. In 2022, 7078 EVs were sold in the period under consideration: more than treble the equivalent figure for last year over the same period.

Table 3 Overall Numbers of EVs sold in Ireland Jan to March 2022, 2021, 2020, 2019 (Source: Cartell Catstat)

John Byrne, Cartell says:

“EV sales are definitely taking off: we have seen a trebling of new electric car sales in Ireland so far in 2022 over last year’s numbers. In terms of models the Ioniq 5 is proving the most popular with consumers so far this year. Hyundai lead the way with Kia close behind. Volkswagen, which was on top when we ran the equivalent analysis last year, are still close to the summit with over 1,000 EV sales in 2022. Tesla has sold 800 EVs in the period under consideration with the Model 3 proving their most popular model constituting 592 of those new car sales.”

Cartell.ie is Ireland’s first and most comprehensive automotive data supplier providing Car History Checks to consumers and dealers. Launched in 2006, Cartell.ie is the automotive data expert providing tailored vehicle intelligence data to insurers, financiers, parts suppliers, vehicle manufacturers, and all sectors of the automotive industry. We supply data for multiple European countries such as, UK & Ireland, Spain, Portugal, The Netherlands, Malta and more. 

CarsIreland.ie in an online classified marketplace for the motor industry in Ireland. The site is a must for users looking to purchase a new or used car with more motor dealers than any other platform. It specialises in providing top class websites and infrastructure to facilitate seamless online shopping and selling with a focus on excellent customer service to both consumers and traders.

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Therefore it’s an exciting time on the electric vehicle market. Mercedes-Benz recently announced that their new EQS will do an astounding 731km on a single charge. Unfortunately the six figure price tag puts it beyond the reach of most people at a whopping €177.83 per kilometre of range but big developments in battery technology are trickling down to more mainstream brands and affordable models. Below we take a look at some of the best value electric vehicle (EV) options on the market when it comes to purchase price and range.

Top 10 Best Value EVs for range in Ireland

10. Kia e-Niro

Starting from: €41,250

WLTP range: 452km

Price per kilometre range (€/Km) €90.65

The Kia e-Niro first burst on to the scene in 2019 promising to bring long range electric motoring to the masses with its 455 kilometre range. Despite its compact crossover label it managed to tempt a huge number of customers into their first EV thanks to its spacious cabin and conventional styling. The Niro is also available as a plug-in hybrid and a facelifted model is due later this year.

9. Kia e-Soul

Starting from: €39,730

WLTP range: 452km

€/Km: €87.89

The Kia e-Soul is the funky older sibling to the e-Niro and despite its rather unconventional look, has managed to secure itself a cult following not just in Ireland but around the world with its practical, boxy shape and deceptively spacious interior. While it does have a slightly smaller boot, the almost identical range and reasonable price tag has made it a popular choice on both the new and used market.

8. Toyota BZ4X

Starting from: €43,402

WLTP range: 500km

€/Km: €86.80

A new contender for 2020, Toyota’s first fully electric car promises an incredible range of 500km in the BZ4X. The starting price of €43,402 makes it a good value proposition given the impressive distance it can go on a single charge. Sharing similar dimensions with the Toyota RAV4 SUV, the compact crossover boasts a generous boot capacity of 452 litres. The first orders will arrive in showrooms this June.

7. Peugeot e208

Starting from: €28,730  

WLTP range: 340km

€/Km: €84.50

The Peugeot e-208 is one of the best value electric vehicles currently available in Ireland. With its compact dimensions, the stylish supermini is the perfect choice for the city driver, yet boasts a surprising amount of space in the cabin. More impressive still is the real world range of more than 300km and its ability to charge at faster speeds than many of its rivals. The e-208 is an ideal choice for a first time buyer looking to start their electric journey.

6. Fiat 500e (42kWh)

Starting from: €26,995

WLTP range: 320 km

€/Km: €84.36

Fiat have just released an electric version of their iconic 500 city car, and the adorable 500e is not just the cutest, but also one of the cleverest EVs on the road. The lightweight body and neat dimensions allow the larger battery models to achieve up to 320km between charges. While it might not be the most spacious car on the road, there’s enough room for two adults to travel quite comfortably with a backseat that is probably more suited to carrying property rather than passengers. The tiny turning circle and finely tuned chassis make it just as good fun to drive as the original.

5. Volkswagen ID.3

Starting from: €43,687

WLTP range: 540km

€/km: €80.90

Volkswagen almost broke the internet when they released details of their much awaited ID.3, the brand’s first purpose-built electric vehicle that looks set to replace the much-loved Golf over the next decade. The futuristic looking hatchback has been a huge success on the Irish market, offering surprisingly good value in its long range version which will to up to 540km between charges thanks to its powerful 77kWh battery. 

4. Hyundai Kona Electric

Starting from: €38,000

WLTP range: 484km

€/Km: €78.51

The Hyundai Kona Electric is another car that made long range electric motoring a lot more accessible with a range of more than 400km for less than €40,000. Prior to its arrival, the ability to travel such a distance on a single charge was reserved for the elite few who could afford a Tesla or a Jaguar.  The Hyundai Kona Electric has enjoyed huge success since its launch, with some good value second hand models beginning to appear on the second hand market.

3. MG5

Starting from: €30,645

 WLTP range: 403km

€/Km: €76.04

The MG5 was the first all-electric estate to land on the European market and finally offered a spacious alternative to those who want something other than an SUV. With a boot capacity of 478 litres, it’s quite an impressive load lugger and the range of 403km makes it capable of travelling from Dublin to Kerry on a single charge. While the slightly anonymous design might not turn many heads, the generous level of standard equipment and safety features make it a lot of car for the money and in our opinions, one of the most underrated EVs on the market.

2. MG ZS

Starting from: €32,995

WLTP range: 440km

€/Km: €74.98

For those old enough to remember, the original MG brand was famous for making sporty little convertibles. It’s now back in a very different guise selling only electric or plug-in hybrid vehicles. The MG ZS is one of the most exciting in the range because not only is it fully electric, it’s also a decent sized family SUV with a newly improved range of up to 440km and a starting price that makes it the best value family-sized option on the market.

1. Renault Zoe

Starting from: €27,550

WLTP range: 395km

€/Km: €69.74

When it comes to which electric car can take you the furthest for your euro – at less than €70 a kilometre, Renault’s cheeky little Zoe takes the crown. The quirky little city car is surprisingly roomy inside despite its compact dimensions and is great fun to drive. Around since 2012, the Zoe is a veteran on the EV market at this stage and remains one of the best value options for zero emissions and zero range anxiety motoring. You can find a great selection of both new and used models here on CarsIreland.ie. (Please note that the range on older models will be battery and spec dependent).

The post Best value EVs for range appeared first on Cartell Car Check.

Only 10 have been registered so far in 2022 and a mere 103 were registered with a 2021 plate. The numbers peak with 1906 registered and currently taxed to 2007 and 1567 registered and currently taxed to 2008.

Graph 1 – Convertibles in the Irish fleet 1990 to 2022 (Source: Cartell Carstat)

In total there are 17,394 convertibles in the Irish fleet and approximately 40 per cent of those (8154) have been imported.

The most popular model is the Mazda MX5 with 1068 registered.

The numbers have now fallen to such an extent that less convertibles were registered last year than in many years of the 90s.

Cartell considered why the popularity of convertibles has fallen away:

• Affluence: Convertibles may have been seen as a sign of affluence: they are more popular in the “boom years” – 2003 to 2008

• Pandemic: The Covid pandemic and various lock-downs may have had an impact on convertible-purchases in 2020 and 2021: for example the numbers registered to 2020 is the third lowest number recorded for any year since 1990

• Other body types: The rise in popularity of body types like the SUV may have taken the gloss away from convertible sales as the buyer opts for something more practical yet stylish

John Byrne, Cartell.ie says:

“The convertible may have been seen as a sign of the times during the boom years when open-topped driving was at its most popular. The fall off since then could be due to a variety of factors – obviously the weather is not always kind in Ireland and buyers often opt for more practical options but there has been a shift in the market away from this type of car. The Covid pandemic has clearly also played its part considering only 80 convertibles were registered and currently taxed to 2020.”

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Vehicle history and data expert Cartell.ie and car sales platform CarsIreland.ie latest data research can reveal the average value of a new car purchased in Ireland. Cartell.ie looked at the average Open Market Selling Price of all new cars purchased between January and October in every year between 2003 and 2021. The results showed that the average value for a new car purchased in 2021 was €35,199. This is the fourth year that average values have exceeded the €30,000-mark.

Chart 1 – Average Open-Market-Selling Price of New Cars purchased in Ireland 2003 to 2021 (Jan to October) Source: Cartell.ie Carstat.

Furthermore the strongest growth in the new car market over the past number of years falls in the €30,000 to €40,000 price bracket (constituting 35% of the total). This band constituted less than 10% of sales back in 2003 and was then the third most popular segment: it is now ahead of all of the other segments. The €20,000 to €30,000 band (31% of the total) now falls into second place. Even the bracket at the higher end of the market, the €40,000 to €60,000 bracket has increased in popularity since 2018 (now constituting 21% of the market up from 12% in 2018).

Graph 1 – Volume of Sales by price band in Ireland in 2021 (January to October) Source: Cartell Carstat

These results clearly show that the buyer is spending more money than ever before on their new car. Reasons for this may include:

• Expensive models: Consumers may be opting for more expensive vehicles, or more expensive vehicle types like SUVs and Crossover vehicles, or MPVs
• Global Chip Shortage: Manufacturers may be prioritising the sale of higher-end models and/or increasing prices owing to the global chip shortage which impacted the market for much of 2021
• Affluence: Buyers may have more cash to spend or more available lines of credit. Financial products such as Personal Contract Plans (PCPs) came to prominence in Ireland during the recession as manufacturers sought a means to provide direct lines of credit to potential buyers
• Larger cars: Buyers may want larger cars. The country had a recorded population of 4.23 million in Census 2006 which increased to 4.76 million in Census 2016. This increase may have weighed on buyer decisions, for instance, buyers with younger children may need additional space
• Manufacture: Vehicles are more expensive to manufacture, to comply with NCAP safety ratings, for example, this increases the cost of manufacture: the buyer now often expects certain higher specification items as standard too – larger wheels, alloys, on-board technology, Advanced Driver Assistance Systems (ADAS) features – which all increase the manufacture cost
• EVs and PHEVs: Increased consumer demand for electric and hybrid vehicles (where technology is more expensive to implement) could be making an impact, along with changes in buyer habits to more environmentally friendly vehicles, and guided generally by the move to city-clean air policies.

John Byrne, Cartell.ie says:

“This is the first time that the €30,000 to €40,000 segment is the strongest selling tier of the market. Certainly cars are laden with technology including the roll-out of Advanced Driver Assistance Systems Features (ADAS): this adds to the cost of manufacture of the vehicle but it also means new cars are surely the safest they’ve ever been.”

The post Average Value of New Car in Ireland Now Over €35,000 appeared first on Cartell Car Check.

1) Volkswagen Golf

Fast approaching its 50^th year of production, the Volkswagen Golf has been a firm favourite on Irish roads ever since it took over from the iconic Beetle as the ‘people’s car’ of choice. With a wide choice of body types, fuel types, and eight different generations to choose from, there’s a Volkswagen Golf out there for everyone. Available as a three or five door version over the years, as well as an estate and even a convertible, the Golf can suit all sorts of lifestyles. The choice of powertrains is equally impressive with a huge range of reliable petrol and diesel engines including the iconic GTI and GTD performance models. There’s also the more recent e-Golf and Plug-In Hybrid GTE for those looking for a more environmentally friendly option. You can search for a Volkswagen Golf here and watch a review of the Mk7 model here.

2) Ford Focus

Like the Volkswagen Golf, the Ford Focus is another versatile family hatchback that has become somewhat of an institution on Irish roads. Around since 1998, it’s now in its fourth generation and still one of the most stylish designs in its class. The striking good looks, spacious interior and solid reputation for reliability has ensured the Ford Focus remains a household name and one of the first to come to mind when searching for a good value family runabout. Available in several different body styles from the popular hatchback to the practical estate and more recently a sporty new saloon, there’s a Focus out there to suit most lifestyles and budgets. Whether you go for petrol, diesel, or the new mild hybrid model, the Focus is one of the most enjoyable hatchbacks to drive.  You can search for a Ford Focus here and watch a review of the newest model here.

3) BMW 5-Series

The BMW 5-Series is one of the most desirable vehicles on the road and so it’s no surprise that it’s is the third most searched used car on the Irish market. The luxury saloon has been around in various guises since the early seventies and has long been admired for its sporty yet executive image and vast selection of powerful engines. The superb chassis and rear wheel drive makes it a fun and engaging car to drive with all the comfort and luxurious features you would expect from the BMW badge. Now in its seventh generation, the older models have become collectors’ items, with the M5 performance models in particular demand. There’s a vast range of diesel and petrol options to choose from for the everyday driver too, as well as a greener new Plug-In hybrid model. You can find a 5-series here and watch a review of the most recent model here.

4) Nissan Qashqai

Often credited with igniting the SUV craze in Ireland, Nissan burst on to the scene with their high-riding hatchback back in 2006 and the market was suddenly changed forever. With a name that many struggled to get their tongues around, the Nissan Qashqai offered customers the looks and desirability of an SUV, without the high running costs. The sensible diesel and petrol engines on offer made it no more expensive to run than its low riding competitors at the time. People adored the higher ride height and extra space the Qashqai offered and it quickly became one of the most popular cars on Irish roads. Three generations (and many, many imitations) later, it remains the go-to family car for many with a rock solid reputation for reliability and fuss-free motoring. You can find a Qashqai here and watch a review of the Mk2 model here.

5) Hyundai Tucson

The success of the Hyundai Tucson in Ireland has been nothing short of remarkable. The original Hyundai Tucson enjoyed modest sales in the early noughties before being rebadged as the ix35. The nameplate returned on an all new SUV in 2016, knocking the Volkswagen Golf off the top spot to become the bestselling car in the country, a feat unheard of for a brand new model. The crossover craze was in full swing by now and the combination of the Tucson’s sharp good looks, spacious cabin and fuel efficient engines made it a seemingly irresistible package. It remains one of Ireland’s favourite cars, topping the sales charts almost every year since and is back with a new look and all new powertrains for 2022 including a hybrid and plug-in Hybrid option. You can find a Tucson here and watch a review of the most recent model here.

6) Audi A4

The Audi A4 is another firm favourite on Irish roads. As a country we love our executive saloons, and the Audi’s sleek silhouette alongside that famous ‘Vorsprung durch Technik’ build quality ensures the A4 stays close to the top of many a wish list. Now in its fifth generation, the A4 also comes in a variety of styles including an ‘Avant’ estate version, a convertible ‘Cabrio’, and a powerful ‘Quattro’ all-wheel drive version. The high performance S4 and RS4 models are also in huge demand on the used market. Diesel has traditionally been the most popular powertrain in the A4 but there’s a new model on the way next year with a Plug-In Hybrid option. You can find an Audi A4 here and watch a review of the most recent model here.

7) Audi A6

The Audi A6 is another luxury saloon we are very fond of on these shores. With its premium interior and high tech cabin, it’s not hard to see why it’s in such constant demand. Often cited as a rival to BMW’s 5-Series, the Audi offers slightly more boot space and rear legroom. Some could argue that the BMW is better to drive, but if you can get your hands on a Quattro all-wheel drive model, the A6 can be every bit as fun. Like the A4, the A6 was primarily a diesel car but petrol and Plug-In Hybrid models have been slowly rising in popularity in recent years. You can find an Audi A6 here and watch a review of the most recent model here.

8) Volkswagen Passat

Saloons might be losing ground to SUVs on the new car market here but the trusty Volkswagen Passat is still a hugely popular choice of second hand car. In the almost 50 years it’s been around, the Passat has built itself a loyal fan base here with its unassuming persona and solid build quality.  Available as a saloon or an estate, as well as the popular ‘CC’ Coupé model, the Volkswagen Passat’s combination of looks and practicality continues to appeal to those in the market for a reliable motorway cruiser. The spacious boot and generous legroom in the back make it a sensible choice of family car too. While diesel was initially the most popular option, the latest models come with a choice of petrol and Plug-In Hybrid powertrains. You can find a Volkswagen Passat here and watch a review of the most recent model here.

9) Mercedes-Benz E-Class

The E-Class is Ireland’s favourite Mercedes. The first generation landed here in 1993, and it’s been amongst the top three executive saloons ever since. Just like the Audi A6 and BMW 5-Series, it’s as much a statement as it is a mode of transport. The stunning interior and excellent ride quality make it a worthy investment and there really is no luxury like driving (or being driven) around in the cabin of a Mercedes E-Class. There’s a good variety of body and engine types to choose from, including a rare and interesting new diesel Plug-In Hybrid option on the latest model. You can watch a review of that model here or find an E-Class for sale here.

10) Volkswagen Polo

There are few processes more exciting in life than choosing your first car, and we can’t think of a more perfect option than the Volkswagen Polo. In fact, the Polo is a great option for anyone who doesn’t need a huge amount of space and wants to keep their running costs low. Available in both three and five door versions, the Volkswagen Polo can still be a very practical little runabout with a surprisingly roomy boot and plenty of room for two children in the back. The mainly small petrol engines on offer make it affordable to tax, insure and run. The neat dimensions make it easy to live with and park. You can watch a review of the latest model here or find one for sale here.

The post What Cars are you Searching for the most? appeared first on Cartell Car Check.

Our latest data findings can reveal a drop in overall levels of finance outstanding on used car purchases in Ireland in 2021. Generally speaking, this is likely attributable to the pandemic and a Post-Brexit environment. From a sample of over 5,906 vehicles offered for sale and checked via the Cartell.ie website in the first 11 months of 2021, the figures show that while 31 percent of three-year-old vehicles are offered for sale with finance outstanding, this value has actually dropped year-over-year from 36 per cent the previous year (2020).

Likewise in the case of one-year-old vehicles (2020), the levels of vehicles offered for sale with finance outstanding is 31%. This means there is still more than a one-in-four chance of a one-year-old vehicle being offered for sale with finance outstanding but the overall level has dropped from 34% for one-year-old vehicles purchased in the previous year.

Similarly in the case of two-year-old vehicles (2018) checked in 2020 there was a 36% chance of a vehicle from that year being offered for sale with finance outstanding based on checks on Cartell.ie in 2020, but, similar to one-year-old and three-year-old cars, the level has dropped – to 33% last year.

Graph 1: Percentages of Vehicles with Outstanding Finance by Registration Year checked on Cartell.ie (Source: Carstat, Cartell.ie)

Older vehicles are not seeing the same declines, and, in some occasional cases the figures for older vehicles are actually going-up. So, seven-year-old vehicles in 2021, for instance, returned 13% with finance outstanding in the first eleven months of 2021 but were pitched slightly lower at 12.5% in 2020. Similarly, six-year-old vehicles are returning the same value as the previous year – at 15%.

Jeff Aherne, Innovation Lead, Cartell.ie, says: “The overall percentages of vehicles offered for sale with finance outstanding in key registration years has fallen from 2020 levels, we saw this when we ran the figures in the middle of last year, and the trend consolidated throughout the remaining part of the year. As always buyers should continue to be cautious. Even taking six-year-old vehicles as an example, nearly one-in-six of those still return outstanding finance. The levels of finance, at the top of the market, despite the recent drop, are still high – 33% of two-year-old vehicles last year are listed as having outstanding finance.

Buyers are strongly advised to be cautious in the market as you cannot take good title in the asset until the final payment has been paid to the financial institution. This means you may be buying a huge problem.”

Cartell speculated on why there has been a noticeable drop in finance levels this year compared with last year, these include:

• Overall market is down owing to the pandemic and post-Brexit environment
• Less new cars sold
• Finance hesitant to loan to people if job not secure
• Work from home so less need for new car
• People had more money saved so less need for finance
• Trade in values were strong so less need to finance delta
• Less imports
• People holding onto cars longer owing to stocking issues or delays in getting a new car owing to chip-shortage

To check the finance history of the used vehicle you are interested in you can purchase a Cartell 3 Star History Check which includes a full finance check for Irish and UK imported vehicles.

The post Drop in Levels of Outstanding Finance Owed on Used Cars in Ireland appeared first on Cartell Car Check.

Following extensive research based on a sample of 5,430 write-offs taken from MIAFTR Ireland (Irish Motor Insurance Anti-Fraud and Theft Register), Cartell.ie can reveal that the colours purple (0.0132 per 1000) and green (0.0130 per 1000) are the two colours most likely to be written-off in the Irish fleet.

A write-off occurs when a vehicle sustains damage sufficient for the vehicle to be written-off the books of the insurance company. These are categorised from Category A to Category D.

At the other end of the scale the colour brown is the clear winner for safest vehicle colour. A very small number of brown vehicles were recorded as written off (0.0023 per 1000) in comparison with the fleet average for that colour. The research indicates that a driver of a green car is 5 times more likely to have their vehicle written off than a driver of a brown car.

Here is the list of colours with their associated number of write-offs:

Purple can largely be ignored as the overall numbers of purple cars are much lower than green and a small number of incidents have had an effect on the numbers (a small sample size of data).

The reasons for the colour green appearing at the top of the list for write-off incidents may include:

– Hedgerows in Ireland are many in close proximity to Irish roads, and are obviously generally green coloured, making green vehicles more difficult to spot.

– The army use green vehicles because they are easier to camouflage (which strengthens the argument that green is more difficult to spot on the road).

– Green vehicles may not be picked up as quickly by the human eye (particularly when using peripheral vision).

– The colour green calms the mind which may, theoretically at least, lead to slower reactions times when confronted with a green vehicle.

Finally it’s worth remembering that whatever the colour of your vehicle, all drivers should use day-time running lights for road safety. It is has been mandatory in the EU for all manufactured cars and light commercials to be sold with day-time running lights since 2011.

The post What Colour Car is Most Likely to be Written-off? appeared first on Cartell Car Check.

Our latest data reveals a rise in CO₂ emissions in the Irish fleet. In 2021, Cartell looked at the state of CO₂ emissions in the private transport sector for the first 10 months of the year and compared the results to the first ten months of the year for each year since 2003. In November the international GOP26 stressed the urgent need for Governments to introduce measures to reduce greenhouse gas emissions including in the private transport sector.

Unfortunately Cartell can report that the situation has deteriorated over the last 12 months and the gains which we noted were recorded in 2020 have not been consolidated in respect of our emission of CO₂. In a development for Government there has been an upturn in the average CO₂ emissions of new vehicles sold in Ireland: in 2021 average emissions increased recording a reading of 112g CO₂ /km*. This is a level equivalent to what was recorded in 2018 and far above the level of 105g CO₂ /km that Cartell observed for the equivalent period last year.

Graph 1: Average CO₂   of new private vehicles bought in Ireland 2003-2021 for first ten months of the year in each case – Jan to October (Source: Cartell Carstat)

Table 1: Average CO₂  of new private vehicles bought in Ireland 2003-2021 for  first ten months of the year in each case – Jan to October (Source: Cartell Carstat)

Why has there been an increase this year?

Cartell.ie considered the data further for each of the various vehicle price segments to see which segment is performing the best and which the worst. Surprisingly, the best segment, showing the lowest CO₂ emissions, was the most expensive segment considered – vehicles over €60,000 in value. This segment brought in average emissions of just 90 CO₂ /km down from 127 CO₂ /km for the equivalent period last year. The worst performing segment for emissions were those vehicles at the other end of the scale – vehicles priced at €20,000 or less recorded a figure of 122 CO₂ /km. The segment breakdown was as follows:

Table 2: Average CO₂  of new private vehicles bought in Ireland 2003-2021 for  first ten months of the year in each case – Jan to October by price segment (Source: Cartell Carstat)

Jeff Aherne, Innovation Lead Cartell.ie, says:

“We are looking exclusively at new vehicles sold in Ireland and not at imported vehicles. It is unfortunate that the figures for CO₂ /km in the private transport sector are increasing, just when we thought things had shifted in a favourable direction. The Government will have to seriously consider these results which show that it is the cheaper new cars which are doing the damage – CO₂ /km for new cars priced less than €20,000 are the highest of any segment. The reason for this is pretty straightforward: Electric Vehicles and Plug-in Hybrid Electric Vehicles are bringing down the overall level of emissions in the more expensive segments. Until the price of these vehicle types reduces we face an uphill battle in bringing down fleet CO₂ /km any further. At the other end of the market, these results show that those with cash to splurge on an expensive car are thinking about the environment: this is one good thing to come out of these findings.”

*WLTP

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Vehicle data expert Cartell.ie and Car Sales platform CarsIreland.ie have joined forces to pool their data and report on the state of values in the Used Car Market in Ireland in 2021. The companies have released data which show that the average vehicle owned for the last 12 months is now valued at 16 per cent more than its market value for the equivalent period in 2020. Instead of depreciating, most owners’ vehicles have increased (appreciated) in price.

Taking a sample size of 5,000 vehicles Cartell looked at the retail price of each vehicle, assuming average mileage, in November 2020 and used this as a control to test the value of each of the same vehicles in 2021 by running both years through the Cartell Price Guide (CPG) a vehicle valuation service available to users of its service.

The results show that, on average, the year-over-year increase stands at 15.87 per cent. It should be noted this is the price difference between the various vehicles today compared with the same price for each respective vehicle last year. Cartell used actual vehicles which, although they were one year older, actually appreciated. Another way to measure the appreciation would be to take a 3-year-old car with 60,000 kms today and compare it with an identical car that was 3 years old with 60,000 kms last year. This would show even higher growth.

Among the results were the following vehicles:

Jeff Aherne, Innovation Lead, Cartell.ie says:

“These results show us that a perfect storm has taken place in the market: a combination of Brexit, microchip shortages, WLTP, and supply-side availability have led to an unprecedented rise in used vehicle values. Since Cartell.ie was set up in 2006, and started monitoring the used vehicle market, we have not seen anything like this before. Lead-in times for delivery of new vehicles have extended, principally due to the microchip shortage, and, until supply ramps up again we don’t see this situation improving in the near-term. Those who benefit most are the owners of used vehicles, which have seen a spike in values, who are looking, and can afford to wait, for a new vehicle.”

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Cartell.ie tracked the age of the fleet (both native fleet and imported fleet) using car registration data on the first day of each month between January 1999 and July 2021. Between July 2020 and July 2021 the fleet as a whole has advanced in age by 30 days from an average of 3150 days to 3180 days (+30 days). For the equivalent period the imported fleet has also increased from 3254 days to 3289 days (+35 days). The average age of a private car in Ireland, both native and imported, is now 8.7 years. The average age of an imported car in Ireland stands at 9 years. An indigenous Irish vehicle’s average age is currently 8.58 years.

Graph 1: Age and Size of Private Fleet, Native fleet, Imports 1999 to 2021 (Source: Cartell Carstat)

The age of the fleet oscillates throughout the year as vehicles leave the fleet and others enter. However the increase in age of the fleet since March 2020 (+81 days) has been particularly notable. This coincides with the worldwide pandemic. In March 2020 the difference in age between the imported fleet and the native fleet was +137 days while today the difference in age has widened to +153 days meaning imported vehicles are, on average, older than they had been.

Jeff Aherne, Innovation Lead, Cartell.ie, says:

“Obviously there is a lot going on both with the pandemic, which has altered buying habits and when people get new car registrations. It has also led to a drop in numbers of imported vehicles, and furthermore there is currently a global chip shortage in the industry for new vehicles. The fleet is certainly getting older at the moment. Whether this is part of a wider trend we can expect to see continue or whether the fleet age will begin to fall again when we leave the pandemic is an open question at this point. We would expect to see the age starting to decline again when things open up.”

Historic Car Registration Data on Age of Fleet in Ireland

Table 1: Age of Native Fleet and Imported Fleet in Years – 2020 to 2021 (Source: Cartell Carstat)

Table 2: Age of Native Fleet and Imported Fleet in Years – July 1999 to July 2021 (Source: Cartell Carstat)

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Likewise in the case of one-year-old vehicles (2020) the levels of vehicles offered for sale with finance outstanding is 28%. This means there is still a one-in-four chance of a one-year-old vehicle being offered for sale with finance outstanding but the overall level has dropped from 37% last year.

Similarly in the case of two-year-old vehicles checked last year (2018) there was a 38% chance of a vehicle from that year being offered for sale with finance outstanding based on checks on Cartell.ie in the year gone by, but, similar to one-year-old and three-year-old cars the level has dropped – to 32% this year.

Graph 1: Car Finance Ireland: Percentages of Vehicles with Outstanding Finance by Registration Year checked on Cartell.ie (Source: Carstat, Cartell.ie)

Older used vehicles are not seeing the same declines, and, in some cases the figures for older vehicles are actually going-up. So, seven-year-old vehicles, for instance, return 14% with finance outstanding in the first six months of 2021 but were pitched slightly lower at 13% last year. Similarly, six-year-old vehicles are returning the same value as last year – at 16%.

Jeff Aherne, Innovation Lead, Cartell.ie, says: “The overall percentages of vehicles offered for sale with finance outstanding in key registration years has fallen from 2020 levels but buyers should not be complacent. Even taking six-year-old vehicles as an example, nearly one-in-five of those still return outstanding finance. The levels of finance, at the top of the market, despite the recent drop, are still high – 34% of three-year-old vehicles are listed as having outstanding finance.”

Buyers are strongly advised to be cautious in the market as you cannot take good title in the asset until the final payment has been paid to the financial institution. This means you may be buying a huge problem.”

Car Finance Ireland – Rates Decreasing

Cartell speculated on why there has been a noticeable drop in finance levels in Ireland this year compared with last year, these include:

• Overall market is down owing to the pandemic and post-Brexit environment
• Less new cars sold
• People hesitant to take out finance if job is on the line
• Finance hesitant to loan to people if job not secure
• Work from home so less need for new car
• People had more money saved so less need for finance
• Trade in values were strong so less need to finance delta
• Less imports
• People holding onto cars longer owing to stocking issues or delays in getting a new car owing to chip-shortage

The post Car Finance Ireland: Levels of Cars Sold with Finance Owed Remains High appeared first on Cartell Car Check.

Volkswagen in top position

With the relatively late arrival to the EV scene, Volkswagen have had a phenomenal start to its electrification goals. Cartell.ie looked at the numbers of EVs sold by manufacturer in the year to the end of May 2021 and the results show Volkswagen has outsold its rivals, more than doubling the number of the incumbent Nissan.

Table 1 Numbers of EVs sold by manufacturer Jan to May 2021 (Source: Cartell Catstat)

Volkswagen EV models making a big impression

The top selling EV models are also Volkswagen with the impressive ID3 and ID4 making a huge impression with buyers. Cartell.ie looked at the total number of EVs sold by model in the year to the end of May and found the top-two best-selling models so far this year have both been Volkswagen models: the ID 4 and the ID 3 took the top-two places followed by the Nissan Leaf and Kia Niro.

Table 2 Numbers of EVs sold by model Jan to May 2021 (Source: Cartell Catstat)

EVs Change of ownership

Cartell.ie also report that compared with their petrol and diesel counterparts, owners of EVs tend to hold onto their vehicle longer. Cartell looked at all private cars registered between 2013 and 2019 to consider ownership changes. The company found that 65 per cent of EVs registered during that period are still on their first owner – this contrasts with a figure of 40 per cent for the private fleet as a whole for the same period.

Overall numbers of EVs

Finally Cartell.ie looked at the overall number of EVs sold in Ireland in the year to the end of May 2021. While 2020 was a record year for EV sales the tally set last year looks like it will be surpassed by some margin this year: already over 4,000 EVs have been sold this year.

Table 3 Overall Numbers of EVs sold in Ireland Jan to May 2021 (Source: Cartell Catstat)

Jeff Aherne, Innovation Lead, Cartell.ie says:

“While EVs are gaining traction in the market they are still growing from a relatively low base – so exponential growth is to be expected in the coming years. There is no doubt, with the manufacturer investment and Government incentives, vehicles of this type are going to continue to grow in the market and, ultimately, they will replace the fossil-fuel-aspirated engines. The rise of Volkswagen in this category is a story in itself – the buyer clearly likes the options they are providing.”

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Since the inception of the End-of-life regime, 775,000 vehicles have been disposed of within the remit of the Regulations. This amounts to over 1 million tonnes of waste, or, put another way, 1,000 cars per week disposed.

The Regulations were originally enacted pursuant to the provisions of Directive 2000/53/EC of the European Parliament and Council on end-of-life vehicles. As originally stated the aim of the Regulations was to facilitate the achievement of the 85% reuse/recovery with 80% reuse/recycling by average weight per vehicle and year from their commencement and 95% reuse/recovery with 85% reuse/recycling by average weight per vehicle and year by 1^st January 2015. The original 2006 Regulations were revoked and updated by the European Union (End-of-Life Vehicles) Regulations 2014. 

The current total number of vehicles, up to the end of April 2021, on the Department of Transport National Vehicle and Drivers File (NVDF) which have been registered as End-of-Life is 774,729 – up from 772,850 the previous week – an increase of 1879 over a seven-day-period at the end of April.

An additional 390,876 vehicles have been issued as Scrapped on the NVDF giving a total of over 1 million vehicles recorded as either End-of-Life or Scrapped (1,165,605).

The rate of vehicles going End-of-Life appears to be increasing and while the average rate of disposal is 1,000 cars per week, over the lifetime of the Regulations the total number disposed of in the week considered for the study, the last week of April, was 1,879, and, in the last week in March, the total disposed of amounted to 2,013 vehicles – both weeks well above the average.

Jeff Aherne, Innovation Lead, Cartell.ie says:

“In terms of waste management these Regulations have resulted in the disposal of an estimated 1 million tonnes of old vehicles: this is a significant amount of waste within the context of environmental protection. The other significant thing comes with the reporting of these vehicles as End-of-Life meaning they cannot return to the road – from a road safety perspective this is important. Cartell reports can identify if a vehicle is scrapped or End-of-Life just in case unscrupulous individuals try and use a cloned vehicle.”

Note: The Waste Management (End-of-Life Vehicles) Regulations 2006 were commenced on 8^th June 2006 which amounts to 778 weeks between the period 8^th June 2006 to 30^th April 2021 yielding an average of 996 vehicles per week as 774,729 vehicles went End-of-Life during that period.

The estimated tonnage is found by multiplying the total number of vehicles by the estimated weight of a vehicle at 1.5 tonnes giving a figure of 1,162,093 tonnes.

Vehicle manufacturers, distributors and importers have obligations to meet the ELV Directive targets. An ELV producer compliance scheme, ELV Environmental Services (ELVES), was launched in 2017. It works on behalf of vehicle manufacturers, distributors and importers to improve the ELV processing in Ireland and enable its members to meet their regulatory responsibilities. 

The post Almost One Million Vehicles go End-of-Life since Inception appeared first on Cartell Car Check.

We send our thoughts and prayers to Johnny’s family at this time, particularly his wife Jennifer, his children Alyson, Laura, Conor and his parents Charlie and Joan.

Johnny was a massive influence at the Killarney and District Motor Club and played a fundamental role in the continuing success of the Rally of the Lakes and the Killarney Historic Rally. 

Johnny came from genuine rallying stock and loved and enjoyed the sport throughout his life and will leave fond memories from the days when he called pace notes for his father Charlie to his involvement in every aspect of organising a rally you can think of since . His uncle John also competes in rallying.

Tributes have poured in for Johnny since news of his passing. Killarney and District Motor Club posted of the legacy Johnny will leave on their Facebook page:

“Johnny has left us far too young and his going leaves a great void in the lives of those who knew and loved him. 

“He will be missed most of all by Jennifer, Alyson, Laura and Conor and by his parents Charlie and Joan, his sister Charlene, brothers Cathal and Stephen and the extended Hickey and O’Connor families He will be missed too by his work colleagues, his fellow mountain bikers, Legion GAA Club and his neighbours who could always turn to him for a helping hand. 

“For Killarney and District Motor Club, a return to rallying without Johnny will be a much poorer place, where his knowledge, advice, contacts and incredible work ethic will be sorely missed and virtually impossible to replace.”

Richard Lahiff, Head of Business Development at Cartell said:

“You couldn’t beat the motivation, dedication and commitment from Johnny for the Rally of the Lakes. Year after year he tirelessly put in the hours to ensure every part of his involvement of the rally was perfected. Many a late phone call was had to ensure this perfection and that Cartell as sponsors were happy with everything he done. A true gent and a great friend to me and all in Cartell. Our thoughts are with his wife Jennifer and his 3 young children, his father and rallying partner Charlie and mother Joan and the rest of his family and his extended family”

In accordance with Government and HSE guidelines and in the interest of public health a private family funeral will take place for Johnny in St Mary’s Cathedral. Johnny’s Requiem Mass will be live streamed on https://www.churchservices.tv/killarneycathedral on Tuesday morning at 10.30am, followed by burial in Aghadoe Lawn Cemetery.

Once again everyone at Cartell would like to pass our condolences on to Johnny’s family and friends and everyone at Killarney and District Motor Club. Rest in peace Johnny, we’ll miss you.

The post Tributes Paid after sudden passing of Killarney rallying legend Johnny Hickey appeared first on Cartell Car Check.

From a sample of over 5,906 vehicles offered for sale and checked via the Cartell.ie website in 2020, the figures show that more than 35 percent of three-year-old vehicles are offered for sale with finance outstanding. In the case of one-year-old vehicles (2019) the levels of vehicles offered for sale with finance outstanding is 34%. This means there is now a one-in-three chance of a one-year-old vehicle being offered for sale with finance outstanding.Similarly in the case of three-year-old vehicles (2017) checked last year there was a 35% chance of a vehicle being offered for sale with finance outstanding based on checks on Cartell.ie in the year gone by.

Graph 1: Percentages of Vehicles with Outstanding Finance by Registration Year checked on Cartell.ie (Source: Carstat, Cartell.ie)

Even older vehicles are regularly offered for sale with finance outstanding – 21%of all four-year-old vehicles offered for sale in 2020 had outstanding finance against them and the rates of finance are still prevalent for older cars too: four–year old to eight-year-old cars all showed levels of outstanding finance of at least 9% in the marketplace.

Jeff Aherne, Innovation Lead, Cartell.ie, says: “The overall percentages of vehicles offered for sale with finance outstanding in key registration years understandably fell slightly in 2020 owing to the prevailing climate, but, financiers will be buoyed by the fact the market showed a great deal of resilience: three-year-old vehicles, for instance, still returned an extremely high level of 35% and even five-year-old vehicles returned a rate of 19% which was up on 2019.

Buyers are strongly advised to be cautious in the market as you cannot take good title in the asset until the final payment has been paid to the financial institution. This means you may be buying a huge problem.”

The post Cartell Exclusive: High Number of Vehicles Sold with Finance Outstanding appeared first on Cartell Car Check.

There are three award categories – Best Presented Cars, Best Online Marketing and Best Use of Social Media. Car dealers will be ranked on the quality of the photographs and descriptions of stock on CarsIreland.ie, their online presence and use of social media for sales and brand-building.

This year will see the addition of an extra award for an ‘Industry Superstar’ – a staff member who has gone above and beyond for their company in light of the difficulties brought about by COVID-19 and ongoing public health restrictions.

Ger Toher, Chief Commercial Officer of CarsIreland.ie said;

“We are delighted to once again team up with Ulster Bank’s Lombard as these awards enter their seventh year and to recognise the serious effort put in by all motor industry staff, especially given the difficulties faced by dealerships over the last year. We continue to be astounded by the quality and standard of the submissions from car dealers from all across the country. We look forward to working together with Lombard as we continue to encourage and support our network of over 1,200 dealers with initiatives like this one.”

Head of Motor Finance at Ulster Bank’s Lombard, Donal Walsh said;

“Through our Consumer Motor Finance team we have formed close relationships with motor dealers around the country and we know that over the past year they have been working really hard to meet the ongoing challenges of COVID-19, adapting and innovating for customers every day. That’s why Ulster Bank’s Lombard is delighted to be in a position to help recognise and reward some of this brilliant work. We’re proud to once again support the CarsIreland.ie Dealer Awards, as part of our ongoing successful partnership with CarsIreland.ie. We look forward to seeing this year’s entries and continuing to work with, and support, our customers across Ireland in the months ahead.”

The overall winners will attend an awards ceremony in Dublin in December 2021.

The awards will be judged based on the the following criteria:

Best Presented Cars – This will be judged on the quality of the photographs and descriptions of stock on CarsIreland.ie – taking into account consistency, creativity, and quantity of information supplied. It’s also important that stock is kept up to date and all information entered is accurate. Special attention is paid to consistency and any efforts made to stand out from competitors via branding, video etc.

Best Online Marketing – This takes into account not just the above but also the overall online presence including your website, search visibility and utilisation of new technology and tools that help streamline the customer experience online.

Best Social Media – This will be judged on the best use of social media as both a sales and brand-building tool. Special attention will be paid to regularity of posting and balance when it comes to content. Ideally posts should keep customers both informed and engaged

The post CarsIreland.ie and Ulster Bank’s Lombard launch 2021 Car Dealership Awards appeared first on Cartell Car Check.

And while recalls can often be of a precautionary nature they are issued by car manufacturers for a reason and ignoring them could lead to a loss in the resale of the vehicle or in the worst case, an accident or mishap on the road.

There is no formal expiry on vehicle recalls but for cars of a certain age or mileage there may be issues with the dealer having the necessary parts available or making the repairs for free so it pays to not let too much time lapse between the date of the recall and visiting the dealership.

The most recent global vehicle recall notice relates to South Korean automotive manufactuer Hyundai, and their decision to recall Kona electric vehicles (EVs) built between 2018 and 2020 (and some Ioniq EVs also). This is due to concerns about the battery system and a potential fire risk associated with it, so again something that drivers of these vehicles should be paying urgent attention to. Indeed the Hyundai recall is the first global vehicle recall for electric vehicles but in Ireland alone there have been some significant vehicle recalls in the second half of 2020 alone.

Toyota, Nissan and Volvo all issued vehicle recalls in Ireland in 2020 for specific safety issues relating to models in their fleet (faulty brakes, child safety lock and seatbelt issues respectively). And while the risk of the issue identified by the recall occurring may be low the manufacturer makes the decision to recall based on the potential severe consequences.

Cartell’s free personal account offers vehicle recall information among a range of other services so feel free to sign up for that today. You can see the vehicle recalls dashboard area that is accessible in the personal account below. You can also visit https://www.gov.uk/check-vehicle-recall to check for any safety recalls which may be outstanding on your vehicle.

The two key takeways are to keep up to date with vehicle recall information for the brand and model that you drive, and most importantly to take action on the recall after it has been issues. If those two guidelines are followed then you will be mitigating against the risk of any pre-identified manufacturer safety issues endangering you and your vehicle.

The post Vehicle Recall Information in Ireland appeared first on Cartell Car Check.

Table 1: Most Popular Models Searched on CarsIreland (February 2021)(Source: CarsIreland intelligence)

The results show that the top two models, on both lists, were the VW Golf and the Ford Focus. This highlights the popularity of those models end-to-end in the sales cycle from initial search by the potential buyer through to a completed transaction for the vehicle.

Interestingly, the results also showed that the third-most-popular-model searched on CarsIreland.ie in February was the BMW 5 Series, while, on the other list, the corresponding ranking for that vehicle found the vehicle was the eleventh most popular car sold so far in 2021 – falling outside the top-ten altogether. This highlights that significant volumes of searches early-on in the buying cycle may be aspirational or may be indicative of the prospective buyer starting off his or her search in the marketplace by focusing on the higher-end of the market, considering values, before ultimately deciding to purchase in a different segment. Evidence of this trend can be seen further down the list where both the Mercedes Benz E Class, the BMW 3 Series and the Audi A6 appear in the top-10 on the list of most-searched vehicles on CarsIreland.ie in February while those same vehicles do not appear at all in the list of most popular vehicles by numbers of transactions so far in 2021.

Table 2: Most Popular Models in the Irish fleet (Private Used and Imported YTD 2021) (Source: Cartell Carstat)

Ross Conlon, CEO CarsIreland.ie and Group Director New Business at Independent News and Media, says:

“These results are an eye opener for us, as they show that while the searches carried out on the site can tally with the overall level of popularity for that particular vehicle in the used market in Ireland, they also show that search popularity can be an indicator of preference for the particular look of a vehicle without necessarily representing any commitment to purchase it.

They may also be indicative of a desire to search the higher-end of the market first before ultimately seeing better value in purchasing in a different segment.”

The post Irish Used Car Market: What you are searching for and what you are buying appeared first on Cartell Car Check.

ISA, also known as Intelligent Speed Assistance is one of the many safety measures to become mandatory in European vehicles after the European Commission gave their approval.

How the speed limiter works?

The speed limiter device uses GPS data and sign recognition cameras to detect speed limits where the car is travelling, and then will sound a warning and automatically slow the vehicle down if it is exceeding the limit. However, drivers will be able to override the device simply by pushing hard on the accelerator, reassuring some motoring groups that have argued that in certain situations – such as when trying to swiftly overtake a vehicle in front – speeding up could be safer.

More than a speed limiter

Other possible obligatory features such as Advanced Emergency-Braking Systems, Alcohol Interlock Installation Facilitation and Accident Black Boxes, to name a few have also been mentioned.

Saving 25,000 lives in 15 years

It comes as part of the EU’s efforts to improve road safety, after 25,300 were killed on roads within the bloc in 2017. It is claimed the new limiting measures could save up to 25,000 lives and help to avoid at least 140,000 serious injuries by 2038.

So far there have been mixed opinions. Brake (Road Safety Charity) have descried it as a “landmark day for road safety”, while the AA have commented saying “the best speed limiter is the driver’s right foot”.

Manufacturers on board

Recently, Volvo became the first manufacturer to announce it would limit the speed of all its new cars to 112mph… even though its above the speed limit everywhere except German autobahns, it’s still a step in the right direction.

Speed Limiter Implementation

Stay up to date

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The post EU Proposes Speed Limiters for all new Vehicles appeared first on Cartell Car Check.

So 2020 is behind us and there aren’t too many reasons to look back on the year fondly. Certainly, like many other industries, the automotive industry in Ireland was severely affected by the pandemic and Cartell’s 2020 data reveals total sales of new cars amounted to 84,920 which is just under 75% of the sales total in 2019 (113,631). So it could be argued that the Coronovirus is to blame for a 25% dip in new car sales, especially with dealerships closed and showrooms locked down for large parts of the year. Indeed were it not for the innovative measures introduced by dealers such as virtual showrooms, zoom and live chat sessions and more flexible delivery options then the situation could have been significantly worse.

However it’s worth looking at the sales of new cars in context, and if we compare the new car sales figures in January of 2020 (30084) and 2019 (30977) then it is apparent that there may have been a small reduction in sales anyway, as even during this pre-Covid period sales were down about 3% year on year. Therefore it might be fairer to say that the Coronavirus accelerated the decline in sales as some warning signs were already apparent in the early part of the year. Of course nobody could have predicted what lay ahead of us all at that time.

In terms of brands that were popular in 2020 we see the same familiar manufacturers at the head of the queue as the top three remain unchanged from 2019 with Volkswagen leading the way followed by Toyota and then Hyundai. The only significant change from 2019 was Skoda jumping ahead of Ford into fourth place.

And it’s a similar story with the models preferred by consumers of new vehicles as the Toyota Corolla wins out for the second year in a row (although unsurprisingly with less sales (3562) than in 2019 when 4222 were sold). The Tiguan was the second most popular new car model in 2020 – an improvement on its fifth place position in 2019 while the Tucson picked up the bronze medal as it did in 2019. While the Nissan Qashqai was favoured less in 2020 falling to sixth in the popularity stakes compared with its second position in 2019 which probably represents the fact that the SUV and crossover market is becoming increasingly competitive.

When it comes to fuel type there is no surprise as again diesel is leading the way with 36,646 vehicles ahead of the 31,439 new vehicles with petrol engines registered in 2020. The takeaway here though is the continuing strong performance of petrol/electric hybrid vehicles as sales increase on 2019 (9,864 sold in 2020 versus 9680 in 2019). To register an increase in sales is an especially noteworthy achievement during a time of enforced lockdowns with forecourts across the land inaccessible to buyers. Electric only vehicles mirrored this trend with 4,279 sales compared with 3,453 in 2019 so it’s safe to assume that slowly but surely the combination of environmental awareness, a wider range of models on the market, governmental incentives and charging resources are having an impact. Whether all new sales will be electric in 2030 remains in doubt though!

You won’t be too surprised to hear that the two most popular colour types for new vehicles purchased in 2020 were grey and black. There is plenty of academic research out there that suggests the most popular car colour reflects how an economy is performing so it’s no great surprise that the darker colours proved a popular option. As for the least popular colour; let’s just say you will do well to spot a purple vehicle with a 2020 reg on your travels as there are just 35 of them in the fleet. I guess people weren’t in a purple mood last year!

To wrap up our review of the 2020 new car market in Ireland we can point to some other insights arising from Cartell’s data. Automatic transmissions are becoming more and more favoured possibly due to the increased number of vehicles available along with the heightened demand for these transmissions from drivers. For example Toyota hybrids were a very popular choice in 2020 and these are exclusively automatic transmission vehicles. Even in the space of a single year the ratio of automatic vehicles has risen from 31.94% in 2019 to 39.52% last year which is quite a significant leap in such a short space of time. And to quickly summarise the other trends without bogging you down with too many statistics we can see that 4 door vehicles remain the most popular but 5 doors are closing the gap, while hatchbacks lead the way as the most popular body type with SUVs and Estates/Jeeps not too far behind.

While the data is painting a certain picture the reality is that dealers themselves have been through as turbulent a year as you can imagine dealing with the twin uncertainties of a global pandemic and the Brexit situation. On top of that there are concerns surrounding new taxes and charges, the ability to resource certain types of vehicle and a requirement to do business differently than ever before. Let us hope that the market can prove itself as resilient and innovative as it needs to be to ride out these troubling times. 

The post Automotive Industry in Ireland in 2020: What the Numbers Tell Us appeared first on Cartell Car Check.

Purchase Price

The first consideration when buying a vehicle is how much money do you have to spend? Once you have set your budget then you can begin to negotiate the price of the vehicle. Don’t be afraid to negotiate the price – haggling is becoming increasingly more noticeable in the market-place and remember that you’ll never force the car dealer to do something he doesn’t want to – he’s a professional and will no doubt have a final price in mind. Your task is to get the dealer to that point! Obviously if you have a trade in vehicle then you can expect a discount for the trade-in-value of the car. This value will depend on the market value of your vehicle but also will depend on whether it’s the same marque as the vehicle you wish to purchase  – a particularly important consideration for the main dealer garages. So, the price you pay is the cost of the cheque you write, or the bank draft you authorise. Remember the value of the trade-in is irrelevant – the only thing that matters is: how much do I have to hand over in cash before the new car is mine?

Get quotes from different dealers where possible – at least three – this encourages competition – and then settle for the one which asks you to give the least amount of money!  Seems obvious doesn’t it! However customers time-and-again fall into the trap of thinking: Dealer A is giving me a trade in of 5k on my old car but Dealer B is giving me 6k – so Dealer B must be the better bargain! Wrong! Dealer B may have applied no discount to the list price of the vehicle – where you are buying a new vehicle – so please be mindful of this.

So, that’s the purchase price sorted out. But there are other considerations too – and that’s where we want to get down to the nitty gritty of costs:

Mileage and MPGs

By and large cars available to the market in Ireland are either petrol or diesel engined vehicles. Both of these cars will have a certain fuel economy and this is now a vital consideration. Before you buy the car establish how many MPGs the vehicle is running. There are two ways to do this: 1. Consult the onboard TRIP computer in the vehicle itself – many of these are measuring how many litres the car requires to travel 100kms. Anything less than 6 litres per 100km is absolutely fine. Anything significantly more than 7 litres is going to cost you money.  2. Consult a vehicle specification on the internet for the vehicle you wish to purchase – such as Parkers. These resources often give you, not only the number of litres per 100kms, when it is brand new but also the anticipated MPGs of the vehicle in the various years of its life-cycle – a fantastic guide.

Once you have established the MPGs of the vehicle then next you ask yourself the simple question: is this vehicle petrol or diesel? If it’s diesel then you’ll be paying around 3c per litre less than petrol so that’s a bonus (December 2020).

Now establish how many miles/kms you will travel on an annualised or monthly basis, preferably monthly, it’s easier to work out. Let’s say, for arguments sake, you’re doing 2,000kms per month. Now establish the size of the fuel tank in the vehicle. If the vehicle has a 70 litre tank – like the larger family saloon cars – and your vehicle is returning 6.2 litres per 100kms then you’re going to get in excess of 1000kms on a full tank. This means you’ll need to fill your tank once every 18 days or so – less than two full fills per month. You can calculate the cost of a full tank by multiplying the tank size in litres by the prevailing market rate for the fuel to give you the cost of a full fill. You now have your monthly cost for fuel which you can annualise.

Don’t underestimate the importance of this fuel calculation. In today’s market you can easily spend in excess of €2,000 per annum more on fuel depending on whether you choose a petrol or a diesel engine, or depending, generally speaking, on the fuel economy of the vehicle you buy. It stands to reason that the newer cars are more fuel efficient, but, even among the newer cars there are wide variation in economies.

Road Tax

Check the regime which will apply to the car: either pre-2008 or post-2008. The regime is dependent on when the car was registered, not when you buy the car. So, if you buy a 07 vehicle today the pre-2008 motor tax regime will apply to it. The pre-2008 regime is based on engine size – i.e. cc’s. The new regime is based on carbon emissions and again, like fuel economy, diesels are cheaper to tax as a general rule. Calculate your annualised motor tax costs.

Depreciation

Depreciation is the loss of value of the vehicle after a given number of years. It’s loosely described as residuals too: meaning the residual value of a vehicle after a given number of years. You can find depreciation guides on the internet for vehicles. Alternatively you can look-up our Partner website CarsIreland and compare the prices of the same vehicle over different years. As a general rule of thumb all new cars will lose about 50% of their value after 3 years – some more, some less. After that initial three year period the price decrease will slow down and the car will retain a market value for several years more. However, the day will come when all cars, no matter how expensive to purchase, are worth virtually nothing (unless they’re a classic or collectible).

Insurance

We are not including the costs associated with insurance in our calculations but this is a consideration you should bare in mind when choosing between different vehicles.

New or Used Car Costs Calculator

So, having done all your calculations here’s what you need to do now before choosing your car. We suggest you calculate vehicle costs over three years for every vehicle you are considering – then you can compare and contrast the costs and decide which one fits best.

Purchase Price [€20,000] plus annual road tax for three years [€999] plus annual fuel costs x 3 [€5,500] minus the residual value of the vehicle after three years [€9,000] = your net cost after three years.

Purchase price + tax + fuel costs – residual value of vehicle = net cost

Now, do this for all the vehicles you’re thinking of buying and I guarantee you, you’ll be shocked at some of the results you’ll get! It may prove to you that’s it’s cheaper over three years to buy a new car, or it’s cheaper over three years to buy a newer used car.

Please Note: The purpose of the New Car or Used Car Calculator is not to give the total cost of ownership of the vehicle. It’s designed to make it easier for you to choose between vehicles. So, for instance, we haven’t factored in servicing costs, like new tyres (which you’ll need possibly every 40k), or NCT costs, which apply to vehicles four years old and are incurred every two years from then on. It’s true that used cars, particularly older ones, often have higher servicing costs, so to account for this you can add on additional expected costs at the end if you wish!

Good Luck with your purchase!

The Cartell Team

If you liked this blog then why not check out our latest used car advice – where we help Clare trade-in her Daewoo Lanos

The post Used Car or New Car Costs Calculator! appeared first on Cartell Car Check.

The traditional model of selling vehicles centres around big open areas packed full of cars, and a few of the more shiny modern models for sale on the shop floor itself. Some of the bigger dealerships go a step further with luxurious waiting areas, wi-fi, large-screen tvs and refreshments. But that has essentially been the model for a generation or more. And then the pandemic came…

The Society of the Irish Motor Industry reported that new car registrations for May declined 72.3% (1,751) when compared to May 2019 (6,320). Indeed retailer’s showrooms remained closed across Ireland until the 18th of May. And if we look at the bigger picture, a total of 64,344 units of new vehicles were sold in Ireland in the first half of this year, down 35% compared with the same period last year, according to figures released by the country’s Central Statistics Office (CSO) on Wednesday 8 July. The picture remains the same as we draw towards the end of the year. All bad news right? Or maybe, just maybe this could be the kick in the backside needed to force the industry to re-examine how it is doing business, and to meet the realities ofne w marketplace demands.

In times of crisis it’s usually revealing to first consider how the big players are reacting as they usually have the most to lose, and the most resources to put things right again. The car manufacturers are a good starting point to reflect on new trends so let’s see what some of them have been up to since the outbreak of the Coronavirus:

Infiniti: They are training their salespeople on how to use videoconferencing tools effectively to showcase their cars via virtual tours. 60% of their retailers in the US are delivering fully sanitized vehicles direct to customers’ homes for test drives (and their executives report that home-delivered vehicles convert to sales at a much higher rate than cars taken for a test drive near the dealership). This new policy have proven so successful that Infiniti plan on incorporating it into their sales strategy even after the pandemic ends.

Volvo: Website enhancements to enable more visibility and interaction with their range of vehicles remotely and an increased emphasis on virtual walkarounds.

Mercedes: A radical re-evaluation of their selling model is underway as executives question the ongoing effectiveness of large retail spaces to show off their vehicles.

“Do vehicle showrooms and service facilities have to be shared in the same location?” a Mercedes-Benz spokesperson told the Wall Street Journal recently. “We are looking at many areas which invite the natural questions of what to keep, what to cut, and what to amplify.”

Now, just to be clear, we cannot be sure that any approach is the right one or the winner at this point in time. But it’s fair to say that when an industry in any sector faces massive disruption, it is often the businesses that adapt the quickest that come out unscathed, or even smiling on the other side. Furthermore it’s not the case that only the large car manufacturers have the resources to implement changes, as the cost of using technology has been lowered dramatically in recent times. Anyone with a smart phone or a video conferencing tool can make a start at enabling some kind of remote working space. One of the best examples of a dealer that has rapidly adapted to the challenges posed by COVID-19 is Joe Duffy motors and their digital dealership option which promises live chat, online service bookings and even personalised videos. It’s all a far cry from a guy in a suit haggling over price with a buyer on a crowded parking lot, but it may well be the future of selling cars.

A friend of mine actually went car-shopping during the pandemic period. He began by deciding on the model he wanted after conducting some online research, and then checked if this model was available at the online inventories of various dealers in his region. He didn’t want to call a dealer directly without being assured they had his preferred model in stock, as he felt they would try to sell him on other models. The millenial consumer has similar demands. They tend to know what they want and will move on quickly if you don’t have it. They want as much of the transaction as possible to take place without any direct contact being so used to the convenience of online purchasing, and they want an immediate or very fast response if you do have what they want. Ultimately my friend discovered that the dealers that he contacted had varying levels of responsiveness and preparedness for ticking these boxes. The dealership he eventually bought from had his model and detailed info on it in their inventory, were extemely responsive via online channels (email and live chat), and even sent a lengthy YouTube video of the salesperson showcasing the car he wanted.

There will always be room for the old-school sales model of a buyer visting the dealer and test driving the vehicle, but dealers that are only catering for that kind of customer are going to miss out on a large chunk of the market, particulary as many younger buyers have grown up “Amazonised” (expecting the convenience of rapid online-based transactions). The pandemic we are currently experiencing could be both a crisis and an opportunity if dealers take action to provide for this new demographic.

The post Will the Coronavirus Change the Automotive Industry Forever? appeared first on Cartell Car Check.

INM’s motoring subsidiary, trading as CarsIreland.ie, with Cartell.ie will focus on the industry’s accelerated transition to digital solutions by providing Ireland’s most relied upon digital platform. The combination of the two companies and two brands will result in a unique offer-ing to the industry and also to car buyers across Ireland.

Cartell.ie, established in 2006, has succeeded in developing its suite of services into the gold standard for the automotive market, built on the quality of its data cleansing and its customer service. This excellence has powered their growth to the No 1 position in both the vehicle history check market and data provision for aftermarket services such as car parts and accessories.

Nicola Aherne, Managing Director of Cartell.ie: “Fourteen years ago, we launched Cartell.ie as the first real data solution specifically tailored to the Irish automotive sector. From the outset, our focus was on quality and innovation. I believe the combination of Cartell.ie and CarsIreland.ie supported by INM and its parent Mediahuis will provide us with the strength and scale to grow. We are excited by the opportunity to develop even more innovative solutions and to substantially boost our commercial strength far into the future.”

Marc Vangeel, CEO of INM: “The acquisition of Cartell is part and parcel of our strategy to stretch our lead in markets where we already have strong foundations. This is an important investment for our business as the combination of two motoring platforms presents a unique opportunity to grow and scale in Ireland and beyond. Digital transformation is front and centre for business and we are delighted to be at the forefront for the motoring industry in Ireland.”

KPMG Corporate Finance advised Cartell throughout the transaction and congratulates all parties on a successful deal.

The post Independent News and Media Group acquires Ireland’s leading automotive data company Cartell.ie. appeared first on Cartell Car Check.

It seems like it’s all bad news for car dealerships at the moment. According to SIMI, new car registrations are down by 63% in March 2020 versus the same period last year. Used car imports are also down by 48.1% for the same period, and dealers are shutting down across the country with Coronavirus restrictions maintaining a stranglehold on the economy.

The question remains, what is to be done? Do dealers just shrug their shoulders and wait it out, hoping Government subsidies sustain them until normalcy returns? Or is this crisis providing an opportunity for savvy dealers to examine their sales and marketing processes, and to pivot their offering according to new marketplace necessities?

The reality is that most dealers are working extremely hard to run their businesses in the challenging circumstances we all find ourselves in currently. And while showrooms are closed, it’s still possible for members of the public to browse new and used cars online. The majority of dealers are still operating, and are available for inquiries via email, phone or chat, and maintaining some kind of functioning communication lines is critical especially in light of recent data from the UK which suggests customers are intending buying as soon as lockdown measures are eased.

Buyers Are Readying Themselves

In early April What Car? magazine published data from a survey of 3,000 car owners in the UK revealing that almost one in five of them (18.2%) intend to purchase a vehicle immediately after lockdown restrictions are lifted. The data points to a “a V-shaped bounce in Sales for those dealerships that have proactively harvested, engaged and managed the in-market car buyer during the crisis” according to What Car?

Moreover, some consumers wish to proceed with buying even during the current crisis with 3.5% indicating they want to finalise a deal in the next four weeks (again illustrating the importance of not going into total shutdown mode).

Lessons from China

If we look to China as an example of how the market might bounce back after the lockdown then the signs are also positive as the automotive market reversed its losses by 80% in February and is rapidly returning to maximum output levels to make up for that lost time.

Ash Sutcliffe, head of PR for the Geely Group (which owns Volvo and Lotus) commented on China’s resurgence stating:

“I don’t think many of those sales were destroyed. Many people were saying that all of the sales from February and March were completely lost, but I think many people have probably deferred their purchasing until later into 2020.”

Volkswagen Group China chief executive Stephan Wöllenstein also commented:

“Our dealerships are seeing customers on the showroom floors once again. There are growing signs of recovery, with a good chance that the Chinese car market could reach last year’s level in early summer. For Volkswagen, many highlights are still to come in 2020. This year, MEB production will begin and the Volkswagen ID family will debut in China.”

While industry experts and leaders remain confident about an upswing in Sales in the not too distant future many dealers are rightfully asking what they can do in the present moment to minimise losses and prepare themselves for the increased demand later on in the year.

What Dealers Can Do Now

One immediate advantage that dealers should be aware of is that the current crisis means that private selling is not just ill-advised but most likely illegal, and therefore a whole swathe of competitors is instantly rendered obsolete.

Dealers need to make it abundantly clear they are open for business and ready to sell even if the doors are closed and this is where the marketing and sales teams need to step up. Innovation and leveraging online channels are what is required to make an impact here and we can see examples like Joe Duffy’s rebranded digital dealership (see right) with its virtual showroom and Carwow, the British car comparison website that recently launched the ‘Delivery and Disinfections’ initiative, which allows dealers to promote their remote services, including home test drives, virtual tours, and zero-contact buying.

But even if it’s one person answering a phone there needs to be some resource by which potential customers can have their queries dealt with. Obviously having a website with a manned live chat channel is a valuable resource at a time like this but customers can reach out in a variety of ways and all of these should be checked, maintained and responded to regularly whether it’s a contact us page, voicemails or even messages left on social media channels like Twitter or Facebook. The key takeaway though is to be proactive and to communicate with customers as to how they can reach out to you, and how you intend assuaging any likely concerns.

For example, during the current pandemic, the most effective way to complete a sale is via contactless delivery. is your dealership offering this service? If so, are you shouting it from the rooftops so customers are aware of it? Similarily are dealers upping their game when it comes to in-car cleanliness, ensuring that vehicles are thoroughly cleaned prior to any delivery? And once again how are you communicating this? How about a video of a member of staff cleaning out a vehicle that has just been sold where the dealer broadcasts their commitment to car hygiene prior to the sale?

Brand awareness is another issue that dealers should be aware of, and assuming they have the necessary resources they should consider taking appropriate actions to support health and medical personnel across the country. The stereotype of the dodgy car dealer may be a thing of the past but in an industry where trust and relationships play such a vital part in the transaction, it would be a wise move for dealers to signal their support for the local community by offering incentives like discounts, extended warranties or free accessories to our healthcare and emergency workers such as the example from the Windsor Motor Group (above right).

The Manufacturers’ Example

And quite apart from the dealers, it’s worth keeping an eye on what the manufacturers are doing. They are the ones with massive marketing budgets and huge multinational teams so certainly have a keen sense as to what measures might be taken to stimulate growth. And the lesson seems to be to offer flexible payment options.

Ford, for example, has introduced a payment scheme called ‘Peace of Mind’, which enables customers to purchase now but defer payments for up to six months. While Hyundai has relaunched its ‘Assurance Job Loss Protection’ programme to support customers financially affected by the coronavirus pandemic. The scheme means that Hyundai will make up to six months of payments for new owners who lose their jobs and have purchased a vehicle between March 14th to April 30th.

Dealers need two plans, one for the current crisis and another for when the crisis subsides. For now, it’s about maintaining customer confidence and keeping the communication lines open, and later dealers will benefit by offering flexible payment options and safe sales processes.  The Chinese recovery was built on an accessible e-commerce product, backed by new no-contact sales practices along rapid re-engagement with customers. Or simply put, it’s about being available and meeting needs.

This ability to adapt quickly is what’s needed within the automotive industry, and those who are clearly communicating their readiness to do business as well as facilitating customers remotely while reassuring them and providing all necessary information will be well-positioned to adjust to increased demand in the second half of the year.

The post How The Car Industry Can Fight Back Against The Coronavirus appeared first on Cartell Car Check.

In some ways, cars are like people in that sitting around and doing nothing for extended periods is quite unhealthy for them. So while you probably have enough to worry about as things are, the last thing you need on top of everything else is waking up some morning to find out your battery is dead and you can’t drive to the local shop or pharmacy.  And of course if you are faced with a mechanical issue there is the additional concern of finding a mechanic to fix it (assuming you are not qualified to do so yourself).

Therefore we would like to present you with some advice on how to keep your car in good order during the Coronavirus outbreak. We don’t want to overwhelm you with information so we’ll keep it simple and to the point and assume your ability when it comes to repairing cars is moderate at best.

Now let’s dive into it; here are five healthchecks you can carry out to keep your vehicle in good condition during lockdown:

1. Battery

Take the car for a spin now and then. Like taking a dog for a walk, it will do your car good even if it’s just a quick run around the neighbourhood. You will get the engine up to operating temperature and ensure fluids are circulared around the vehicle. Many newer vehicles have systems and technology that are always on and they absord energy so if the car is simply sitting there and not recharging, the battery could be dead within two weaks. A simple five minute drive will mitigate against this risk, and is especially recommended for second cars that have been idle for longer.

2. Fuel

Not too much to worry about here but worth keeping an eye on, particularly if your car is going to be sitting idle for a number of weeks. It’s a known fact that fuel will degrade over time but modern fuel systems are prepared for this and are well-sealed to limit the impact of oxidation and extend fuel life. A full tank is an additional bulwark against condensation so worth filling it next time you venture out to the petrol-station.

Another recommendation if you want to be extra cautious and if lockdown restrictions continue indefinitely is a fuel stabizer to prevent the fuel deteriorating and doing any damage to the tank, pump or lines and injectors.

3. Tyres/Brakes

Problems in both of these areas can be easily alleviated if you take the car for a short drive occassionally. If you don’t however then rust can form on the brake rotors especially if the vehicle is parked outside, and this can happen in a matter of days. The rust wull then enter the brake-pad lining and lead to noise, erratic braking and issues with the brake-pedal sensitivity.

Tyre pressure is another area that will be adversely affected by long-term inertia and as well as that if a car is static for a long period, flat spots can develop on the tyre. Get it inflated to the manufacturer’s recommended pressure levels once a month or you will have go through the painful process of jacking up the car while it’s in storage.

The good news is that the solution to preventing the majority of tyre and brake damage is a simple one – drive the car!

4. Storage and Oil

With sunnier weather finally coming our way it is worth noting that leaving the car in the sun for lengthy periods is going to have negative consequences for the paintwork and any rubber trim. Similarly the interior can suffer from excessive exposure to the sun in the form of damaged upholstery.

The ideal here is to store the vehicle in a garage or anywhere relatively dry and indoors with a concrete floor.

And don’t forget about the need for an oil change as the oil will downgrade quickly due to temperature fluctuations if ithe vehicle is not being driven. And while you’re at it you may as well check the transmissions and gear fluids – it’s not like you have a busy social schedule so why not attend to the little jobs you always forget about or put off, right?

5. Anything else?

Clean the car, it’s more important than ever to do that now, for more information on that see here

Don’t park under a tree for the simple reason that in Spring a lot of leaves, twigs, branches and other material can get caught in the car’s ductwork and harm your blower motor.

Remember if you are charging the battery to also turn on the air-conditioning system and leave the recirculation control in the open position so the car can air out.

Oh and finally check for any nesting animals under the bonnet – once all that is done you’re good to go, or in this case stay put most of the time!

The post 5 Healthchecks to Help Maintain Your Unused Car appeared first on Cartell Car Check.

Category A The vehicle must be scrapped and no parts or components can be sold other than for scrap. Amounts vary but the scrap value rarely covers the cost of recovery and delivery to a scrap yard. Category A is severely damaged, total burnout or flood damage with no serviceable parts, or already a stripped out shell. In the UK the DVLA will require a “Notification of Destruction”. In Ireland this vehicle would have to be disposed of in an authorised treatment facility and have a death certificate issued and the vehicle then becomes End of Life (ELV).

Category B The vehicle must not be used again but non- structural and roadworthy parts and components may be recovered for use in other vehicles. Care must be taken to ensure that they are not critical components with important safety functions. A Category B will have been damaged beyond economical repair, usually with major structural damage. In the UK the DVLA will require “Notification of Destruction” but parts can be removed and sold on. In Ireland this vehicle would have to be disposed of in an authorised treatment facility and have a death certificate issued and the vehicle then becomes End of Life (ELV).

Category C The vehicle is repairable but the parts and labour would exceed the value of the car. A Category C insurance write-off is repairable salvage. It usually applies to vehicles with significant damage and where the cost of repairs exceeds the book value. The Motor Insurers Anti-Fraud and Theft Register (MIAFTR) defines Cat C as repairable total loss vehicles where repair costs including VAT exceed the vehicle’s pre-accident value (PAV).

Category D The vehicle is economically repairable but other factors are involved that cause the insurer to declare the vehicle a write off. Perhaps the replacement car hire is too costly or it will take too long for a specialist part to be delivered. A Cat D is repairable salvage. The Motor Insurers Anti-Fraud and Theft Register (MIAFTR) defines Cat D as repairable total loss vehicles where repair costs including VAT do nor exceed the vehicle’s pre-accident value (PAV).

The post Insurance Write-Off Categories: Category C Write-Off Explained appeared first on Cartell Car Check.

The simple answer is Yes – there are some select cars that appreciate in value once they reach a certain stage in their lifetime, however, why is this and what cars increase in value as time goes on?

Obviously, some vehicles will never lose value as they are limited one-off models that are intended to never see real roads but are destined to lie in a garage all their lifetime. Unfortunately, these cars are too high in value when new for any normal buyer to afford. So, do all cars that appreciate have crazy price tags when new?

No, some models are attainable by most buyers if they know what to look out for. Some key attributes to cars appreciating include (Fuel Type/Brand/Power-train/Power/Driving prowess/Style/limited run models).

Fuel type:

Most cars that are destined to appreciate are petrol powered. The main reason for this is that petrol responds quicker than diesel and, in many cases, sounds better, lending to a better driving experience and leading gently into driving prowess. This is not to say that diesel powered vehicles cannot appreciate. Look at some vehicles such as old Land Rover Defender’s that are now classics and have appreciated, proving diesels can also be popular classics that appreciate, however, petrol models tend to have greater chance of appreciating.

Brand:

Usually the premium and performance variants of mainstream brands are those that tend to appreciate more than others.

Power-train:

The power-train plays a vital role in the appreciating of the vehicle. Most vehicles that appreciate are those that are performance variants of normal models, usually high horsepower models with large cubic capacities and sound like amplified thunder are those that are expected to appreciate.

Style:

Stylish vehicles like coupe’s, sporty hatchbacks or elegant luxury vehicles are those that are most likely to appreciate. Cartell has been reviewing several vehicles that it thinks will appreciate over time.

Here’s our Top 5:

1. MK2 Ford Focus RS

The Focus RS has halved in value since new, however, even with this it does not seem to be falling any further. Over the last six months the value has stayed stable at the €25k range with lower mileage models touching the €30K mark. Given that this vehicle was €45,000 new in 2010, it has not fallen a great deal since new and seems to be rising slowly since the introduction of the MK3 model in 2015. The MK2 Focus RS had a 2.5 litre 5 pot turbocharged petrol engine producing 300hp running through the front wheels and all fed back through a 6-speed manual transmission. The value of this vehicle could potentially increase sharply over a short period of time. This is one to look out for.

2. E46 BMW M3

The E46 M3 is considered one of the finest drivers’ cars ever made by the manufacturer. The E46 M3 had a 3.2 litre naturally aspirated inline six producing 343hp fed to the rear wheels, through either a manual or SMG (Semi manual gearbox). This model in coupe form with a manual gearbox, appears most popular among the car community. Cartell has been reviewing these models for some period and while they can now be picked up for 10-12K, in late 2017 the values were consistent at the €8K price point. This displays an increase of nearly €4,000 in just a year. If there was ever time to purchase one of these modern classics it would be now, if you can sustain the high insurance and tax costs.

3. Mazda RX-8

Mazda have recently announced that they will not be reintroducing the rotary power-train, most likely due to high running costs, unreliability and high emissions that come with the rotary way of life. Due to this, it’s predicted that this model will appreciate in time. These sports cars have reached an all-time low and can be picked up for less than €1,000 today. The RX-8 was and still is great to drive. Equipped with a manual gearbox and rear wheel drive, the RX-8 is sure to increase in value. Looking back at the RX-7, there was a point where it reached a low like the current RX-8, however, now they are worth nearly €20,000. If interested, the 07-10 model is recommended by the experts as they have less issues than the earlier models.

4. Renault Clio 182

Number 4 on this list of future modern classics is the Renault Clio 182. This tiny super-mini was light, quick and at €25,000 new was one of the cheapest hot hatchbacks available at the time. The 2.0 naturally aspirated motor produced 182hp…hence the title and weighting in at just north of 1000KG, this was a quick, quick car!! Renault then added another 182 to the range and called it the Cup trophy. It added new adjustable suspension improving handling, making this already quick car, a pocket rocket. Not many of these Clio’s were sold in Ireland during its 6-year production run, making this a rare modern classic. Expect to pay €2500-4000 today depending on condition. Due to these low volumes and the incredible driving experience offered by this little terrier. Prices are expected to rise quickly in the next couple of years.

5. Mazda 6 MPS

The second Mazda in the list, is not one that comes to mind straightaway. This model is a wolf in sheep’s clothing, having a 2.3 litre turbo petrol motor pushing 256hp and AWD, this is one for keen motorists. It sold in low volumes in Ireland due to its 2.3l motor falling into the €1494 tax category (per annum). This vehicle has ceased its depreciating and like the RX-8 above the value can only go one way. One in good condition would set you back €3,500 today. Also, the 2.3 Turbo is similar to that in the MK3 Focus RS and Eco boost Mustang, meaning they are good for more than 300hp when modified, although that is not advised.

Honorable mentions:

• VW Phaeton
• BMW 335i
• Nissan 350Z
• MK5 VW Golf R32
• Audi S4
• Audi TT 1.8T 225HP

In a perfect world we would like to say that all named models will increase in value, in the next 5 years. However, there are numerous extenuating factors which make this nothing more than an assumption and educated guess. We won’t be the source of your future fortune, Sorry!

If you think we’ve missed any cars, be sure to let us know!

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