Toyota, Ford, and Volkswagen dominate

One thing is abundantly clear from the figures: three brands are dominant in the Irish car market — Toyota, Ford and Volkswagen. As per Cartell.ie’s research, it’s actually two brands and two models that dominate.

In terms of manufacturers, it’s between Toyota and Volkswagen. Toyota is the most-registered brand in ten counties — Cavan, Clare, Cork, Donegal, Galway, Kerry, Limerick, May, Offaly and Tipperary. Volkswagen, meanwhile, is top dog in the other 16, taking Carlow, Dublin, Kildare, Kilkenny, Laois, Leitrim, Longford, Louth, Meath, Roscommon, Monaghan, Sligo, Waterford, Westmeath, Wexford and Wicklow.

It’s tempting to see an east-west divide between the two brands, with reliable and solid Toyota taking the more rural western half of the country, and Volkswagen the (arguably) more cosmopolitan east, but then with Volkswagen top in Sligo, and Toyota taking Cavan, that mostly puts that theory to bed.

Some will be surprised to learn that Ford does not take a top brand ranking in any county, but when it comes to individual models, it’s a different story. And in spite of Toyota’s impressive sales performance in Ireland in the past decade, the big-selling Corolla can only take a series of second places — in Clare, Cork, Kerry and Roscommon.

In all counties, the dominant pairing is the Volkswagen Golf and the Ford Focus, and it’s honours-even between these two titans, which take 13 counties each. The Golf is the most-registered car in Carlow, Dublin, Galway, Kildare, Leitrim, Longford, Louth, Meath, Monaghan, Offaly, Sligo, Westmeath and Wicklow. The Focus takes top spot in Cavan, Clare, Cork, Donegal, Kerry, Kilkenny, Laois, Limerick, Mayo, Roscommon, Tipperary, Waterford and Wexford.

Considering that the Ford Focus has not been a best-selling car in the new car market for some time now, it’s testament to both how well the Focus sold in the years prior, and to the fact that Irish car buyers tend to keep cars for longer and longer these days. Indeed, drill down into the lists of most-registered models and you’ll find that many out-of-production cars are still rolling around, such as the 662 examples of the Toyota Auris still registered in Cavan, with another 6,200 of those in Cork. There are also 1,089 Toyota Avensis still registered in Kilkenny, and another 869 in Laois.

SUVs and crossovers not dominant yet

For all that SUVs and crossovers currently dominate the new-car sales lists, the fact that those new sales have been relatively low since the mid-2000s, and the fact of buyers holding onto cars for longer means that only two have really put down a mark on Irish roads. Unsurprisingly, these are the Nissan Qashqai and the Hyundai Tucson.

In new car terms, both have been sales giants in the past decade, and while they don’t dominate the overall registrations to the same extent, they are starting to creep up the rankings. The Qashqai, for example, is the fifth-most registered car in Cavan, Clare, Dublin, Kerry, Limerick, Meath, Waterford and Wicklow, while it takes third place in Louth and Wexford. The Hyundai Tucson tends to be down in the lower half of each county’s league tables, but given its stellar sales performance since 2016, that surely cannot last.

County tastes

Clearly, given that the best-selling cars nationally will reappear locally, the top tens in each county are broadly predictable. The Volkswagen Golf, Ford Focus and Toyota Corolla tend to dominate the top three, while the rest of the top ten is generally taken up by the Volkswagen Passat, the Nissan Qashqai, the Skoda Octavia, the Ford Fiesta and the Toyota Yaris.

However, that does leave some space for individual tastes to shine through in each county. In Donegal, for example, it’s clear that many are shopping cross-border for their cars, as Vauxhall is the ninth-most registered brand. Meanwhile, the rise and rise of the premium car marques has left its fingerprints on Ireland’s registration stats — the Audi A4 breaks into the top ten in Carlow, Cavan, Clare, Galway, Kilkenny, Laois, Leitrim, Limerick, Longford, Mayo, Meath, Monaghan, Offaly, Roscommon, Sligo, Tipperary, Westmeath and Wexford. Meanwhile, the BMW 520 gets top-ten placings in Dublin and Kildare, perhaps unsurprisingly so.

Where luxury brands are concerned, it’s probably equally unsurprising that Dublin rules — there’s clearly money about as BMW, Audi and Mercedes occupy sixth, seventh and eighth places in the brands list.

There are other little regional variations, too. The Opel Astra, once a huge-seller in Ireland but a car whose sales tailed off in recent years, still takes seventh spot in Leitrim, tenth spot in Donegal, Sligo and Waterford, and ninth in Roscommon. The Volkswagen Polo is popular in Dublin and Louth, taking seventh and eighth spots in the registration charts, respectively, while Monaghan seems to be an outlier — the Opel Insignia is the tenth-most registered car there, yet it does not appear in the top ten anywhere else, while the SEAT Leon is the sixth-most registered, and again does not appear in any other county’s top ten.

Peugeot and Renault also do well overall, breaking into the top ten brands in many counties, but without managing to get a single model from either brand into the top ten most registered individual models in any county.

Long turnover times

What these lists of registrations most clearly show, however, is the length of time it takes to make a major impression on the national car park. The Hyundai Tucson, for example, has generally been the best-selling new car in Ireland for eight years now, but it’s — as noted — always in the lower half of county top tens for total registrations. There are no electric models on the list as yet, either, and the Qashqai and Tucson are the only SUVs that break into any county’s top ten. So for all the fuss and furore over both SUVs and electric cars, they still make up only a very small proportion of the cars most of us drive in most parts of Ireland. That will change, of course, but these numbers show it will take time.

The post Which cars are more common on each of our county’s roads? appeared first on Cartell Car Check.

In the case of four-year-old vehicles checked in 2021 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 21% this year.

Older vehicles are also showing relatively high levels of finance: a six-year-old vehicle, for example, shows 16% with outstanding finance in 2022 whereas the comparable figure last year, in 2021, was lower – 15%.

Ross Conlon, CEO CarsIreland.ie and Group Director New Business at Mediahuis Ireland, says: “We are witnessing a market correction: the overall percentages of vehicles offered for sale with finance outstanding in key registration years has risen again since the declines recorded in 2020. 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.”

The reasons for the increase seen between 2021 and 2022 is likely due to increased market activity, opening up of markets since the pandemic shut down.

The post Number of Vehicles with Outstanding Finance on the Rise appeared first on Cartell Car Check.

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 and in 2022 by running all three years through the Cartell Price Guide (CPG) a vehicle valuation service available to users of its service.

Among the results was a 161 Volkswagen Passat diesel, which was worth €14,900 in 2020 and is now worth €19,500 and a 181 Renault Captur worth €16,950 in 2021 which is now worth €18,400.

The results show that, on average, the year-over-year increase stands at 7.78 per cent. This is a decline on the rate of increase between the years 2020 and 2021 which stood at 15.2%. It should be noted this is the price difference between the various vehicles today compared with the same price for each respective vehicle in the previous two years. Cartell used actual vehicles which, although they were one year older, or, two years older, actually appreciated over their equivalent 2020 value.

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

“These results show that vehicle values in the used market have continued to push upwards since we last published results in 2021. While the rate of increase has declined it is still a significant event that values have risen – cars are considered a depreciating asset after all. While microchip shortages appear to be levelling out there are still issues around availability of new vehicles and this is consequently pushing values up in the residual market. We expect to see the rate of increase decline further over the next 12 months.”

The post Average Car Worth 8% More Now Than Last Year appeared first on Cartell Car Check.

1. Turning on the AirCon when you just don’t have to

We’re not suggesting you sit in a puddle of sweat on your commute, but putting up with a bit of mild discomfort might actually make you feel better in the long run, with your pocket a bit heavier. If you must indulge, turn the A/C off when you’ve cooled down. According to the AA, air con uses more fuel at low speeds, so think about rolling down the windows in towns and only using the air con when out on the open road. and watch that fuel efficiency increase.

2. Having Cruise Control but not bothering to use it

Using cruise control to keep the car at a constant speed, without cnstantly adjusting pressure to the accelerator or changing gear, gives your legs a break and also helps to eliminate unnecessary fuel consumption.

3. Travelling with your wardrobe (and more) in the car

Manufacturers try their best to cut weight out of cars, don’t reverse their hard work. Lose the excess weight! Just keep what’s vitally important – First Aid kit, Spare tyre, etc.

4. Driving with the roofbox when you don’t need it

Having your roofbox permanently perched on the top of your car eats into your MPG. Excess weight combined with added drag = poor fuel economy.

5. Tail-gating

It’s not only dangerous, but will leave you hopping on and off the brake pedal as you constantly react to the movements of the car in front. If you leave a bit more space in front you’ll be able to ease off the accelerator as you anticipate having to slow down ahead.

6. Always rushing, racing and being late

Organise and get yourself together to stop yourself rushing and driving on the limit. Give yourself a few extra minutes and enjoy a stress-free, tranquil journey. On the motorway try driving at 100kph rather than 120kph. Arrive at your destination in a relaxed state for once.

7. Idling

Whether it’s “warming up” the car, or waiting for someone with the engine running, it’s not good for your fuel economy. Plus it’s just not necessary, the car will warm up while in motion.

8. Lack of planning

If you are constantly doing short trips here and there, the engine will never fully heat up. Planning and combining errands gives your car a better chance of reaching the right temperature for optimum fuel efficiency.

9. Ignorance to basic car maintenance

Get the car serviced regularly to keep it running efficiently, keep the engine topped up with oil and keep tyres inflated; under-inflated tyres create more rolling resistance and use more fuel.

10. Your love for the red line

Yes I know it’s nice and fun to rev the car hard through the gears and speed off into the distance but it will do you no favours at the pumps. Resist the temptation and change up a gear at an engine speed of around 2,000 rpm in a diesel car or around 2,500 rpm in a petrol car.

While you’re here why not check out Cartell’s new Personal Account.

• Save 20% on your future Cartell Checks
• View your past Cartell Checks
• Get a Cartell Price Guide (CPG) value for your car
• Rank your mileage against other identical cars with our Mileage Analysis tool.

To register for your Cartell Personal Account please CLICK HERE.

The post 10 Driving Habits To Increase Your Fuel Efficiency 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

Make sure you’re following us on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram and Linked In for thelatest automotive news and Cartell.ie promotions.

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

Vehicle Ownership

The first concerns your relationship to the asset: in the case of a personal loan you receive money from the bank which is often an unsecured loan which you then use to buy any item – for example a car! The car is yours as soon as you purchase it, but you obviously must repay the loan amount plus interest to the bank. In the case of a Hire Purchase Agreement you are effectively leasing the car monthly. The car is not yours until the last payment is made. At that time title in the car will transfer to you. The bank can repossess the car if you do not keep up the payments. Another type of arrangement is a Personal Contract Plan (PCP) which is similar in many ways to a Hire Purchase Agreement but differs in the way the agreement is structured and the amount of money you have to pay at the end of the term known as a balloon payment or a Guaranteed Minimum Future Value (GMF)

Future Obligations

The second key difference between a personal loan and a Hire Purchase Agreement concerns the relationship between the car and a future potential purchaser of the vehicle. In the case of a personal loan where the money was used to buy a car the car does not have a financial interest listed against it, the loan is often unsecured, and the loan was personal to the intended recipient – so a future purchaser may take title in the car even if the personal loan was not paid off in its entirety by the original loan recipient. (In a case like this, where a loan was not paid back in full to the bank the bank would ordinarily look to secure judgment against the loan recipient for the outstanding amount. Obviously the bank would look at the option of seeking an order to repossess the car, but, if the car has already been sold then the bank can seek judgment against another asset).

Hire Purchase main difference with Car Loan

This is a very different scenario to a classical Hire Purchase Agreement or PCP.

In the case of these types of agreement the car belongs to the bank until the original recipient has paid off the last repayment. This means if the car is subsequently sold, with title still vesting in the bank, the future purchaser can lose the car – the bank can simply take it back as it still belongs to them. This is a disasterous scenario for a purchaser – that is why it is so important to do a finance check with Cartell. It is critical that a buyer is made aware if there is any outstanding finance owned on the vehicle as they don’t want to be made liable for that debt.

The post Hire Purchase Vs Car Loan: Difference between Car Loan and Hire Purchase Agreement explained appeared first on Cartell Car Check.

Cartell.ie wanted to find out more about what happens when things go wrong: when a person simply can’t afford to repay the loan on their vehicle; or when a person inadvertently buys a vehicle which is already on finance.

Vehicle Repossessions in Ireland

Interested in this topic, a few years ago, we contacted the Dublin County Sheriffs Office and the Dublin City Sheriffs Office who look after the county and city districts in Dublin respectively. Both of these offices have a similar story to tell: officers act on foot of either court orders or revenue warrants made out against a particular person. This gives officers the right to seize property in the name of that individual – including motor vehicles. In short they have the legal right to repossess cars in Ireland.

Officers also have the right to seize vehicles designated as specific chattels by the courts – in other words when the court gives an order to seize a specific vehicle as opposed to simply the assets of an individual – but this is far less common.

However, officers are not entitled to seize vehicles which are the subject of a hire-purchase agreement on the basis that these vehicles remain the property of the banks until the loan is paid off in full. For that reason Sheriffs offices handle a relatively small amount of repossessions. Another factor in this is the value of the vehicle. Obviously a vehicle with a lower market value stands a lesser chance of being repossessed by officers who are intent on recouping money on foot of a court order or revenue warrant made out against an individual.

Let’s look at a real-world example of how cars are repossessed in Ireland. In a high profile case from 2010 the BMW Series 7 of developer Paddy Kelly was lifted from his house in Donnybrook on foot of a warrant to the Dublin City Sheriffs Office. The vehicle was subsequently returned the following day when it was found to be registered in the name of his wife. However it was re-seized in December after Mr. Kelly was presented with evidence that he was the ‘beneficial owner’ of the vehicle based on an interview he gave several years earlier.

Types of Repossessions

The majority of cases of repossessions are bank repossessions – where financial institutions seize their own property after individuals stop making payments on foot of a hire-purchase agreement. Often times the bank will hire a Repo Agent to carry out the task of lifting the vehicle. The bank may or may not need a court order to affect a repossession – it depends on how much money is outstanding on the agreement.

Generally speaking if the vehicle is subject to a personal loan, as opposed to a car loan, then the  bank is not entitled to repossess the car unless they hold a judgment against you for the amount that is due, and sought to have the car seized in order to discharge the judgment. This is the type of scenario which the Sheriffs office deal with – and there are not that many of these repossessions in a given year.

A hire purchase agreement is where a bank owns the vehicle – they have a lien (a right to possession) over the vehicle and legally the property remains in their name until the final payment is made.

However, usually, the finance company can repossess the car – without taking legal action – if less than one-third of the hire purchase price has been paid off and you are in arrears.

Finally, just to note, the half-rule says that where the customer has paid half the balance on the hire purchase agreement they can return the car and end the agreement, provided the repayments are up-to-date.

In any case you would be strongly advised to check if there is any finance outstanding on a used vehicle you intend purchasing as you could lose the vehicle if you become the registered owner. You can check the status of the financial status of the vehicle by purchasing a Cartell car history check.

Disclaimer: the information in this article does not constitute legal advice of any kind as it is intended to give general indication only. Please consult a solicitor or relevant banking institution if in any doubt about your exposure to repossession.

The post Repossessed Cars in Ireland 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.

Of those 17,166 vehicles with 10 or more owners, 3,598 are located in Dublin, 1,883 in Cork, 988 in Galway, and 856 in Limerick.

Chart: Location by county of vehicle’s with 10 or more owners

The majority of vehicles in Ireland are on their first, second or third owners. The graph below documents the number of ownership changes per vehicle in Ireland. It clearly shows the importance of establishing the number of owners when buying a used vehicle. The graph also shows that people do not change their vehicle on a whim as the results show the bulk of vehicle’s are still on their first, second, or third owner.

Graph 1: Number of ownership changes per vehicle – 1 to 10 owners (Source: Cartell.ie Carstat)

Table 1: Number of ownership changes per vehicle (Source: Cartell.ie Carstat)

The average age of a vehicle in the Irish fleet (all vehicle types) is currently 8.60 years and the average number of owners is 2.54 owners per vehicle. This means the average sales cycle in Ireland is 3.39 years between ownership changes. When buying a vehicle the consumer should use this rule of thumb. Any less than 3 years between owner changes and a higher number of owners than 3 owners should impact on the selling price when buying a vehicle.

Innovation Lead Cartell.ie, Jeff Aherne says:

“Obviously counting the number of previous owners and the dates of sale are a very important part of the history of a vehicle. The higher the number of owners the more important a car history check becomes. If the car has a higher number of owners, and, if it changed hands recently, then you have to question whether the vehicle has mechanical issues. Consumers can check the number of previous owners with us as part of the many checks we provide. If a car already has three owners then it is above average and this should impact on the selling price.”

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. 

The post 17,166 vehicles in Ireland have 10 owners or more appeared first on Cartell Car Check.

The company advises that only 27 have been registered so far in 2020 and a mere 167 were registered with a 2019 plate. The numbers peak with 2186 registered to 2007 and 1838 registered to 2006.

Graph 1 – Convertibles in the Irish fleet 1990 to 2020 (Source: Cartell Carstat)

In total there are 15,738 convertibles in the Irish fleet and approximately one third of those (5325) have been imported.

The most popular model is the Mazda MX5 with 953 registered. The next most popular is the Renault Megane with 812 registered.

Cartell considered why the popularity of convertibles has fallen away:

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

Even though the numbers have fallen convertibles are more popular now than they were in the early 1990s

Other body type choices: 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.”

ENDS

Notes to Editors

For further information please contact John Byrne on 087 4199018 or at john at cartell.ie or check out www.cartell.ie  for further information.

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. Cartell.ie is a totally independent company and fully Irish owned.

The post Irish Buyer Rejects Convertibles appeared first on Cartell Car Check.

Vehicle history and data expert Cartell.ie reports today (22^nd April) on the numbers of Porsche, Maserati, Bentley, Ferrari and Aston Martins in the live fleet. In total there are 1,184 high-end luxury vehicles from these marques currently in the Irish fleet.

The company notes the decline in vehicles at this end of the market for the registration year 2019 compared with the previous year with only 91 vehicles registered against 135 for the registration year 2018. The height of the market is to be found in 2015 with 228 luxury cars registered to that year.

Graph 1: Number of Porsche, Maserati, Bentley, Ferrari, Aston Martin in Irish Live Fleet 2010 to 2020 (Source: Cartell Cartstat)

Imports

More than 50% of those vehicles have been imported: 667 imports against 517 indigenous Irish vehicles.

Models

The top model among the marques was the Porsche Panamera with 276 units followed by the Porsche Cayenne with 258 and the Porsche Macan with 197. The Porsche 911 also features with 104 examples of this model live in the current Irish fleet. The top Ferrari in Ireland is the California with 6 models. According to the Government data, there is one Ferrari Testarossa. Aston Martin peaks with the DB11 – there are 7 in the country.

John Byrne, Cartell.ie says:
“With so much uncertainty in the current market, it is interesting to see how many top-end luxury cars are in the country. Porsche leads the way with a variety of models and the avid car spotter has the chance to see a Ferrari Testarossa and a Ferrari 458 Italia among other super-luxe vehicles in Ireland.”

Table 2 The top models from the marques Porsche, Maserati, Bentley, Ferrari, Aston Martin in Irish Live Fleet 2010 to 2020 (Source: Cartell Cartstat)

ENDS

Notes to Editors

For further information please contact John Byrne on 087 4199018 or at john at cartell.ie or check out www.cartell.ie  for further information.

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. Cartell.ie is a totally independent company and fully Irish owned.

The post Porsche Panamera is Top Luxury Car in Ireland appeared first on Cartell Car Check.

New Car Sales

Onto the hard facts as sales of new cars in 2019 (up to December 1) amount to 113,526. This is a 6.5% decrease on 2018’s figure of 121,130 for the same period. In fact, each of the last 3 years has seen a dip in sales of new cars in Ireland as savvy buyers shop around for value, taking advantage of more favourable exchange rates to source high-spec imports, or simply waiting for a shiny new 20 plate.

The title of most popular new car in 2019 (January – November) goes to the Toyota Corolla recording 4,212 sales, placing it ahead of previous winners like the Hyundai Tucson (second with 3,877 sales and biggest seller in 2016) and the Golf (top seller in 2018 and 2017). When it comes to the most popular brand however it is Volkswagen who come out on top ahead of Toyota (13,382 vs. 11,524 sales). Almost all of the car manufacturers experienced the same slight decline in sales (between 5 and 10%) as reflected in the overall figure, with just a few brands outperforming their sales figures in 2018 (including Skoda, Seat, Peugeot and Opel).

Engine Types

Moving on to one of the more interesting market trends for 2019, we see the perennial favourite that is the diesel engine take a significant hit. Only 53,402 new cars were diesel fuelled, a drop of 19.18% on the 2018 figure of 66,075. This could be attributed to both a stronger push of the green agenda generally and the financial considerations associated with the WLTP and the newly announced NOx tax.

Petrol power didn’t fluctuate too much from 2018 and seemed relatively unaffected by larger market trends with 45,782 new cars sold in 2019, less than 1,000 down on the 2018 figure for the same period. The big movers in the market were Hybrids and EVs, particularly the latter. EVs almost trebled in sales since 2018’s figure of 1,234 sales, standing at 3,409 in 2019 so far. Hybrids also experienced a remarkable increase of almost a half (48.45%), with 2019 producing 10,969 sales to date (compared with 7,389 in 2018). And while both hybrids and EVs still represent a small portion of the overall market, there is little doubt they are on a strong upward trend. Whether it’s the improved battery-life and range, increasingly favourable price-points, government incentives, or eco-consciousness, this looks like the beginning of the end for the “dirty diesel” era as the public slowly but surely starts to embrace alternative choices.

[box style=”rounded” border=”full”] Cartell originated back in 2006 to fight back against fraud and dishonesty in the motor industry and protect consumers. Cartell have assisted countless motor dealers, insurers, financiers, parts suppliers and others in the automotive industry to access the most accurate and comprehensive data available. 13 years later we are doing the same. Protect yourself and your investment or offer your buyer reassurance. If you are buying or selling a used car, always get a Cartell Check.[/box]

The post Review of the 2019 Motor Industry appeared first on Cartell Car Check.

Vehicle data expert CARTELL.IE reports today (08^th January) that the proportion of vehicles offered for sale (across all years) with finance outstanding is 18.3% – up from 16.6% in December 2018 and 11.5% in January 2017. These are the highest levels that Cartell has recorded. Cartell.ie also reports that more vehicles for certain key registration years are being offered for sale with finance outstanding than in 2018. From a sample of over 5,906 vehicles offered for sale and checked via the Cartell.ie website in 2019, the figures show that more than forty percent of two-year-old vehicles are offered for sale with finance outstanding.

In the case of one-year-old vehicles (2018) the levels of vehicles offered for sale with finance outstanding has risen from 35.9% for the equivalent period in 2018 to 39.4% in 2019. This means there is now a two-in-five 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 36.8% 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)

Graph 2: Historic Percentages of Vehicles with Outstanding Finance checked on Cartell.ie (Source: Carstat, Cartell.ie)

Even older vehicles are regularly offered for sale with finance outstanding – 22.3% of all four-year-old vehicles offered for sale in 2019 had outstanding finance against them and the rates of finance are going up for older cars too: four-year old to ten-year-old cars all showed respective increases over the corresponding levels recorded last year.

John Byrne, Cartell.ie, says:

Not only are finance levels the highest we have ever recorded but the increases can be seen right across the board. We are seeing gains in virtually every year-segment indicating that more and more people are financing their second-hand car purchase. There could be many reasons for this including new entrants in the finance market, better availability of finance, or, in the case of PCP, buyers may be increasingly financing the balloon payment that falls due at the end of the initial PCP term.”

What’s really concerning is that finance levels are up across nearly all the years and the headline figure of 18.3% overall is particularly concerning. 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.”

ENDS

Notes to Editor

Table 1: Historic Percentages of Vehicles with Outstanding Finance checked on Cartell.ie (Source: Carstat, Cartell.ie)

For further information please contact John Byrne on 087 4199018 or at john at cartell.ie or check out www.cartell.ie  for further information.

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. Cartell.ie is a totally independent company and fully Irish owned.

The post Finance Levels Surpass Boom Levels appeared first on Cartell Car Check.

Toyota Corolla Review 2007 – 2011

The following is the next in our series of used car reviews written exclusively for Cartell.ie by Completecar.ie

Overview:

The Toyota Corolla isn’t exciting but it is popular for a good reason. It is a model of reliability and offers a pain-free motoring experience.

Tell me all about it:

The Corolla has been a family favourite in Ireland for generations and despite the fact that the Corolla isn’t offered in most of Europe or the UK, the Corolla saloon remains on sale alongside the Auris, which replaced the last-generation Corolla hatchback. The Corolla is a handsome enough saloon, if not dramatically styled, but these sober looks have aged well since it first arrived. A major plus point for the Corolla saloon is the fact that it is such a generously sized car for such little money.

Anything I should look out for?

Of all the cars that you could buy used, a Corolla saloon is one of the most painless to own. The Corolla is incredibly well built with hugely reliable engines and whether you choose either the 1.3-litre petrol or 1.4-litre diesel engines, both will have low maintenance costs and will be more than capable of racking up huge mileage. Make sure any diesel models have been serviced properly and that the particulate filter is in good condition.

What are my options?

The choice is very simple in the Corolla saloon; you can have a 1.3-litre petrol engine or a 1.4-litre diesel. The 1.3-litre petrol has 99 horsepower and has low emissions at 133g/km. It is a better value choice on the used market and it will return close to 50mpg on the combined cycle. The diesel model is more expensive and holds its value better. It makes a shrewd used-car buy if you intend to rack up higher mileage or if you will be buying a higher mileage example. A word of caution though, a poorly serviced diesel car won’t last as long as a poorly serviced petrol one, so make sure not to take any shortcuts.  

How much will it cost me?

Early 2007 petrol saloon models will set you back around €1,500 for the 1.4-litre petrol version from a main dealer with a full service history and this is perhaps the least you should spend on any model. You might find some cheaper examples but they would not be economically sound. You’ll only pay about €2,000 for a 2008 model, again with petrol versions more plentiful. The 2007 diesel Corollas start at around €2,000. A 2008 1.4-litre petrol model will set you back around €2,500 and there were few diesels sold in 2008, so you’ll have to get into a 2009 diesel, which will cost you around €3,000.

This Blog was produced courtesy of completecar.ie

The post Toyota Corolla 2007 – 2011 Used Car Review appeared first on Cartell Car Check.

Fuel Costs

Due to the Carbon Tax inflating to €6 a tonne, from midnight tonight (8th October 2019) fuel prices will rise. Petrol will be rising by 1.7 cents per litre, and diesel will be increasing by 2 cents per litre.

That’s not all regarding Carbon Tax, as it was also stated it will increase from €20 today to €80 per tonne by 2030.

Emmisions Charge

There will be a new Nitrogen Oxide (NOx) emissions-based charge introduced. This will be replacing last years 1% diesel surcharge and will apply to all cars registered from the 1st of January 2020. The charge will apply on a euro (€) per milligram/kilometre basis, with the rate increasing in line with the level of nitrogen oxide emitted.

Thinking of buying a new car or importing a second-hand one? You will have to calculate the car’s NOx emissions before committing.

Imported cars that do not meet limits set in 2016 are likely to be the most affected.
Under the new system, a car producing up to 60mg of NOx per kilometre will be taxed – on registration – at €5 per gramme per kilometre up to 60mg. From 61mg to 80, it will be taxed at €15 per mg and any figure over 81mg will be taxed at €25 per mg.

• E.g. – A VW Golf built in 2013 and producing 118mg of NOx per kilometre will now attract a tax of €1,550.

Plus Points

For our forward thinking, EV enthusiasts, there were a few plus points.

• An additional €3 million has been earmarked for “electric vehicle infrastructure”.
• VRT benefits for hybrid and plug-in hybrids are being extended to next year (depending on CO2 thresholds).

Stay up to date

Make sure you’re following Cartell on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram and Linked In for the latest news and Cartell.ie promotions.

The post Budget 2020 & Motoring – Cartell.ie appeared first on Cartell Car Check.

Today, the 1st of October 2019, Toyota Ireland has issued a voluntary recall on nearly 12,000 vehicles.

The models in question include the Avensis, Avensis Verso, Corolla and Yaris, produced between February 2001 and July 2008.

[twocol_one][/twocol_one] [twocol_one_last][/twocol_one_last][twocol_one][/twocol_one]

[twocol_one_last][/twocol_one_last]

The cause for concern and recall is a potentially fatal issue with the airbags.
The company that produces the airbags, Takata, fears the vehicles may have been fitted with inflators which could degrade over time. Degradation being due to exposure to high temperatures and humidity.

In a statement issued by the Competition and Consumer Protection Commission (CCPC), Toyota says an inflator rupture may cause metal fragments to pass through the airbag and into the vehicle interior at high speed, which “may result in injury or death to vehicle occupants.”

The exact number of vehicles effected in the Republic of Ireland is 11,943.

Toyota has confirmed that they will contact all affected vehicle owners via letter. Owners of effected vehicles are advised to make an appointment with their local authorised repairer. All necessary checks and repairs will be carried out free of charge.

Stay up to date

Make sure you’re following Cartell on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram and Linked In for the latest news and Cartell.ie promotions.

The post Toyota Recall 12,000 Irish Vehicles appeared first on Cartell Car Check.

16th September 2019 – London, UK: Audatex, global provider of market-leading solutions for bodyshops, service providers, insurers and customers, and Cartell, Ireland’s leading car checking and automotive data solutions company have today announced the launch of an automated Total Loss Registration solution to help Ireland’s insurers to comply with the upcoming commencement of Part 2 of the Road Traffic Act 2016.

Coming into force later this year, Part 2 requires vehicle insurers to notify the National Vehicle Driver File, Department of Transport when a vehicle is written off. Audatex and Cartell will deliver an automated service which notifies of the Category A (scrap only) or Category B (some parts salvageable) inspection, to support insurers with the new provisions shortly coming into force.

The Total Loss Registration solution works using Audatex’s AudaEnterpriseGold (AEG) solution, generating a ‘Daily Total Loss Report’ to Cartell to conduct a check of each vehicle. Once verified, a summary of all Category A and B cases will be delivered automatically to the Department of Transport on the same day, to achieve fast vehicle categorisation in line with the regulation changes. Any vehicles requiring further verification will be sent directly to the insurer to correct records on the Audatex system and re-processed by Cartell accordingly.

Fast, Seamless and secure.

Commenting on the partnership, Tom Hart, Head of Client Relationships at Audatex said:

We pride ourselves on being a forward-thinking company that creates solutions to mitigate problems for our customers before they arise. Working closely with Cartell, we have created a sophisticated solution, powered by data from vehicle assessments to fully automate the category identification process. The solution will minimise downtime in the communication of vehicle data from the Engineer to the Department of Transport, ensuring continued compliance for insurers in the market.”

Jeff Aherne, Director of Cartell commented:

Our vehicle database expertise, combined with Audatex’s innovative insurance and bodyshop solutions made for a great partnership for this system. We have worked well with Audatex to deliver the solution before the law changes take place later this year. We understand just how important it is for our customers to operate within regulations, and we’re dedicated to support them with the tools to remain both compliant and efficient when such changes occur.”

-ENDS-

Issued by Jargon PR on behalf of Audatex. For more information, contact Paige McArdle at audatexPR@jargonpr.com or 01189 739 370 or for Cartell.ie John Byrne on 087 4199018 or at john at cartell.ie or check out www.cartell.ie  for further information..

About Audatex

Trusted the world over, Audatex UK has redefined global knowledge and data insight in risk and asset management since 1987. Through unrivalled integrated technology, we connect people, insurers and suppliers, empowering all to make quicker, smarter decisions. Part of the Solera group, we consistently challenge expectations through continuous investment and digital innovation.

About Cartell

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

The post Audatex and Cartell support Ireland’s insurers with automated Total Loss Registration solution appeared first on Cartell Car Check.

Ford Focus 2005 – 2011

The following is written exclusively for Cartell.ie by Completecar.ie

Overview:

The Ford Focus has been a top seller in Ireland for more than twenty years now and with good reason. It is well-built, good value and excellent to drive. There are more of them on the road in Ireland today than almost every other vehicle. By far the most popular Focus is the Mark II. Most of those have petrol aspirated engines (35,656 petrol vs 16,650 diesel) with a smallish number sporting flexible fuel capabilities (516).

Tell me all about it:

This second-generation Focus followed on from the hugely popular first-generation model, which itself had replaced the iconic, but ultimately poor Ford Escort. There is always plenty of choice on the used car market, as it continues to be a big seller. 

The Focus competes against cars like the Volkswagen Golf, Opel Astra and Toyota Auris. It is generally regarded as the ‘driver’s car’ out of this bunch, as it is considered to have the best chassis in its class by most experts.

Anything I should look out for?

By and large the Focus is a pretty well built car, with few major issues in terms of engines, electrics or components. We have noticed that some early models can have problems with flaking paint and you also need to make sure that the Irish roads haven’t taken their toll on the suspension – look out for knocking noises and have someone check the shocks. Interior quality can be a little brittle in places too, so make sure that everything is intact and working properly.

The bonnet opener, which was operated by a key behind the Ford badge, was prone to damage. Make sure on diesel models to check the quality of the diesel particulate filter, as this is an expensive fix (circa €950) to put right.

What are my options?

The overwhelming majority of early models of this generation of Focus in Ireland had a 1.4-litre petrol engine. This unit wasn’t very potent but it was ‘adequate’ in terms of acceleration and wasn’t too heavy on fuel. There was a 1.6-litre petrol engine available on earlier models too, which provided a little bit more pep and it is a better engine to go for in an early second-generation Focus.

When it comes to later examples, you are going to find lots of 1.8-litre and 1.6-litre diesel models available and the latter is the engine to choose, if your budget allows. They will probably show up as more expensive than petrol versions, which are starting to become unloved and unwanted, but they will put up with higher mileage – although they need servicing intervals to be adhered to strictly. In terms of trim levels the entry level was the LX, which was available as a special edition ‘Steel’ specification, but there were Zetec and Ghia grades available too. Zetec and Ghia grades had air-conditioning as standard and alloy wheels so they’re still more desirable. 

How much will it cost me?

Early models will now start off at around €2,000 from a main dealer with a full service history. In terms of fuel economy, the diesels are king, but check your mileage, because you might not earn back the extra money that you will almost certainly pay for a diesel model if you are a low mileage driver.

… and of course don’t forget to get a Cartell Vehicle History Check on the vehicle before you buy!

This Blog was produced courtesy of completecar.ie

The post Exclusive Used Car Review: FORD FOCUS 1.4 Petrol appeared first on Cartell Car Check.

Vehicle history and data expert Cartell.ie announce today (21^st August) on the findings from the latest state of the market report in conjunction with BAC Auto Consulting. Used car sales for the first seven months of 2019 are down 4.2% including imports and down 4.4% excluding imports.

Used car sales have fallen every month this year over the same period in 2018 except for March, where the fall in used car sales in March 2018 helped deliver a 9% increase in total used car sales in March 2019, 6.3% increase excluding imports.

Total used car imports hit 22.9% of all used car sales to the end of July 2019. This is up from 21.9% of all used car sales in 2018. The figure of 22.9% constitutes a record since Cartell has started recording this figure. This increase of imports impacting used car sales is expected to continue whilst the UK border stays open and the euro remains strong against the pound.

The report states:

While the issue of an open or closed border between Ireland and the UK is seen as the biggest issue facing Brexit, there is some irony that a closed border could actually be a good thing for parts of Ireland’s automotive industry according to the latest data from Cartell.ie Carstat database. Back in 2013, with a relatively strong euro against the British pound imports were flooding in at a rate of 2 for every 3 new cars sold. The collapse of the Euro in 2015 saw this drop to a ratio of 1:3 before rising again to a record of almost 4 imports for every 5 new cars sold in 2018. However, the UK stumbling over Brexit saw UK businesses stockpiling in the run-up to the original March 2019 Brexit data which boosted UK GDP growth and strengthened the pound against the euro.”

Despite the pound weakening since March total imports remain 5.4% down over the first six months of last year.

The UK car market fell by 4.3% for the first half of 2019 compared to the same period last year. Both markets are also seeing the introduction of the Real Driving Emissions (RDE) test. This could see some UK dealers and manufacturers pushing new car sales in the run-up to September to clear out stock before the new regulations are mandated and to recover some lost sales. The political brinkmanship over Brexit could also keep the pound weak adding to the attractiveness of importing.

ENDS

The report was written by auto consultants BAC using Cartell.ie data.

For further information please contact John Byrne on 087 4199018 or at john at cartell.ie or check out www.cartell.ie  for further information.

Cartell.ie was set up in 2006 to help buyers make an informed choice when buying a used vehicle – including imported vehicles – by providing a user-friendly and cost-effective vehicle data checking service. Cartell.ie is a totally independent company and fully Irish owned.

The post Used Car Sales Down 4.2% appeared first on Cartell Car Check.

AudiCheck.ie launched to provide vehicle history transparency

[14/08/2019]: Audi Ireland has launched an innovative joint promotion with vehicle history and data expert Cartell.ie to provide vehicle condition transparency to all Audi drivers. Recognising the risks faced by potential purchasers of imported Audi vehicles, a new user-friendly website AudiCheck.ie is now operational. The new website will allow customers check their Audi vehicle (imported or domestic) for any software update or product enhancements requirements. By simply entering their registration number, customers will be notified of any software updates or product enhancement requirements which can be rectified free of charge at their local authorised Audi dealer.

Cartell.ie tracked the ‘imported’ fleet in 2019 (cars only, all makes & models) between January 1st and June 30th. From a sample of over 5,906 vehicles offered for sale on their UK registration plate and checked via the Cartell.ie website in 2019 it was found that the percentage of vehicles checked by consumers returning discrepancies on their mileage stood at 23%.

The percentage of vehicles checked by the consumer returning an outstanding finance marker stood at 14.4% and the comparable figure for vehicles returning a damage alert stood at 16.4%.

Jason Mallon, Head of Aftersales, Audi Ireland said

“The Audi network has a comprehensive used car offering for Audi customers. We acknowledge that customers purchase used cars via private sales or through other channels. This new partnership is giving used Audi drivers the opportunity to get the care and attention their car requires from the experts. Peace of mind is crucial for customers when purchasing an Audi.  All cars sold via our dealer network come with a car history check along with a comprehensive 110 point check. Our partnership with Cartell.ie encourages customers who don’t buy from the Audi network to get a history check when buying a used Audi. If they get a Cartell.ie history check, we offer the value of the Cartell History Check back in the form of a voucher. This voucher can be redeemed against Audi services or accessories with Audi Authorised Service Dealers in the Republic of Ireland.

Jeff Aherne, Director, Cartell.ie says:

“These figures are startling and show how cautious a buyer has to be in the market. More than 50% of all the cars in the sample of vehicles checked on their UK registration plate in 2019 returned a significant alert on the vehicle. A buyer shopping abroad can avail of some excellent value however with the high number of discrepancies in vehicles checked it is always wise to carry out a check prior to purchase.”

Cartell.ie looked at the overall make-up of the imported fleet in 2019 and found that the Audi A4 and Audi A6 featured prominently in the list occupying the fourth and fifth slots respectively. In terms of the overall make-up of the brands Audi places third in 2019.

ENDS

Notes for Editors:

[twocol_one]

Table 1: The Most Popular imported models year to date 2019

[/twocol_one]

[twocol_one_last]

Table 2: The Most Popular imported brands year to date 2019

[/twocol_one_last]

About Cartell.ie

For further information please contact John Byrne on 087 4199018 or at john at cartell.ie or check out www.cartell.ie  for further information.

Cartell.ie was set up in 2006 to help buyers make an informed choice when buying a used vehicle – including imported vehicles – by providing a user-friendly and cost-effective vehicle data checking service. Cartell.ie is a totally independent company and fully Irish owned.

The promotion is applicable with Audi Authorised Service Dealers in the Republic of Ireland. A minimum spend of €50 is required and the voucher is valid for 12 months from the date of the Cartell history check.

The post Half of ‘imports’ checked in 2019 showed alerts appeared first on Cartell Car Check.

BMW 5 Series Saloon – 2003 – 2010

Overview:

Though this version of the 5 Series was replaced in 2010, the new car is already ubiquitous, which has helped to drive down prices of the older model. If you can put up with last-generation looks it’s still an astoundingly good car, with a great chassis, high quality cabin and decent economy if you choose sensibly.

Tell me all about it:

Even today the E60 generation 5 Series looks good and when it was replaced it was still at the top of the class in terms of the driving experience, quality and efficiency. There was a wide range of engines offered, from the refined, but relatively slow 2.0-litre petrol units to the fantastic diesels of varying power output. The 5 Series has proven quite reliable and despite the premium image it offers low running costs. It’s worth noting that there was a mid-life facelift in about 2007, after which economy improved substantially – try to find one of them. Make sure you test drive any example you’re considering too, as some have sports suspension and others do not – and its unyielding nature may not be to everyone’s liking.

Anything I should look out for?

On the reliability side the 5 Series has a good record, though there are some known faults. Reported issues centre on clonking suspension components and the odd electrical glitch. As with all used cars we’d recommend you take the time to test every switch, system and control in full. Along with that, several versions were the subject of recalls so give a BMW dealer a call with the chassis number to ensure that your car hasn’t missed out on any of this work. In general though it’s as safe a place as any to put your money.

What are my options?

The best all-round trim level is SE, as it features the necessities. In terms of specification, take a good look around the cabin for desirable extras such as leather trim, an automatic gearbox and built-in satnav. M Sport models will tempt you with their sportier looks, but they usually sit on harder suspension and hence are compromised on the road. Try it out for size before you commit. The excellent 520d is all the car that anyone needs (especially the post-facelift model), though if your pockets are deep enough the 530d and 535d are highly impressive with massive performance and yet still decent economy. The 520i is gutless, though the six-cylinder petrol models are pleasant enough – but we don’t think they’re worth the premium on fuel consumption

How much will it cost me?

You may find a few early petrol versions on sale with high mileages for as low as €2,000, but we wouldn’t recommend them. The 530d arrived before the 520d and there are plenty of those early six-cylinder diesel models available for well under €4,000. They’re fine cars, but annual tax will be costly. Even the first of the 520d cars are holding firm at about €3000 – €4,000. 

How does it compare to the later model?

The 2011 5 Series is considerably different. It’s far more spacious inside and generally more comfortable on the road. BMW transformed it from a luxurious sports saloon to sporty luxury car – with the emphasis now on comfort. Its interior is all-new too, and more cutting edge in terms of style, materials used and technology. The model line-up is largely the same, though BMW is more generous with its equipment nowadays, and buyers have more high-tech options than ever before. Somehow better economy has been extracted across the line-up, without sacrificing performance, and the petrol engines are virtually all turbocharged now making them faster than ever, but far more economical.

Rememeber if you do have your eye on a used BMW 5 series and if you are searching sites like CarsIreland and come across a lovely 07 BMW 5 series in reasonable condition then don’t forget to check it before buying here with Cartell.

The post Used Car Review: 07 BMW 5 Series appeared first on Cartell Car Check.

Hyundai’s resident drivers, Sebastien Loeb and Dani Sordo had both made it clear they did not want to compete in the first round of the World Rally Championship. The decision to appoint Ireland’s Breen and Nagle comes after weeks of speculation surrounding the empty seats.

The pair are in fantastic form having spent the last number of months contesting Irish and Italian events in R5 cars. Taking home the crown in our very own Cartell.ie International Rally of the Lakes.

Regarding Finland, Breen has a strong record. He finished in the top five on two of the last three rallies and was on the podium with third place in 2016.

Hyundai Motorsport director Andrea Adamo said Breen had been called up because… “Rally Finland is a very particular type of event that warrants an approach like no other on the calendar” and as the WRC title battle was “entering a critical phase”.

Adamo added: “He has demonstrated his class at this event in the past and has a lot of experience, which will be invaluable to us.

“We are making sure he has enough preparation with Rally Estonia, an event similar in style to Finland, and the pre-event test.”

Craig Breen on his WRC Return

Breen shared his thoughts of the appointment and upcoming rally via Twitter, admitting it was a “bittersweet” feeling following the death of fellow competitor Manus Kelly at the Donegal International Rally.

It’s a bittersweet feeling this morning as I share with you all the news that Paul and I are getting our return back into the #WRC with @HMSGOfficial. When I found out that this was going to happen, you cannot begin to understand the excitement, it was an incredible feeling to know all our hard work was finally being recognised and we were getting our break again. Obviously, after last weekends events, it’s difficult to be too excited, I know one of the first messages I would be receiving without any doubt would be from Manus… However, we have to be very thankful. I have had incredible support from so many people during these last difficult months. Paul and I are determined to do the best job and we cannot wait to get started with our new team.
Thank you, everyone, for making this happen!”

Stay up to date

Make sure you’re following Cartell on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram and Linked In for the latest news and Cartell.ie promotions.

The post Craig Breen & Paul Nagle in the WRC with Hyundai appeared first on Cartell Car Check.

As drivers we’ve all experienced pedestrians crossing the road in front of us and in urban areas pedestrians appear to be particularly adept at crossing in front of two contra-flowing steams of traffic without getting hit – timing it perfectly. Well, maybe not quite, as the Road Safety Authority says almost 2 in 5 road deaths are pedestrians. In Ireland we do have a jaywalking law – it says a pedestrian must use a pedestrian crossing if they are within 50 metres of one. But, in reality, few of us could argue that law is enforced.

The AA asked almost six thousand people if they believe that pedestrians should be held to the same road safety standards as drivers and two-thirds of people agreed that they should. On the spot fines for pedestrians were favoured by those polled.

Quoting the Road Safety Authority statistic which says 2 in 5 road deaths are of pedestrians, the AA attributes this to the rise in the use of mobile phone and other personal devices.

“Looking back through our motor insurance claims records it’s not usual to see notes such as man on phone stepped out in front of me’ or ‘had to swerve to avoid cyclist with headphones’,” said Conor Faughnan of AA Ireland.

The United States, Australia and Poland are among countries that already fine people for jaywalking.

In an article published by one newspaper, Miriam O’Neill of the AA told the Herald that New York provided a prime case study of how jaywalking legislation could be enforced to maximise safety.

“There is smart thinking behind how they approach it, with the primary focus on accident black-spots and the busiest intersections,” she said.

The AA is likely to investigate how much people think wayward pedestrians should be fined, having established with this poll that significant support exists for the measure.

In the meantime if you are walking out there then do take care.

Blog partially reproduced from Irish Independent

The post Irish want properly enforced jaywalking laws appeared first on Cartell Car Check.

For some reason the Powers-that-be in Honda Ireland decided they would treat a select few to a Track Day at Mondello Park.

Attendees from Cartell included Managing Director Nicola Aherne and Marketing Manager Jonathan McCluskey.

Setting the scene

First to arrive at Mondello Park was the Radio Nova truck, followed by several Honda Civics (Sedan & Hatch), HR-V’s and CR-V’s. Then a “Highlight Reel” including a sparklingly maintained Honda S2000, New Civic Type-R’s and the New NSX were cautiously and carefully, using the highest precision (you’d expect nothing less from Honda), positioned into their most photogenic angle in the paddocks.

After a quick briefing and signing of a waiver (Honda’s: “your fault not ours” contract), the madness happened. These beautiful, shiny products of meticulous engineering were handed over to the petrol sniffing, brake pad wearing lunatics (slight exaggeration!) patiently waiting by the pits.

Honda cars on the track

Immediately I seized the opportunity to jump into the S2000, a personal favourite of mine, and attempted some donuts. “Attempted” being the key word, but I’d still take these over Krispy Kreme’s!

After the warm-up in the S2000 it was time to take the Civic Type-R around the track, with a Mondello track driver of course.

As I’m the furthest thing from a Car Reviewer I won’t attempt to bluff my way through this. I can simply and honestly say; it was an utter mind-blowing experience. The Type-R is quick, goes around corners, and with a trusty track guide it made me look like a far better driver than I am. Thank you Honda and Mondello!

Moving onto the stunning, striking NSX. Unfortunately, and understandably, the “lunatics” were not allowed to get behind the wheel of this track-animal. However, passenger laps were an option.

I don’t have first-hand experience from the passenger seat, but after talking to a few shocked and terrified people along the pit lane I came to only one conclusion… The NSX is truly special.

To sum up

We all want a Civic Type-R! Well, we want an NSX but we’re being reasonable.

It was a fantastic day. We can’t thank Honda Ireland enough for putting on such a spectacle and inviting us down to it!

Stay up to date

Make sure you’re following Cartell on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram and Linked In for the latest news and Cartell.ie promotions.

The post Cartell at the Honda Track Day appeared first on Cartell Car Check.

“We are clearly committed to the goals of the Paris climate protection agreement. For this purpose, it will be necessary to make mobility entirely CO₂-free.”

Maik Stephan, Executive Director Corporate Strategy, Volkswagen AG

Killarney, Co. Kerry – Electronomous in partnership with Mobility X report on the International Car Tech & Mobility Summit currently taking place (May 2^nd and May 3rd) in Killarney. World Class speakers from the tech world together with the auto industry, research community and stakeholders in Connected Cars, Autonomous Vehicles, Alternative Power Trains & Mobility are in Kerry for the event.

The event is hosted by the original Top Gear presenter and motoring rights campaigner Quentin Willson.

Jeff Aherne, Electronomous co-founder and Director Engineer, Cartell.ie says:

“The discussion has moved to mobility, in its various forms, and how technology is shaping the changes we are already seeing around us in this sector. This requires the involvement and attention of Governments around the world. We really are looking at the future here and Cartell.ie is delighted to be driving this discussion.”

Already the Leading Car Technology Event in Europe the event attracts C-level Industry executives, Engineers operating with OEMs, owners and operators of lease or rental fleets, regulatory bodies, insurance companies, technology providers, product developers, telecommunication operators, car sharing and automotive mobility solutions providers.

Maik Stephan, Executive Director Corporate Strategy, Volkswagen AG, says today in Killarney:

Our mission is e-mobility for everyone, with attractive vehicles at affordable prices. Volkswagen wants to make a substantial contribution to climate protection with e-mobility. We are clearly committed to the goals of the Paris climate protection agreement. For this purpose, it will be necessary to make mobility entirely CO₂-free.”

In 2019 Electronomous is delighted to announce a New Stage – curated by our partners at Mobility X Conference. The MobilityX Stage runs parallel to the Main Stage at Electronomous. The Mobility X stage will host some of the World’s leading figures in self-driving cars and mobility. It is a gathering of global autonomous vehicle leaders featuring executive level automotive professionals from across a range of industries.

Xavier Collins, Managing Director Turo UK says:

 The world of mobility is dramatically changing, and the rise of the sharing economy has a big part to play in giving people more autonomy and freedom. Through Turo’s peer-to-peer marketplace we’re redefining the economics of car ownership to support this, and put the world’s one billion cars to better use. I’m looking forward to bringing this to life as a discussion at Electronomous.”

Monika Mikac, Chief Business Officer, QEV Tech says:

I think the answer electric or gas powered is already decided. World is going electric but the bigger change is happening in a way how we use vehicles. At QEV Technologies we are focused on innovation through Formula E and we have a goal to electrify mass transport in emerging countries, area that most manufacturers don’t see as a potential market and actually those areas have the biggest pollution.”

The event provides a unique glimpse at how technology will affect the Automotive Industry, Insurance industry, Car Finance Industry, Car Sales, Motoring and Mobility into the future. It also offers an unprecedented opportunity to Network with Industry leaders and leading experts in the fields mentioned above, while also providing a great platform to create new business relationships.

Sara Hill, SVP Advanced Technologies, Enterprise Ireland says:

Enterprise Ireland is excited to support this event which showcases the future of mobility and innovations from globally leading companies. Ireland is in a unique position to excel in the connected and autonomous vehicle sector through a diverse cluster of companies, universities and research centres offering technical, industrial and engineering expertise and solutions. We have over 20 Irish companies in attendance at the conference, and welcome our group of 15 international delegates of industry experts from Silicon Valley, Germany and Dubai.”

Amer Akhtar, newly appointed Chief Revenue Officer of DeepMap, says:

The future of autonomous mobility is dependent on safety, and an accurate HD map is the blueprint of that safety. DeepMap’s HD mapping and localization solutions provide a critical component to the future of mobility by enabling AVs to create and consume an HD map that’s highly accurate, reliable, and up-to-date. I look forward to driving discussions around mapping and localization at Electronomous and the Mobility X stage.”

Hollywood Star and Racing Driver Michael Fassbender will lead the gathering when he speaks Friday in a fireside chat with Quentin Willson.

ENDS

Notes to Editors:

Electronomous is one of Europe’s leading AUTOMOTIVE TECHNOLOGY EVENTS. This International Summit brings together World Class speakers, exhibitors and delegates in the field of Electric Vehicles, Connected Car Technology, ADAS, Cyber Security, Autonomous Vehicles and all in the beautiful setting of Killarney, Ireland.

It provides a unique glimpse at how technology will affect the Automotive Industry, Insurance industry, Car Finance Industry, Car Sales and Motoring into the future. It also offers an unprecedented opportunity to Network with Industry leaders and leading experts in the fields mentioned above, while also providing a great platform to create new business relationships.

The MobilityX VIP Weekend Package 

Kicking off right after the conference, on Friday 3rd at 12pm. Designed for Executives, Policy makers, and Transportation Authorities, this weekend will be a private event designed to help you get to know some of the most innovative executives in the self-driving industry. Places on this event are limited to a small number of VPs, Founders, Investors, CEOs and other invited guests from the Industry. It is an opportunity to get to know some of the best people in the industry, while also relaxing in the beautiful Killarney.

For more information about the event see:

http://www.electronomous.com

For more information on Mobility X see: www.mobilityx.co

For further media information/press accreditation/images and interview requests please contact:

John Byrne, 087 4199018 or john at cartell.ie

The post Electronomous – The International Car Tech & Mobility Summit appeared first on Cartell Car Check.

Cartell.ie International Rally of the Lakes Preview

By: Sean Moriarty

Vehicle history and data expert Cartell.ie announce today (April 29th) on the preview for the 40th edition of the Cartell.ie International Rally of the Lakes.

The biggest sporting occasion in the country this weekend will be the 40th running of the Cartell.ie Rally of the Lakes which gets underway from Killarney on Friday night (May 3rd).

Killarney and District Motor Club have pulled out all the stops to mark the event’s ruby anniversary in style.

A star-studded and capacity entry, a new and challenging route a host of side events and celebrity guests from a range of spectrums will make it a weekend to remember in Killarney.

Friday night ceremonial start

The celebrations get underway on Friday evening with the traditional ceremonial start in the Fair Hill Car Park in the town.

This will give fans their first opportunity to meet the 150 contestants and see the cars for the first time. Each competitor will go over the start ramp at the College St exit of the car park, led by the Ford Fiesta R5 of Craig Breen and local co-driver Paul Nagle.

Each competitor will be interviewed on the ramp by former RTE broadcasting legend and rally enthusiast Michael Lyster, to the backdrop of traditional music, led by local star Liam O’Connor.

Members of the Killarney Valley Vintage and Classic Car Club will display some of their classic machinery and several rally cars of historical importance will also be on static display.

It will also be the public’s first opportunity to meet event ambassadors, Hollywood A-lister and local man Michael Fassbender and Formula 1 Grand Prix legend Tommy Byrne.

“This is a huge family occasion,” said clerk of the course Dermot Healy “Come down, see the cars and meet the stars.”

Activity in Fair Hill Car park will start around 5pm and will run until around 8pm when the action shifts to the Scott’s Gardens auditorium in the same area.

Here, Lyster and other well-known motoring and motorsport broadcasters will interview some of the top drivers contesting this year’s rally.

This event is also free and open to the public but is likely to fill fast so early arrival is advised.

Sporting contest and entry

The sporting element of the rally gets underway bright and early Saturday morning with the first of three runs over the iconic Moll’s Gap stage which is set to get underway at just after 9am.

Leading the field is the Waterford/Kerry pairing of Craig Breen and Paul Nagle in their Ford Fiesta R5. They arrive in Killarney as leaders of the Irish Tarmac Rally Championship following victories on the Galway, West Cork and Easter International rallies. Aghadoe man Nagle, the winner of five rounds of the World Rally Championship and almost every major rally in Ireland has never won his home event.

“This is the one to win,” he said, “It was nice to get my hands on the famous Circuit of Ireland trophy [for winning the Easter Stages] but this is the big one.”

Last year’s champion Manus Kelly with Rory Kennedy on the notes starts at number two in his new for 2019 Hyundai Accent R5.

Letterkenny man Kelly has won his home rally, the Donegal International on three occasions but his secret weapon this weekend could Kennedy who has won the Rally of the Lakes on seven different occasions (six with the late Bertie Fisher and once alongside Stephen Finlay), a record that is unlikely to be surpassed.

Alistair Fisher and Gordon Noble are next up in another Fiesta, followed by Josh Moffett and Keith Moriarty in a similar car.

Last year’s second placed crew, Robert Barrable and Damian Connolly field a Skoda Fabia R5 ahead of the second of the Moffett brothers Sam and co-driver James Fulton in another Fiesta.

One of the dark horses for a surprise result is Desi Henry and Liam Moynihan in their Skoda. They were third here last year and finished a strong second on the Easter Stages two weeks ago.

Daniel Cronin and JJ Cremin will be hoping for a reversal of their recent misfortune, they retired their Ford Fiesta on Cod’s Head last year with an electrical problem and an engine failure on the St Patrick’s weekend West Cork Rally forced early retirement.

Lack of seat time since Cork, aspirations to contest both the Circuit of Kerry and the Easter Stages, failed to materialise as they waited for their engine to be rebuilt, will go against them in the early stages.

Callum Devine and Brain Hoy are newcomers to the top ten in Killarney, but they finished sixth in West Cork and fourth on the Easter Stages already this year. On his last visit to County Kerry in 2016 he put his small Opel Adam into tenth place. Now armed with an R5 Fiesta like most of his rivals, he is another capable of springing a surprise.

The top ten is rounded off by Johnny Greer and Kristy Riddick who were fifth last year in their Fiesta and by Welsh crew Merion Evans and Jonathon Jackson who are on their first visit to the Cartell.ie Rally of the Lakes aboard a Hyundai Accent R5.

Route

Killarney and District Motor Club have laid on one of the most difficult routes in the rally’s 40-year history.

Clerk of the course Dermot Healy really wanted to do something very different to mark the special occasion.

Reversing old favourites like Cod’s Head and Ardgroom, something that has not been done in over 30 years was only the start of it.

The Healy Pass has been run from the Cork side in the past but running the stage finish passed the doorstep of the Sibin pub in Lauragh is a new departure.

Sunday will feature two runs over Moll’s Gap, the return of the Sheen River Stage, not used in the Rally of the Lakes for a long time, a new stage near Rathmore and the full- length Gortnagane stage from Ballydaly to Headford to give a total of 230kms of competitive action, making it one of the longest rallies in recent years.

The first car leaves Parc Ferme on the Lewis Road at 830am on Saturday morning and at 720am on Sunday. The first car is due back on the finish ramp at the Gleneagle Hotel just after 5pm on Sunday evening.

Locals

The top local seed is defending national rally champion, Rob Duggan. Reunited with former co-driver Mikie Galvin, it is their first time working together in six years but a defence of last year’s national title is the only target in their hired Ford Escort Mk2.

Kevin O’Donoghue and Timmy Kelly are next up their gloriously sounding BMW M3 E30 and are the current leaders of the two-wheel-drive class in the Southern 4 Rally Championship.

Dave Slattery and Ger Somers will share a rally car for the first time in years. Strong contenders for the Kingdom of Kerry title, they won’t have an easy time with local father and son team Charlie and Johnny Hickey right behind. Adding to the local battle Tadgh O’Sullivan and John McCarthy start one place behind the Hickeys, all three crews in nearly identical Ford Escorts.

“It is going to be some craic,” said middle man Charlie Hickey.

Defending junior champion Colin O’Donoghue steps up to the full two-day rally for the first in a newly built Ford Escort.

“This is a big step,” he said,”This is my first two-day rally and there is a lot more preparation needed.”

Shane McCarthy from Kenmare will be one of the contenders for class 11F honours in his Honda Civic and will face the similar car of Steven O’Connor and Christy Nagle.

Kevin O’Sullivan and Sean Nolan are contenders for class 12 in their Escort.

Local co-driver Denis Coffey will navigate for Raymond Spence from County Down in their Escort. Tommy Moynihan is another local co-driver, alongside Laois’s Patrick O’Connor in a Mitsubishi Lancer.

Class 9 is nearly an all Kerry affair. Limerick’s Roland Doherty is the top seed in his Vauxhall Nova, but he will face locals like Denis Nagle/John Falvey (Nissan Micra), Noel O’Sullivan/Nicky Burke (Ford Escort) and Charles O’Neil/ Tony McCarthy (Honda Civic).

It is a huge occasion for O’Sullivan and Burke, as the rally celebrates its 40th anniversary, Noel lines up for his 37th attempt and Nicky will partner him for the 23rd time.

Killarney’s Con Lucey has entered in another Ford Escort and he will face class 11R competition from Donal Flynn and Niall Myers in their Toyota Corolla.

Shane Doyle and William Kelleher will be looking forward to the latter half of Sunday in their BMW E30 as the stages pass close to their Barraduff base.

Pat Sheahan and Denny O’Riordan will contest the rally in their unusual left-hand drive Renault Clio.

Kerry Motor Club’s Mike Dowling will start his fourth rally in his Ford Escort Mk1 while Anthony Sheahan brings up the rear in his Honda Civic.

Moriarty’s Centra Kingdom of Kerry championship

Defending Moriarty’s Kingdom of Kerry co-driving champion Damien Fleming returns alongside Monaghan-based Raymond Conlon in their Toyota Corolla. The pair are not enjoying the best of seasons so far and have retired from several recent rallies, including the Rose Hotel Circuit of Kerry where a faulty engine sensor put them out.

Darren Young arrives in Killarney as the second placed driver in the Kingdom of Kerry championship and will be hoping to add to his class win on the event last year.

Sean Hickey and Noel Fleming were third in this championship last season and they currently occupy joint-third in the series, just two points off the leader Tom Relihan who won’t start.

Locals in historic rally

Local driver Alan Ring has placed surprise entry in the Historic section of the Cartell.ie Rally of the Lakes.

It will be his first appearance on his home rally since 2016 when he finished fifth overall in a Ford Fiesta R5

PJ O’Dowd and John Young from Tralee ran their new Talbot Sunbeam for the first time on the Circuit of Kerry and overcame brake issues to finish fourth on that event.

Southern 4 championship

The Southern Four Rally Championship is currently being led by the Cork team of David Guest and Jonathan McGrath in their Skoda Fabia S2000

Family affairs

Father and son team Charlie and Johnny Hickey will be joined on the rally by Charlie’s brother John and John’s daughter Michelle. It will be Michelle’s first rally, she celebrated her 16th birthday in early April and this is her present. Both John and Charlie have over 30 starts each on the rally.

“There are not too many brothers who can say they have 70 starts on the one rally between them,” said John.

Rob Duggan’s brother and sister Andrew and Tara are contesting the rally in a Ford Escort Mk2.

Dave Slattery’s son Dean makes his rally debut in a Honda Civic.

Junior

Peter Falvey, fresh from his Junior rally win on the West Cork Rally is the top seed in the junior section of the rally in his Toyota Starlet.

Conor Murphy and Keith McCarthy are next up in a Honda Civic, but a continuous engine problem has prevented them from starting several recent rallies in their Honda Civic. Kieran Reen will be another local frontrunner in this class, as will Donagh Crowley who won the category on the recent Circuit of Kerry

There are 24 juniors entered, with nine of them from Kerry.

Overseas interest

The rally lives up to its international status with visitors from England, Wales, Germany and the USA entered in the event.

Herefordshire-based Phil Collins, who first came to Killarney in 1981 is a local favourite and will be a serious contender for national rally honours in his Ford Escort.

Welsh visitor Sacha Kakad is on his first visit to Killarney in his new for 2019 Ford Fiesta R5 while Duncan Williams from England is another regular in a historic-spec Ford Escort.

Galway native Liam Egan is another regular and returns from his New York-base in a Ford Fiesta R5.

Declan Jackson represents the Isle of Man in his historic Escort.

Andy Davies is another Welsh driver on the entry list in his Subaru Impreza.  Andrew Felgate from England is on his first visit to the Cartell.ie Rally of the Lakes in a BMW M3.

Sean Kenny makes the trip home from Germany in his Honda Civic.  Scotland is also represented on the entry list, Jonny Greer’s co-driver Kirsty Riddick hails from the Haugh of Urr.

Home for the rally

Several Kerry competitors have returned home from their overseas bases specially to contest this year’s Cartell.ie Rally of the Lakes.

Cousin’s Aidan and Shane Buckley from Listry are based in Bristol and London respectively and will compete in Aidan’s newly built Ford Escort.

Ronald O’Riordan works for Liebherr Container Cranes in Fossa but is often sent on overseas assignments. He has just returned to Kerry after an extended period in Brazil where he was installing container cranes in an inland port on the banks of the River Amazon.

London-based Ray Hilliard and his North Kerry co-driver Conor Walsh make their World Rally Car debut in a Subaru Impreza WRC.

Killarney native and London Irish Motor Club chairman Mick Smith has entered the Rally Fest section in his Chrysler Avenger.

Celebrities in town

Michael Fassbender, the Hollywood A-lister and Fossa native is no stranger to motorsport having contested several Ferrari and Porsche one-make races in the United States in the past, but this is his first attempt at a rally and he will drive a Ford Escort in the Rally Fest section. Local co-driver Barry Goodman will guide him around.

Fassbender will also be in attendance at the start ramp on Friday night and the awards presentation on Sunday night in the Gleneagle Hotel.

Formula One Grand Prix legend Tommy Byrne from Dundalk is also in town, he will attend a book signing in Eason’s on Main St on Saturday as well as being at the finish celebrations on Sunday.

Rally Fest

New for 2019 is a special exhibition class that features cars from the pre-1990 era of rallying, often referred to as at glory days of the sport.

There are some incredibly beautiful rally cars, many with an interesting history, contesting this section of the rally.

Leading this field away is Denis Cronin and his Kilgarvan co-driver Helen O’Sullivan in their BMW M3 E30. This pair won the international rally in 2010 driving a Subaru Impreza.

Conor Falvey and Fearghal Pattwell will drive an ex-works Porsche 911.

This rally was won by Ger Buckley and Demi Fitzgerald in 1980 and 1981 respectively and the Vauxhall Chevette HSR they drove to their victories returns to Killarney in the hands of Mick Dunnion.

Michael Buckley, who appeared on the entry list of the very first Rally of the Lakes as a co-driver, will debut his newly restored Audi quattro this weekend.

Other cars of interest include an MG Metro 6R4 in the hands of Frank O’Mahony, a rear-wheel-drive Peugeot 205 driven by Brendan Brosnan, a Subaru Impreza 555 driven by Paul Ahern and an ex-works Chrysler Avenger driven by Killarney native and London Irish Motor Club chairman Mick Smith.

Programme

Killarney and District Motor Club will celebrate the 40th anniversary of the Cartell.ie Rally of the Lakes by producing a special rally magazine focusing on the history of the rally.

The official programme for this year’s rally will be a real collector’s item with articles and photos, some of which have never appeared in print before, spanning the rally’s four decades.

Produced by KC Print in Killarney, a sister company to the Killarney Advertiser, the special 120-page book went on sale in Killarney and other local towns last week.

As well as a look back on the history of the rally, the programme includes the most up-to-date entry list and maps of this year’s route.

It is priced at €15 and the rally-pack includes a free rally-style bobble hat and a voucher for a free membership to Motorsport Ireland’s loyalty membership scheme – valued at €10.

It can also be purchased online via https://www.killarneyadvertiser.ie/product/rally-of-the-lakes-programme-2019/

ENDS

Note to Editor:

For further information please contact Sean Moriarty on 087 6771019 or check out https://rallyofthelakes.com/  for further information.

The post Cartell.ie International Rally of the Lakes 2019 celebrates its Ruby Anniversary appeared first on Cartell Car Check.

Cartell.ie looked at the first two months of the year for every year between 2003 and 2019 and the data yielded the following results:

Why has the average value been increasing?

In 2018, Cartell reported to the market that the value of the average new car sold in Ireland has been increasing steadily. We reported a figure of €30,130 for the first 6 months of 2018 in a detailed analysis. The final end-of-year figure for 2018 returned €30,082 – the first time that average values for a full year have fallen above €30,000.

In 2019, for the first two months, the average new car value has broken through the €31,000 marker returning €31,003 – an increase of 3 per cent.

Graph 1: Average value of new private vehicles (Open Market Selling Price (OMSP)) bought in Ireland 2003-2019 (Source: Cartell Carstat)

Cartell.ie considered several possible reasons for the continued increase in the average value of a private vehicle purchased in Ireland over the last several years:

• Consumers may be opting for more expensive vehicles, or more expensive vehicle types like SUVs and Crossover vehicles, or MPVs
• 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
• Buyer has 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
• Vehicles are more expensive to manufacture, to comply with NCAP safety ratings, for example, this increases the cost of manufacture: the consumer 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

Table 1: Inflation adjusted Average Values 2004 to 2019 (first two months of each year) (Source: Cartell, Carstat)

As we said last year the buyer of a new vehicle is getting more features than before particularly on the safety side. Over time new-car-buyers have grown accustomed to a greater range of features and these are often rolled-out as standard in future generations as manufacturers add new features as additional extras. This cycle may increase the cost of manufacture on the one hand but it can also increase the price consumers are willing to spend to acquire features seen as desirable. Simple examples of this phenomenon are electric windows and alloy wheels. Possibly, the buyer in some cases may be opting for more expensive cars owing to more readily available lines of credit or simply because buyers are keen to buy a larger car when fuel economy and motor taxation figures have dropped so significantly across the board.

Larger, bulkier cars like SUVs are becoming fashionable. Often the reasons for a buyer opting for a vehicle of this type are based on practicalities like easier access to rear seats and loading areas. It stands to reason that vehicles of this type, as they are larger, are more expensive to manufacture. They can also increase the average levels of CO₂.

One concern which arose from the introduction of the World Harmonised Light Duty Vehicle Testing Protocol (WLTP) was whether more stringent rules on emissions testing would spell the end for optional extras in new cars. Based on this birds-eye market analysis by Cartell.ie there is no strong evidence this is taking place.

CO₂ Emissions – the trend is unfortunately upwards

In 2018, Cartell looked at the state of CO₂ emissions in the private transport sector. It had been then reported that Ireland faced a significant fine in 2020 for a “serious rise in Irish greenhouse gas emissions” – which had been partly attributed to the transport sector where emissions increased by 3.7 per cent in 2016.

Unfortunately Cartell reports today the situation has actually worsened in respect of our emissions of CO₂. In a worrying development for Government there has been an upturn in the average CO₂ emissions of new vehicles sold in Ireland: in 2018 average emissions increased for the first time since 2004 recording a reading of 113g CO₂ /km. More concerning is that the trend is now upwards – the reading recorded for the first two months of 2019 is 115g CO₂ /km.

Graph 2: Average CO₂  of new private vehicles bought in Ireland 2003-2019 (Source: Cartell Carstat)

Table 2: Average CO₂  of new private vehicles bought in Ireland 2003-2019 (Source: Cartell Carstat)

Remember, we are looking exclusively at new cars sold in Ireland so any arguments with respect to imported vehicles can be entirely discounted. The report considers whether the average emissions are possibly increasing in line with a buying trend towards purchase of more expensive vehicles, meaning these results are correlative with the general increase in the value of new vehicles sold. However, this wouldn’t really explain the increase in emissions per se as manufacturers have invested considerable amounts of money to reduce emissions in their fleet in-line with overarching concerns for the environment globally.

The reason for the increase may simply be the buying trend towards larger more practical vehicles like SUVs in favour of saloons. Certainly the buyer is spending more money as will be more in evidence when the reader looks at the next section of this report.

Buyers buying different vehicles – more money to spend?

One intriguing aspect we found in the data is the changing consumer trend towards buying vehicles in the €30k to €40k price bracket. This is now the second most popular price bracket for purchasers overall and it is well on course to becoming the most popular bracket – possibly as early as next year – as the gap is closing markedly. This can be seen in the graph below.

Graph 3: Value of New Vehicles purchased in Ireland by price bracket 2003-2019 (Source: Cartell Carstat)

The price bracket €30k to €40k is also the bracket where the average value lays – currently €31,003. As more and more purchasers become accustomed to spending in excess of €30,000 so the cycle continues as more and more different buying options are presented by the various manufacturers in this bracket to feed the demand.

This is in contrast to the position in the lowest price bracket – less than €20k where fewer and fewer consumer purchases are taking place. This is reflected in the graph which shows a significantly sharp decline in the numbers of buyers purchasing in this bracket: in 2003 this bracket constituted half of the entire market and now brings in less than 20 per cent of the overall sales by numbers of units. Again, the effect is cyclical as the smaller number of purchases in this bracket reflects, or results in, a smaller number of buying options available in the segment as manufacturers concentrate their efforts elsewhere.

Graph 4: CO₂  emissions by price bracket 2003-2019 (Source: Cartell Carstat)

Another interesting aspect to this consumer shift is the commensurate impact on CO₂  emissions: The graph above shows that, in line with the general upward trend in the market, CO₂  emissions are increasing over the course of the past couple of years except for one bracket – the €30,000 to €40,000 price bracket. This is exactly the price bracket where Electric Vehicles (EVs) enter the frame as this is the price bracket where those vehicles are sold and consequently EVs are clearly impacting on average emissions in that bracket. Though EVs are not yet being sold in numbers which are having the same impact on CO₂  emissions in the market overall.

Electric Vehicles (EVs), hybrids and the consumer shift to more expensive vehicles

One of the reasons mentioned widely for the slow growth in Electric Vehicles (EVs) is the increased manufacturing costs for vehicles of this type and consequently the higher purchase price of this vehicle-type. To some extent this higher price-point has been offset by Government incentives. Our report looks in more details at the value of EVs at the time of first purchase in the market and returns the following results.

Table 3: Value and units of Electric Vehicles sold first two months of the year 2017 to 2019 (Source: Cartell Carstat)

The table above shows the recent growth in the numbers of EVs – up 6 times on last year. It also shows the price-point for this vehicle-type has settled just above €33,000. Combined with the growth in this price bracket (see previous section) and the recent consumer trend towards (i) buying a car which is more expensive and (ii) buying an EV the market should be prime for EV sales in 2020/21.

Table 4: Value and units of Hybrid Vehicles sold first two months of the year 2017 to 2019 (Source: Cartell Carstat)

In terms of hybrid sales the market has advanced 20 per cent. The overall numbers of hybrids sold in the first 2 months of 2019 displays a healthy annualised increase of 20 per cent. This growth weighs against the backdrop of a decline in diesel sales – down 23 per cent.

One thing that is open to interpretation is the future market demand outcome – whether demand will move more towards Electric Vehicles or towards their hybrid equivalents. Self-charging hybrids now make up 7.7 per cent of the car market against 2.2 per cent for EVs. In volume terms, hybrid growth continues on an equivalent level to EVs.

The advantage with the hybrid is that it is much closer to what the average consumer is already familiar with and it fends off so-called range anxiety. The case for the EV turns more on the additional environmental benefits a car of this type delivers (in terms of its day-to-day performance) and the fact that range anxiety will also become less of an issue as additional battery capacity coming on stream pushes vehicles of this type to deliver more range in the future.

Michael Gaynor, Marketing Director, Toyota Ireland told Cartell.ie:

We continue to see consumers make the shift from diesel to self-charging hybrids where 80% of all our car sales in 2019 will be hybrids. Our next generation hybrid engines can now deliver up to 60 per cent zero emissions driving, giving consumers much of the benefit of a pure electrified car without the compromise of re-recharging or range anxiety. It’s why we expect self-charging hybrids to account for 12 per cent of private car sales in 2020, growing to 20 per cent by 2021.”

Obviously there is a Brexit uncertainty in the market, however, this point aside for the moment, we would expect to see self-charging Hybrids grow to 12% or 1 in 8 of new cars sold in 2020.  Very healthy growth in EVs in 2020 – more than 3,000 units for the first 2 months of next year is easily achievable and 5,000 units is not impossible. This anticipates EVs being sold at a value in the low €30,000s and the continuing consumer advance towards buying cars in the €30,000 to €40,000 bracket. As we expect this to be the most popular bracket for new car sales within the next two years this should yield significant growth in EVs over that period as consumers are faced with a like-for-like choice in terms of price knowing that EVs can yield savings down the line in terms of running costs. So, in January and February 2020 we can make a prediction of sales in the region of €100m+ EV sales.

Notes 

1. While compiling these figures Cartell assessed, for all the years, the Open Market Selling Price for each vehicle purchased, based on the Jato List price.
2. The study deducted public grants and VRT rebates for environmentally friendly vehicles such as Electric Vehicles and Plug-In Hybrid Electric Vehicles (EVs/PHEVs).
3. The values given for New Private Sales in the Tables are those successfully matched to the OMSP. The study successfully matched in excess of 98 per cent of vehicles.

The post New Car Market Profiling and EV/Hybrid Predictions for 2020 appeared first on Cartell Car Check.

The International Car Tech and Mobility Summit organisers Electronomous and Mobility X report today (April 23) on a sharp consumer shift towards Electric Vehicles (EVs) and a healthy growth in the numbers of hybrid vehicles: EV numbers are up 6 times on last year and the hybrid market has advanced 20 per cent.

In stats provided by Cartell.ie the organisers note that the price-point for hybrid vehicles has risen in the first two months of 2019 compared with previous years indicating a consumer preference towards higher specification vehicles in this corner of the market. The overall numbers of hybrids sold in the first 2 months of 2019 displays a healthy annualised increase of 20 per cent. This growth weighs against the backdrop of a decline in diesel sales – down 23 per cent. Self-charging Hybrids are expected to grow to 12% or 1 in 8 of new cars sold in 2020.

Table 1: Value and units of Hybrid Vehicles sold first two months of the year 2017 to 2019 (Source: Cartell Carstat)

Electric Vehicles (EVs)

In additional stats provided by Cartell.ie the organisers note that the price-point for the Electric Vehicle has settled just above €33,000. Combined with a growth in the numbers of people buying new cars in this price bracket – where prices are over €30,000 – and the recent consumer trend towards buying an EV the market could be prime for EV sales in 2020/21. This argument applies equally to hybrid vehicles.

The organisers would expect to see very healthy growth in EVs in 2020 – more than 3,000 units for the first 2 months of next year is easily achievable and 5,000 units is not impossible. This anticipates EVs being sold at a value in the low €30,000s and the continuing consumer advance towards buying cars in the €30,000 to €40,000 bracket. As Electronomous expect this to be the most popular bracket for new car sales within the next two years this could yield significant growth in EVs over that period as consumers are faced with a like-for-like choice in terms of price knowing that EVs can yield savings down in the line in terms of running costs.

Table 2: Value and units of Electric Vehicles sold first two months of the year 2017 to 2019 (Source: Cartell Carstat)

One thing that is open to interpretation however is the future market demand outcome – whether demand will move more towards Electric Vehicles or towards their hybrid equivalents. Self-charging Hybrids now make up 7.7 per cent of the car market against 2.2 per cent for EVs. In volume terms, Hybrid growth continues on an equivalent level to EVs.

The advantage with the hybrid is that it is much closer to what the average consumer is already familiar with and it fends off so-called range anxiety. The case for the EV turns more on the additional environmental benefits a car of this type delivers (in terms of its day-to-day performance) and the fact that range anxiety will also become less of an issue as additional battery capacity coming on stream pushes vehicles of this type to deliver more range in the future.

Michael Gaynor, Marketing Director, Toyota Ireland says:

We continue to see consumers make the shift from diesel to self-charging hybrids where 80% of all our car sales in 2019 will be hybrids. Our next generation hybrid engines can now deliver up to 60 per cent zero emissions driving, giving consumers much of the benefit of a pure electrified car without the compromise of re-recharging or range anxiety. It’s why we expect self-charging hybrids to account for 12 per cent of private car sales in 2020, growing to 20 per cent by 2021.”

ENDS

Editors Notes:

Electronomous is one of Europe’s leading AUTOMOTIVE TECHNOLOGY EVENTS. This International Summit brings together World Class speakers, exhibitors and delegates in the field of Electric Vehicles, Connected Car Technology, ADAS, Cyber Security, Autonomous Vehicles and all in the beautiful setting of Killarney, Ireland.

It provides a unique glimpse at how technology will affect the Automotive Industry, Insurance industry, Car Finance Industry, Car Sales and Motoring into the future. It also offers an unprecedented opportunity to Network with Industry leaders and leading experts in the fields mentioned above, while also providing a great platform to create new business relationships.

Notes for Editors – The MobilityX VIP Weekend Package 

Kicking off right after the conference, on Friday 3rd at 12pm. Designed for Executives, Policy makers, and Transportation Authorities, this weekend will be a private event designed to help you get to know some of the most innovative executives in the self-driving industry. Places on this event are limited to a small number of VPs, Founders, Investors, CEOs and other invited guests from the Industry. It is an opportunity to get to know some of the best people in the industry, while also relaxing in the beautiful Killarney.

The Summit is taking place May 2^nd and May 3^rd. 

Tickets for Electronomous are available by logging on to http://www.electronomous.com

For more information on Mobility X see: www.mobilityx.co 

For further media information/press accreditation/images and interview requests please contact:

John Byrne, 087 4199018 or john at cartell.ie

Graph 1: Value of New Vehicles purchased in Ireland by price bracket 2003-2019 (Source: Cartell Carstat)

The post Consumer Shift towards Electric Vehicles (EVs) and Hybrids appeared first on Cartell Car Check.

PRESS RELEASE

Electronomous – The International Car Tech & Mobility Summit

  Electronomous in partnership with Mobility X announces today (April 18) the latest instalment of the exciting International Car Tech and Mobility Summit- Electronomous.

Hollywood Star and Racing Driver Michael Fassbender will lead the gathering with a fireside chat with former Top Gear host  and motoring journalist – Quentin Willson.

Electronomous welcomes Silicon Valley to Ireland for our 2019 event as part of a new and exciting partnership with Mobility X. With the assistance of Enterprise Ireland and IDA, this year’s event will bring disruptors and World Class speakers from the tech world together with the auto industry, research community and stakeholders in Connected Cars, Autonomous Vehicles, Alternative Power Trains & Mobility and all in the beautiful setting of Killarney, Ireland.

The event provides a unique glimpse at how technology will affect the Automotive Industry, Insurance industry, Car Finance Industry, Car Sales, Motoring & Mobility into the future. It also offers an unprecedented opportunity to Network with Industry leaders and leading experts in the fields mentioned above, while also providing a great platform to create new business relationships.

Already the Leading Car Technology Event in Europe the event attracts C-level Industry executives, Engineers operating with OEMs, owners and operators of lease or rental fleets, regulatory bodies, insurance companies, technology providers, product developers, telecommunication operators, car sharing and automotive mobility solutions providers

Confirmed speakers include:

Hollywood Movie Star, Michael Fassbender

Danny Shapiro, Senior Director of Automotive, NVIDIA

Xavier Collins, Managing Director UK, Turo

Caroline Hazlehurst, Director of EMEA Operations, Bird

Luc Vincent, VP Engineering, Lyft

Maik Stephan, Executive Director,  E-Mobility, Volkswagen Group AG.

Stefan Deix, Director of EUCAR, the European Council for Automotive R&D

Robert Hambrick, CEO, AutonomouStuff

And many more to be announced.

Keith Whelan, Event Manager for Electronomous says:

It’s completely unique to have such a world class line up of speakers and delegates from the Automotive and tech worlds coming together outside of one of Europe’s major automotive capitals.  With our new partnership with Mobility X, this year will see a large contingent of exciting companies attend from Silicon Valley, so it’s a real opportunity for Irish and European companies to connect with global players in the beautiful setting of Killarney, Ireland.”

The MobilityX Conference

For the 2019 Electronomous,  we are delighted to announce a New Stage –  curated by our partners at Mobility X Conference. The MobilityX Stage will run parallel to the Main Stage at Electronomous. The Mobility X stage will host some of the World’s leading figures in self driving cars and mobility. It is a gathering of global autonomous vehicle leaders featuring executive level automotive professionals from across a range of industries.

The year the MobilityX weekend which follows on from Electronomous will be an action-packed VIP weekend (3rd-5th May) for speakers and invited guests from the World’s Automotive Industry. The VIP weekend will transport you to the most scenic spots on the West Coast of Ireland and will include activities such as kitesurfing, mountain biking and Stand Up Paddle-boarding.

This is a unique opportunity for those with an interest or working in the Self-Driving Vehicle industry to meet leading companies, CEO, founders and executives from the autonomous vehicle and mobility industry.

Tickets are limited and are available  for purchase at https://www.electronomous.com/.

More information on the Mobility X weekend can be found at http://www.mobilityx.co/

ENDS

Editors Notes:

Electronomous is one of Europe’s leading AUTOMOTIVE TECHNOLOGY EVENTS. This International Summit brings together World Class speakers, exhibitors and delegates in the field of Electric Vehicles, Connected Car Technology, ADAS, Cyber Security, Autonomous Vehicles and all in the beautiful setting of Killarney, Ireland.

It provides a unique glimpse at how technology will affect the Automotive Industry, Insurance industry, Car Finance Industry, Car Sales and Motoring into the future. It also offers an unprecedented opportunity to Network with Industry leaders and leading experts in the fields mentioned above, while also providing a great platform to create new business relationships.

Notes for Editors – The MobilityX VIP Weekend Package 

Kicking off right after the conference, on Friday 3rd at 12pm. Designed for Executives, Policy makers, and Transportation Authorities, this weekend will be a private event designed to help you get to know some of the most innovative executives in the self-driving industry. Places on this event are limited to a small number of VPs, Founders, Investors, CEOs and other invited guests from the Industry. It is an opportunity to get to know some of the best people in the industry, while also relaxing in the beautiful Killarney.

The Summit is taking place May 2^nd and May 3^rd. 

Tickets for Electronomous are available by logging on:

to http://www.electronomous.com

For more information on Mobility X see: www.mobilityx.co

For further media information/press accreditation/images and interview requests please contact:

John Byrne, 087 4199018 or john at cartell.ie

The post Silicon Valley comes to Kerry appeared first on Cartell Car Check.

 Vehicle history and data expert Cartell.ie report today (10^th April) on a concerning increase in CO₂ emissions. In 2018, Cartell looked at the state of CO₂ emissions in the private transport sector. It had been then reported that Ireland faced a significant fine in 2020 for a “serious rise in Irish greenhouse gas emissions” – which had been partly attributed to the transport sector where emissions increased by 3.7 per cent in 2016.

Unfortunately Cartell reports today the situation has actually worsened in respect of our emission of CO₂. In a worrying development for Government there has been an upturn in the average CO₂ emissions of new vehicles sold in Ireland: in 2018 average emissions increased for the first time since 2004 recording a reading of 113g CO₂ /km. More concerning is that the trend is now upwards – the reading recorded for the first two months of 2019 is 115g CO₂ /km.

Graph 2: Average CO₂   of new private vehicles bought in Ireland 2003-2019 (Source: Cartell Carstat)

Table 2: Average CO₂  of new private vehicles bought in Ireland 2003-2019 (Source: Cartell Carstat)

John Byrne, Cartell.ie, says:

Remember, we are looking exclusively at new cars sold in Ireland so any arguments with respect to imported vehicles can be entirely discounted. We considered whether the average emissions are possibly increasing in line with a buying trend towards purchase of more expensive vehicles, meaning these results are correlative with the general increase in the value of new vehicles sold. However, this wouldn’t really explain the increase in emissions per se as manufacturers have invested considerable amounts of money to reduce emissions in their fleet in-line with overarching concerns for the environment globally.”

The reason for the increase may simply be the buying trend towards larger more practical vehicles like SUVs in favour of saloons.

ENDS

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. Cartell.ie is a totally independent company and fully Irish owned.

The post CO2 Emissions – the trend is unfortunately upwards appeared first on Cartell Car Check.

Vehicle history and data expert Cartell.ie announce today (April 3^rd) on the findings from the latest state of the market report in conjunction with auto consultants BAC. Used car sales for the first two months of 2019 are 6,765 units down – a decline of 3.8%. However, used imports rose 4.6% in 2018 and this may have weighed on used car sales.

Used car sales have now been falling for more than 2 years. In 2018 despite strong used car sales volume growth in April and October it wasn’t enough to outweigh the fall in used car sales seen in 8 of the 12 months resulting in total used car sales for 2018 dropping 1.8% against 2017 which was itself 1.8% down against 2016.

Some of this is due to the WLTP impacts which saw a lot of new cars registered in the run up to September which were then sold as used vehicles the following month resulting in used car sales rising 8.8% in October 2018 over the same period the previous year.

Total used car imports hit 21.9% of all used car sales last year up from 20.6% the previous year. 2019 has seen that market share follow the trend seen in new and nearly new imports with January and February 2019 imports accounting for just 20.8% of used car sales.

The Bank of England’s decision to increase the base rate to 0.75% in August 2018 has had a little downward impact on sterling although not as much as many had anticipated and whilst the prospect of a no deal Brexit looms there is unlikely to be much which will see sterling rally against the euro in the immediate future.

In total terms used car sales for the first two months of 2019 are 6,765 units down which is a total fall of 3.8%. With 2016 seeing a peak of 945,000 used cars sold which has declined by 1.8% for each of the two successive years there is little to inspire confidence that anything but a continuation of that decline with used car sales expect to be down around 3.5% for the full year.

ENDS

The report was written in conjunction with auto consultants BAC.

For further information please contact John Byrne on 087 4199018 or at john at cartell.ie or check out www.cartell.ie  for further information.

Cartell.ie was set up in 2006 to help buyers make an informed choice when buying a used vehicle – including imported vehicles – by providing a user-friendly and cost-effective vehicle data checking service. Cartell.ie is a totally independent company and fully Irish owned.

Stay up to date

Make sure you’re following us on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram and Linked In for the latest news and Cartell.ie promotions.

The post Used Car Sales Down appeared first on Cartell Car Check.

Honda Urban EV

Electric vehicles are the talking point of the industry at the moment as manufacturers push to displace petrol and diesel aspirated models with electric vehicles. There is a lot of chatter about this in line with overall concern for the environment and carbon emissions. Electric vehicles are certainly cleaner to run day-to-day and despite a slow start show recent signs of great progress. The Honda Urban EV is a car set for production. The design is quite futuristic, and, as you would expect, urban. It displays sporty wheels and nice touches such as lighting. It’s shape is designed for mass market appeal but with touches that will appeal to buyers in the upper end of the market who are looking for a city spin-around car.

New Renault Clio

The Renault Clio is popular with those buyers influenced by neat design cues and the mk5 Clio continues in the tradition of offering affordable vehicles to those looking for a bit of style. However while the exterior presents more of an evolution a design revolution is underway inside as the interior undergoes a significant makeover. A tablet-like screen is the main focus inside as it juts out from the centre console in the fashion of many vehicles on display in Geneva. The chrome dials help to give the vehicle a sporty and angular look and everything looks comfortable and functional.

BMW 7 Series

This flagship saloon from the Munich-based Bayerische Motoren Werke contains all of the gadgets and plushness required of the successful senior executive. The 7 series follows the successful presentation to market of the 8 Series at last year’s show. As always, we like the styling of the BMW – a firm Cartell favourite.

Mitsubishi Engelberg

Geneva always gives us an impressive line-up of concept cars. This Mitsubishi Engelberg possibly indicates future design-cues for the EV range of the brand and sits well on its stand in Hall 4. It’s not clear whether it will enter production but concepts can often influence future line-ups even if it isn’t offered for sale.

Lamborghini Huracan Evo

A more angular rear bumper is one of the predominant design changes in respect of this supercar. Displaying flashy looks and sleek profiling – as befits a Lamborghini – this Huracan Evo is the easiest thing to photograph in Geneva!

The Skoda Kamiq

This vehicle appeals to the worldwide push towards the SUV. It is the smallest Skoda SUV yet and its sharp lines and sporty appearance is bound to appeal to a market keen to indulge the latest offerings in the SUV-line. It’s interesting the noticeable shift (particularly in Europe) away from saloon models and towards vehicles that, in some respects, are seen as more practical. Higher load access to the rear combined with practical space in the boot have helped this development.

New VW Passat

The new Passat is tech-heavy with lots of lean towards the latest Advanced Driver Assistance Systems features such as a semi-autonomous autopilot assistance package capable of operating at higher speeds than before. It’s a first for Volkswagen and is called “travel assist”. Other features are the now-standard LED lights with new wheel designs and colours available too.

Porsche 911

Geneva wouldn’t be Geneva without a look at the supercar line-up displaying in the Palexpo. The new Porsche 911 Cabriolet is, as you would expect, loaded with performance: optional Sport Chrono Package produces 0-62mph in 3.7secconds in the Carrera S and 3.6 seconds in the Carrera 4S – typical supercar returns.

Peugeot 208

Last but by no means least we look at Peugeot the company that has shown a design resurgence of late We really liked the 508 from the Show last year. The 208 carries onwards the sleek lines and futuristic curves in a smaller package. What we like about the 208 is the market demographic flexibility it displays and how we really think it could appeal to a variety of potential buyers. The interior is really on-point as well, we really liked the storage for the phone and the little shelf to display it horizontally if the driver needs it for navigation – really cool car that shows this brand is on the up-and-up.

The post Cartell.ie at the Geneva Motor Show 2019! appeared first on Cartell Car Check.

The Rally of the Lakes organised by the Killarney and District Motor Club and title sponsor Vehicle History and Data Expert Cartell.ie are delighted to announce today (27^th February) that this year’s Cartell.ie Rally of the Lakes will feature the participation of a Hollywood A-lister.

Michael Fassbender, the Oscar-nominated-star of 12 Years A Slave, X-Men and Steve Jobs, will compete in the event. Michael grew up in Killarney, Co. Kerry and is an avid participant of motorsport, successfully competing in the North American Ferrari Challenge series and the Ferrari Challenge series at Mazda Raceway Laguna Seca. He is currently contracted to drive for Porsche in the Porsche Cup series.

This year marks the 40^th anniversary of the Rally of the Lakes. It also marks the 10^th year that Cartell has marked the event as title sponsor.

To celebrate the 40^th anniversary this year’s event will feature “Lakes RallyFest Ireland” – a rallying festival to coincide with the addition of a pre-1990 section to the annual programme.

Clerk of the Course Dermot Healy says:

The rallying years leading up to 1990 included the “golden age” of rallying. Many of these iconic rally cars are alive and well, but many remain out of view from the Irish rally fan.”

ENDS

About Cartell.ie: Cartell.ie was set up in 2006 to help buyers make an informed choice when buying a used vehicle – including imported vehicles – by providing a user-friendly and cost-effective vehicle data checking service. Cartell.ie is a totally independent company and fully Irish owned.

For further information please contact John Byrne on 087 4199018 or at john at cartell.ie or check out www.cartell.ie  for further information.

Keep an eye on www.rallyofthelakes.com for updates.

The post Michael Fassbender to feature in Rally of the Lakes appeared first on Cartell Car Check.

Vehicle history and data expert CARTELL.IE reports today (February 13^th) that the age of the imported fleet is now at its lowest level since May 2010 and the native fleet age is now at its lowest level since September 2013. The overall picture shows the age of the private fleet, both native and imported, has returned to a level last seen in August 2013.

Cartell.ie tracked the age of the fleet (both native fleet and imported fleet) on the first day of each month between February 1999 and February 2019. Between February 2018 and February 2019 the imported fleet has declined in age from an average of 9.0 years to 8.76 years (-88 days). For the equivalent period the native fleet has declined from 8.57 years to 8.48 years (-32 days).

Graph 1: Age and Size of Private Fleet, Native fleet, Imports 1999 to 2019 (Source: Cartell Carstat)

The age of the fleet oscillates throughout the year as vehicles leave the fleet and others enter. However the drop in age of the imported fleet since February 2017 (-209 days) has been particularly notable. In February 2018 the difference in age between the (older) imported fleet and the (younger) native fleet was 158 days while today the difference in age has narrowed to 102 days.

John Byrne, General Counsel, Cartell.ie, says:

“A lot has been said lately about imported vehicles. The results of this analysis show the average Irish buyer importing a vehicle is evidently opting for a younger vehicle than before and this is bringing down the age of both the imported fleet and the combined fleet, native and imported.

In January 2015 Cartell released data which showed the age of the private fleet in Ireland had levelled-off significantly for the first time in over 10 years – supporting our view the market was then going into recovery.”

In November 2017 Cartell reported the age of the native fleet stood at 8.62 years while the age of the imported fleet stood at 9.02 years: which was the youngest recorded age for the imported fleet since July 2011. The overall age of the private fleet in Ireland (native and imported) stood at 8.7 years: representing a decline of 80 days since January 2017. That equivalent figure now stands at 8.55 years representing a decline of 68 days since those figures were released.

The imported fleet is now at its youngest level since 1^st May 2010.

ENDS

Notes for Editors:

Table 1: Age of Native Fleet and Imported Fleet – 2018 to 2019 (Source: Cartell Carstat)

Table 2: Age of Native Fleet and Imported Fleet – February 1999 to February 2019 (Source: Cartell Carstat)

References:

https://www.cartell.ie/2015/01/age-of-fleet-levels-off-as-car-industry-in-recovery/

https://www.cartell.ie/2017/11/age-fleet-falls-imports-time-high/

https://www.cartell.ie/2018/10/age-private-fleet-drops-younger-imports/

For further information please contact John Byrne on 087 4199018 or at john at cartell.ie or check out www.cartell.ie  for further information.

Cartell.ie was set up in 2006 to help buyers make an informed choice when buying a used vehicle – including imported vehicles – by providing a user-friendly and cost-effective vehicle data checking service. Cartell.ie is a totally independent company and fully Irish owned.

The post Age of Private Fleet Drops on Younger Import 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!

The post Residual Value – Do cars appreciate? appeared first on Cartell Car Check.

Vehicle data expert CARTELL.IE reports today (January 9) that the proportion of vehicles offered for sale (across all years) with finance outstanding is at 16.61% – back to the highest levels Cartell.ie has ever recorded. This figure is up from 14.3% in December 2017 and 12.5% in July 2017. From a sample of over 5,906 vehicles offered for sale and checked via the Cartell.ie website in 2018 it was found that overall levels of finance have increased 16.15% in 12 months since December 2017 and 75% since June 2016 when the rate recorded was 9.5%.

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

Jeff Aherne, Director, Cartell.ie, says:

We have now returned to the highest levels ever recorded by Cartell.ie for vehicles offered for sale with outstanding finance. In December 2014 we saw levels of finance outstanding at 7%: so in 4 years the rate has more than doubled. A buyer is advised to check a vehicle for outstanding finance as the finance company owns the vehicle until the last payment has been made – the bottom line is that you can lose the vehicle.”

ENDS

About Cartell.ie: Cartell.ie was set up in 2006 to help buyers make an informed choice when buying a used vehicle – including imported vehicles – by providing a user-friendly and cost-effective vehicle data checking service. Cartell.ie is a totally independent company and fully Irish owned.

For further information please contact John Byrne on 087 4199018 or at john at cartell.ie or check out www.cartell.ie  for further information.

Notes to Editor

Table 1: Historic Percentages of Vehicles with Outstanding Finance checked on Cartell.ie (Source: Carstat, Cartell.ie)

The post Finance Levels Rise Again – now 16.6% appeared first on Cartell Car Check.

Due to the resurgence of UK imports into the Irish car market in recent years, vehicle data expert Cartell.ie decided to drill down into the published statistics for the Irish NCT and UK equivalent MOT roadworthiness tests. To assess the Top 5 UK Imports into Ireland in 2018, based on their reliability and performance in their inaugural test, we hereby introduce our data-backed analysis of these five vehicles in a NCT vs MOT comparison to determine which test is stricter.

As it stands, UK imports represent roughly 24% of the entire Irish carpark, and the import drive shows no sign of slowing, with over 126,000 vehicles imported in 2018, which is an increase of nearly 6% compared to 2017. It will be an interesting comparison to see how each of the Top 5 UK Imports this year fared during their first NCT & MOT. How prevalent is the variance in pass standards?

Top 5

Volkswagen Golf

The Volkswagen Golf has consistently been a beloved car among the Irish car market in terms of reliability and practicality, and with more than 112,000 on our roads at present. With the release of the popular new Golf in 2013, we are going to round up the stats and review its performance in its first roadworthiness test in Ireland and the UK.

The 2013 Volkswagen Golf tops our list with a first-time pass rate of 85.9% based on 4,516 tests in 2017. But what did they fail their NCT on and what should you keep an eye on for the next one?

• 4.8% of fails were on wheels & tyres, tread depth/tyre condition.
• 3.6% of fails were on Lighting & Electric, misaligned headlamps and blown bulbs would make up most of these statistics.
• 3.3% of fails were Vehicle & Safety Equipment – seatbelts not working, airbag light on the dash etc.

In contrast;
The pass rate for the equivalent UK Import in its first MOT was 84.2% based on 62,933 MOT Tests for a 2013 Volkswagen Golf.

The top three reasons for the 15.8% of vehicles that failed are;

• 6.6% fail on Driver’s view of the road which involves Wipers, Windscreen washers and mirrors.
• 5.5% fail on Tyres – Tread depth, tyre condition.
• 3.5% fail on Lamps, Reflectors and Electrical Equipment

Ford Focus

Next on our list is the ever-popular Ford Focus, with over 126,000 currently on Irish roads, and 38,000 being imports.

The 2013 Focus scored an above average 84.7% pass rate in its first NCT which is based on 4,397 tests.

• 5.3% of fails were on wheels & Tyres, tread depth/tyre condition.
• 4.3% of fails were on Lighting & Electric, misaligned headlamps and blown bulbs would make up most of these statistics.
• 3.2% of fails were Vehicle & Safety Equipment – seatbelts not working, airbag light on the dash etc.

Meanwhile;
The UK equivalent MOT for a 2013 Focus scored an impressive 87.3% first time pass rate based on 86,234 tests.

• 5.0% failed on Lamps, Reflectors and Electrical Equipment.
• 4.4% failed on Tyres
• 1.9% failed on Brakes

BMW 5 Series

The BMW 5 Series has been a consistent class leader in the Irish premium segment, boasting a luxurious interior, robust engine and a luxurious driving experience. With a sharp increase in the number of BMW imports this year, the 5 Series ranks a solid third place on our list in terms of reliability in its first roadworthiness test. With the overall NCT pass rate for a 2013 5 Series clearing 83.3% based on 2,039 tests.

8.1% failed on Tyres
3.7% failed on Lighting & Electric
3.5% failed on Vehicle & Safety Equipment.

In the UK, the 5 Series boasts an 85.5% pass rate based on 18,735 MOT tests. With the top failure rate unsurprisingly being down to unsafe tyres, topping out at 6.3%.

Volkswagen Passat

Third on our list, is the Volkswagen Passat. This motorway munching mid-range masterpiece has always been a household name in Ireland, with 80,000 on our roads at present and 31,000 representing imports, it almost lines up with the average first time pass rate for all 2013 vehicles, scoring an 81.2% first time pass rate based on 2,887 tests.
The bulk of 2013 Passats fail on the same handful on reasons.

• 7.6% of fails were on wheels & tyres, tread depth/tyre condition – this is slightly above the average of 7% for all 2013 cars.
• 5.4% of fails were on Lighting & Electric.
• 3.9% of fails were Vehicle & Safety Equipment.

Likewise, the MOT equivalent for a 2013 Passat somewhat lined up with the pass rates for the NCT, coming in at a respectful 82.3% pass rate from 16,787 tests.

Nissan Qashqai

The family-oriented Nissan Qashqai has played a stormer in the Crossover SUV segment for since its initial release just over 11 years ago, and with the upmarket facelift in 2013 it gained further momentum among Irish buyers – many of which have been opting to import one from the UK, with almost 3,000 imported in 2018 alone.

Based on 3,629 NCT Tests in 2017 for a 2013 Nissan Qashqai, we saw an overall pass rate of 78.8%, placing it firmly at fifth place in our rankings.

Lining up with the other contenders in our lists;
8.9% failed on the usual Lighting & Electrics
5.4% failed on Vehicle & Safety Equipment
3.3% failed on tyres

In the UK, the Qashqai had an impressive pass rate of 82.8%, with the largest offender being the driver’s view of the road which involves Wipers, Windscreen washers and mirrors, this accounts for 7% of all fails along with 6.5% being Lighting and Electrics, which almost mirrors the highest failure rate in the NCT for the Qashqai.

If you’re in the market for a Qashqai, check those lights!

To round up the stats, each of our Top 5 UK Imports are all within the average of 81.8% for a first time pass in their initial NCT. These cars do have a lower pass rate in the NCT, than the equivalent MOT in the UK. This leads us to the question – is the NCT stricter than the MOT?

Results Summary

When we consider the sheer volume of cars tested in the MOT compared to the NCT, it can be assumed that the NCT is stricter, or could it be because the MOT is due on a car’s third anniversary rather than its fourth here in Ireland for the NCT? Cars in Ireland are going an extra year before they are tested.

Should the NCT adopt the same schedule as the MOT to increase road safety by testing cars more often?

The failure rates on unsafe tyres are a very worrying statistic either way – prevalent across the NCT and the MOT, and this is based on just a sample of five models tested in one year. Unsafe tyres that are overlooked by a motorist and instead, inspected and highlighted by an NCT/MOT technician, could possibly highlight a laidback attitude towards tyre safety among motorists, the data alone speaks for itself.

To put this in perspective, in 2017, there were 1,355,000 vehicles tested, and 175,000 failed due to unsafe tyres, just shy of 13%. Just over 1 in 10 cars had unsafe tyres on our roads.

The post NCT vs MOT – Are they the same? appeared first on Cartell Car Check.

Budget changes are in full swing as of now. The main area of affect regarding the Automotive Industry is the 1% Vehicle Registration Tax (VRT) surcharge which is being brought in for Diesel engine passenger vehicles registered in Ireland from today onwards (Native and Imported).

Director General of SIMI, Alan Nolan says the move could have some unintended consequences and is “poorly considered”.

“The real disappointment for businesses and jobs in our sector is that we were already facing an increase in VRT in January, only on the price of a new car, in the region of €450, due to the new EU Emissions test. This additional 1% surcharge is likely to add a further €400 on average to a new diesel car from January.”

Excise Duty & Carbon Tax

When the budget was being announced there was an expected increase in Excise Duty on diesels as well as an increase in Carbon Tax but the Minister decided against these.

The environmental coalition, Stop Climate Chaos, said the failure to introduce a carbon tax increase would make meeting Ireland’s climate commitments even harder to achieve.

Electric Vehicles & Hybrids

With regards Electric Vehicles (EVs) and regular Hybrids, the current €2,500 and €1,500 relief, respectively, has been extended.

More Information

Should you wish to better understand the Irish VRT system please click here to find information on the specific categories and how to calculate.

Read the full list of Budget changes here.

The post Increase in VRT Surcharge – Budget 2019 appeared first on Cartell Car Check.

“Connected” – The ability through which a vehicle can share information with other vehicles and its environment.
“Autonomous Vehicles” – Vehicles capable of deciding on and taking a course of action, such as steering or braking, without the need for human intervention.
“Electric” – Vehicles propelled by one or more electric motors, using energy typically stored in rechargeable batteries.

CAVE Conference

MIT Mullingar are delighted to announce that Mr. Jeffery Aherne motoring expert on will be giving a presentation entitled “The CAVE Future – Connected Autonomous Vehicle Electric” on Tuesday 4th December in the Annebrook House Hotel, Mullingar at 7:30pm.

Conference Description

The motoring industry is going through a period of massive change. Plug-In Hybrid is replacing Diesel, Electric is replacing Hybrid. There is a massive convergence between IT and Automotive and vehicles are being fitted with ever more features to make them safer to drive. Lane departure, Collision Avoidance and Blind Spot detection have become common features in newer cars. We will see higher level features such as Autonomous Cruise Control being replaced by full Autonomy.
Before everyone can enjoy the technological improvements a number of key questions have to be addressed and answered.

• Are we as a country, positioned to take advantage of AVs to manage our road network more safely and efficiently than ever before while, at the same time, delivering superior customer service to the travelling public?
• Car manufacturers will have access to massive amounts of personal data, will this be monitored?
• Will the cars become too expensive with the addition of new technology, could this cause new car sales to drop significantly?
• Will insurance premiums increase because of increased car values, or, will the added safety features cause premiums to drop?
• How will this affect car ownership?
• What data between the vehicle and user is shared / owned?
• What services can be created through the sharing of data?
• Where will the data be stored and who is responsible for it?
• Will all collision data be stored, and, what responsibilities and ownership exist on the State’s part?

Speaker Profile

Jeff is the Director Engineer at Cartell.ie & CEO CarandUs.com. Working with Cartell he has changed the law with respect to Written Off Cars and make Clocking Illegal. He is the founding member of Electronomous, Ireland’s International Car Tech Summit and at the forefront of this new Automotive Technology.

Conference Information

Location:  Annebrook House Hotel.
Date / Time:  Tuesday 4th December, 7:30pm *sharp*

This is a FREE event however to accommodate all attendees comfortably registration is required.
This event is sponsored by Electronomous. Now in its third year, Electronomous is well established itself as a key Industry event with ambitions of becoming one of Europe’s leading AUTOMOTIVE TECHNOLOGY EVENTS over the coming years.

The Event is a ONE AND A HALF DAY International Conference with an Irish context bringing together top experts in the field of Electric Vehicles, Connected Car Technology, ADAS, Cyber Security and Autonomous Vehicles.
It also offers an unprecedented opportunity to Network with Industry leaders and leading experts in the fields mentioned above, while also providing a great platform to create new business relationships.

Additional Information

Email: mit@cookieweb.ie
MIT Mullingar: http://mitmullingar.com
Jeff Aherne: https://ie.linkedin.com/in/jeffaherne
Electronomous: www.Electronomous.com

The post What is C.A.V.E and how is it affecting the Automotive Industry? appeared first on Cartell Car Check.

Vehicle history and data expert CARTELL.IE reports today (October 24th) on the profile of vehicles being imported into Ireland in 2018 and reports that Irish buyers are importing diesel vehicles in significant numbers.

Cartell.ie tracked the imported fleet in 2018 (all vehicles) between January 1^st and September 30^th (3 quarters) and found that the vast majority (76%) of vehicles currently imported into Ireland are diesel aspirated.  There has also been a significant jump in the numbers of Petrol/Electric Vehicles (+193%) and Electric Vehicles (+148%) over the past 12 months indicating these vehicles are finding their feet in the Irish market.

Graph 1: 2018 (Jan to Sep) Imports by Fuel Type (All vehicles) (Source: Cartell Carstat)

Table 1: 2018 and 2017 (Jan to Sep) Imports by Fuel Type (All vehicles) (Source: Cartell Carstat)

Makes and Models Imported

In terms of the manufacturer breakdown Ford returns the most numbers of vehicles (all types) imported in 2018. Ford is followed by Volkswagen and Audi with Toyota occupying fourth positon.

Table 2: 2018 (Jan to Sep) Imports by Manufacturer (All vehicles) (Source: Cartell Carstat)

The most popular model imported year-to-date is the VW Golf ahead of the Ford Focus.

Table 3: 2018 (Jan to Sep) Imports by Model (Source: Cartell Carstat)

Registration Year Imported and Segment

In 2018 the most popular year of import is a 4 year-old-vehicle (2014) neck and neck with a three-year-old vehicle (2015). These ages were also the most popular in 2017 although a three-year-old vehicle was more popular that year.  The most popular vehicle segment for imports is the C segment followed by the D segment – the same as for 2017.

Table 4: 2018 (Jan to Sep) Imports by Registration Year (Source: Cartell Carstat)

Table 5: 2018 (Jan to Sep) Imports by Segment (Source: Cartell Carstat)

John Byrne, General Counsel, Cartell.ie says:

This snapshot of the Irish market shows the Irish buyer is especially keen to import a diesel vehicle, usually a three or four-year-old and often a Focus, Golf, or Qashqai – models which have been consistently popular in the domestic market. The jump in the numbers of Electric Vehicles and Plug-In Hybrid Electric Vehicles being imported shows that buyers of those types of vehicles can see the value of importing and also points to a growth in the market for those vehicle types. Overall we would see imports remaining strong until at least the due date for Brexit in March 2019.”

ENDS

Notes for Editors:

Graph 2: 2017 (Jan to Sep) Imports by Fuel Type (All vehicles) (Source: Cartell Carstat)

Table 6: 2017 (Jan to Sep) Imports by Manufacturer (All vehicles) (Source: Cartell Carstat)

Table 7: 2017 (Jan to Sep) Imports by Model (Source: Cartell Carstat)

Table 8: 2017 (Jan to Sep) Imports by Registration Year (Source: Cartell Carstat)

Table 9: 2017 (Jan to Sep) Imports by Segment (Source: Cartell Carstat)

For further information please contact John Byrne on 087 4199018 or at john at cartell.ie or check out www.cartell.ie  for further information.

Cartell.ie was set up in 2006 to help buyers make an informed choice when buying a used vehicle – including imported vehicles – by providing a user-friendly and cost-effective vehicle data checking service. Cartell.ie is a totally independent company and fully Irish owned.

The post Large Numbers of Diesels Being Imported appeared first on Cartell Car Check.

Vehicle history and data expert CARTELL.IE reports today (October 3^rd) that the age of the native Irish fleet is now at its lowest level since September 2013 and the imported fleet age, thanks to a surge in newer imports, is now at its lowest level since August 2010.

Cartell.ie tracked the age of the fleet (both native fleet and imported fleet) on the first day of each month between September 1999 and September 2018. Between September 2017 and September 2018 the imported fleet has declined in age from an average of 9.14 years to 8.81 years (-121 days). For the equivalent period the native fleet has declined from 8.59 years to 8.46 years (-48 days).

Graph 1: Age of Private Fleet, Native fleet, Imports 1999 to 2018 (Source: Cartell Carstat)

The age of the fleet oscillates throughout the year as vehicles leave the fleet and others enter. However the drop in age of the imported fleet since September 2017 has been particularly notable.

John Byrne, General Counsel, Cartell.ie, says:

The impact of imports has been even more noticeable in 2018 as owners retire older native vehicles and look to replace them with newer imported vehicles in ever increasing numbers.  The imported fleet age has dropped by 121 days in the past year – that’s a sizeable drop. Even the native fleet is getting younger, showing a decline of 48 days in the last 12 months as people are moving up the years. In terms of the outlook for 2019, Brexit certainly makes it more difficult to make predictions, but we would still expect to see the age of the fleet continue to fall in the near term as buyers look to replace older vehicles.”In January 2015 Cartell released data which showed the age of the private fleet in Ireland had levelled-off significantly for the first time in over 10 years – supporting our view the market was then going into recovery.”

In November 2017 Cartell reported the age of the native fleet stood at 8.62 years while the age of the imported fleet stood at 9.02 years: which was the youngest recorded age for the imported fleet since July 2011. The overall age of the private fleet in Ireland (native and imported) stood at 8.7 years: representing a decline of 80 days since January 2017. That equivalent figure now stands at 8.54 years representing a decline of 59 days since those figures were released.

The imported fleet is now at its youngest level since 1^st August 2010.

ENDS

Notes for Editors:

Table 1: Age of Native Fleet and Imported Fleet – 2017 to 2018 (Source: Cartell Carstat)

Table 2: Age of Native Fleet and Imported Fleet – September 1999 to September 2018 (Source: Cartell Carstat)

References:

https://www.cartell.ie/2015/01/age-of-fleet-levels-off-as-car-industry-in-recovery/

https://www.cartell.ie/2017/11/age-fleet-falls-imports-time-high/

For further information please contact John Byrne on 087 4199018 or at john at cartell.ie or check out www.cartell.ie  for further information.

Cartell.ie was set up in 2006 to help buyers make an informed choice when buying a used vehicle – including imported vehicles – by providing a user-friendly and cost-effective vehicle data checking service. Cartell.ie is a totally independent company and fully Irish owned.

The post Age of Private Fleet Drops on Younger Imports appeared first on Cartell Car Check.

Vehicle history and data expert Cartell.ie report today (September 5^th) that 17,363 private vehicles in Ireland (excluding imports) have 10 owners or more over the lifetime of the vehicle –excluding garage sales. The highest number of owners recorded for a single vehicle is 31 owners. There are 145 vehicles with 17 owners, 82 vehicles record 18 owners, 128 vehicles have 19 owners or more; and 11 vehicles have 25 or more owners over the course of the lifetime of the vehicle.

The highest number of owners recorded for a single vehicle is 31 owners: a Honda Integra registered in Galway with a 1998 plate. This vehicle was imported from Japan in 2006. In 150 months in Ireland it has averaged an owner change every 147 days. One owner held that vehicle for just 14 days. Two vehicles in Ireland record 30 owners: a BMW 530 registered in 2004 and a Lexus IS200 registered in 1999.

The number of vehicles currently displaying 25 or more owners is 11 vehicles. Cartell last looked at the equivalent number of vehicles displaying 25 owners or more in 2015 when the number returned was 5 vehicles.

Number of Ownership changes per vehicle in private fleet (excluding imports) (Source: Cartell.ie Carstat)

John Byrne, Cartell.ie, says:

The number of owners for a vehicle can sometimes be overlooked by a potential buyer as a less important data marker but it’s an important part of the vehicle’s history: a higher number of owner changes can sometimes indicate hidden issues such as mechanical problems with the vehicle. A higher number of owner cycles means the continuing upkeep of the vehicle becomes an issue too as some owners are more particular than others about ensuring vehicles are serviced regularly. You also have the issue of driving style which can impact on wear and tear of components and can point to increased maintenance costs down the line. We are commonly seeing more owner changes for vehicles which are taxed at a higher rate – many owners simply find it difficult to justify paying high values for motor tax for older vehicles over long periods.”

Size of the Fleet

Cartell.ie also report today that the size of the fleet in Ireland (all vehicles) hit 3.2 million for the first time when it returned a number of 3,204,161 registered vehicles on 30^th July. The unprecedented size of the fleet presents issues for the road network and parking – particularly in urban areas.

John Byrne, General Counsel, Cartell.ie says:

The unprecedented size of the fleet will not come as a surprise to commuters who will have noticed increased congestion on our roads network and shortage of parking in urban areas. Issues around free-flow of traffic, enforcement of parking, access to business and footfall, will prove increasingly challenging as the economy continues to grow. Residential zones will also have noticed overflow parking in urban areas as we accommodate a larger fleet than ever before.”

ENDS

About Cartell.ie:

Cartell.ie was set up in 2006 to help buyers make an informed choice when buying a used vehicle – including imported vehicles – by providing a user-friendly and cost-effective vehicle data checking service. Cartell.ie is a totally independent company and fully Irish owned.

For further information please contact John Byrne on 087 4199018 or at john at cartell.ie or check out www.cartell.ie  for further information.

The post 17,363 Vehicles in Ireland have 10 owners or more appeared first on Cartell Car Check.

Key Takeaway:

Irish motorists report an increase in car running cost in the last year

Insurance premiums and fuel costs key issues for car owners

Key findings

• 61% of motorists have reported an increase in running costs in the last year
• 1 in 3 (29%) spend over €250 on car running costs
• Insurance is still the top concern despite 32% seeing a decrease or no change in their premium
• Over half of parents spend more than two hours driving each day
• Cost and safety are the top concerns for parents when it comes to purchasing a family car
• Almost two thirds plan to buy an electric or hybrid car in the near future
• 38% plan to buy a car in the next year with almost half purchasing a car under two years old
• 39% prefer a number plate from the county they are from
• 38% would pay a deposit for a car online and 77% would pay a deposit online up to the value of €1k
• 55% feel that there should be a mandatory retest for everyone over 70

Irish motorists have seen an increase in their car running costs in the last year according to the latest Motoring Report from car buying experts Carzone.

The bi-annual report which examines trends in the Irish motoring market finds that 61% of motorists say their running costs have increased in the last 12 months with 29% stating they spend upwards of €250 per month on keeping their vehicle on the road.

The Carzone Motoring Report is compiled by analysing data from the 77 million+ searches carried out on Carzone from January to June of this year, as well as an in-depth survey of 1,600 Irish motorists.

Financial concerns

Insurance remains the top financial concern for 61% of Irish car owners. Almost 1 in 5 (19%) cite the cost of fuel as a worry while 9% say general maintenance of their car is a financial concern.

Although insurance comes out as the top concern, almost a third (32%) say their insurance premium has either decreased or remained the same in the last 12 months. 64% also say they have not switched insurance company in the last year opting to stay with their current provider.

Going green

The latest Motoring Report finds that motorists are now more open to switching to electric and hybrid cars. Almost two thirds claim they plan to purchase an electric or hybrid car in the near future with the Tesla Model S and the Nissan Leaf being the most searched electric cars on Carzone site over the past six months. Awareness levels on the difference between electric and hybrid cars is high (84%) and 6 in 10 know where their nearest charging station is.

Given that many motorists are reporting a rise in running costs, it’s no surprise that 45% of those questioned say cheaper running costs is their number one incentive for making the switch from petrol or diesel.  Being kinder to the environment was the second most popular reason (40%).

Ireland’s favourite cars

BMW is the most popular car marque searched for on Carzone followed by Audi and Mercedes Benz indicating a strong interest in the premium segment of the market. The Volkswagen Golf is the most popular car model on the site followed by the Mercedes-Benz E-Class and the Audi A6. The most popular hybrid car is the Lexus IS300H.

What’s on your plate?

Although 69% of those polled would travel for more than two hours to purchase a car, it seems that where that car is from is important. Indicating that county pride is alive and well among Irish motorists, over a third (39%) say that they prefer to buy a car with a registration plate with the county they are from. In fact, so important is the registration plate to motorists that 46% claim that registration plates from different counties impact the value of the car! Interestingly those who lived in urban areas were more conscious of the county on their number plate (48%) compared to 42% of those living in the country.

The taxi of Mum & Dad

New to the report this year is a section on families and cars. Starting a family is often a key catalyst for changing a car. When asked what the most important factors are for parents choosing a car, cost and safety were the key decision factors (38% and 31%). 1 in 5 say that the size of the car impacts their choice.  When it comes to purchasing a family car, it’s a joint decision for over half of those questioned (58%).

The Carzone Motoring Report also finds that parents spend a lot of time in their car with 52% stating they spend more than two hours a day driving their family around.

Testing Times

The report reveals that over two thirds (68%) of respondents who sat their driving test over 10 years ago passed it first time around, while 58% of drivers who took the test within the past 5 years needed two or more attempts to succeed. The research also finds that 57% of those who have a provisional licence have renewed it more than three times. When it comes to elderly road users, the report finds that over half (55%) of those polled think there should be a mandatory retest for everyone over 70.

Buying a car

According to the Carzone Motoring Report, 38% intend to buy a car in the next year. Of those that are planning a purchase, 46% will buy a car under two years old. The key reasons for buying a new car are that they simply wanted a newer or more reliable car or they needed a larger car to accommodate their growing family.

Over half (55%) have considered buying a car from the UK and 59% would consider purchasing in the UK in the future because of the price. However, 46% say that the biggest deterrent to car shopping in the UK is that it’s too much hassle.

While most cars are still purchased in dealerships or private sale, motorists have become more open to buying a car outright online. Over three quarters (77%) say they would pay up to a €1,000 deposit online for a car while 13% would be open to paying for a car in full online.

The main reasons for not buying a car online include the risk involved and the desire to see and test drive the car before making a purchase.

Commenting on the latest report, Karl Connolly, Audience Manager Carzone said:

“Our latest Carzone Motoring Report is our tenth edition which looks at all aspects of Irish motoring. To mark our latest edition, we have added in some new topics such as family and cars, number plate snobbery and attitudes to buying cars online.

Insurance premiums which have been a top concern for a number of years are still the key issue impacting motorists despite the fact that many of those questioned have seen their premiums decrease or remain the same.

We are also seeing a shift in attitude towards electric and hybrid cars over the last few years as motorists get to grips with alternative fuels and the benefits they bring. Our latest report shows that 84% now know what electric and hybrid vehicles are and almost two thirds are planning to make the switch in the near future.”

Most Searched Cars

While you’re here why not check out Cartell’s new Personal Account:

• Save 20% on your future Cartell Checks
• View your past Cartell Checks
• Get a Cartell Price Guide (CPG) value for your car
• Rank your mileage against other identical cars with our Mileage Analysis tool
• Check the ABI Insurance Rating of any Irish car.

To register for your Cartell Personal Account please CLICK HERE.

Alternatively, If you would like to find out more Information CLICK HERE.

The post Carzone Motoring Report 2018 appeared first on Cartell Car Check.

Cartell.ie calculated the total value of new vehicles purchased in Ireland between the years 2006 and 2018 based on the recommended Open Market Selling Price (OMSP) for each vehicle and summing them up. The company divided the total value for each year by the number of new vehicles sold that year to establish the average value per buyer.

Unsurprisingly, Cartell.ie found the average value of a new vehicle purchased fluctuated with the fortunes of the economy, so, in 2007 at the height of the boom the average value of a vehicle purchased was €28,106 which dropped to €24,758 in 2011 before increasing steadily every year since then as the economy improved. In 2016 the average value of a new vehicle was already back to boom time levels recording €28,385 while in 2017 the value had ticked up 4% to €29,481.

For the first 6 months of 2018 the average value has now hit €30,000 returning a figure of €30,130: the first 6 months of 2017 recorded €29,391 before ending the year on €29,481. This shows the average Irish buyer is now buying a vehicle worth €30,000 for the first time since Cartell.ie started recording these statistics.

Table 1: Average value of new private vehicle bought in Ireland 2006 – 2017 (Source: Cartell.ie Carstat)

Inflation

Adjusted for inflation the figure recorded for average value for the 12 months ending 1^st January 2018 (€27,786) is higher than the figure recorded for the average value in 2006 (€26,997) – right in the middle of the boom.

Table 2: Inflation adjusted average value of new private vehicle bought in Ireland 2006 – 2017

Table 3: Average value of new private vehicle bought in Ireland (Jan to June, i.e. 6-month period) 2013 – 2018 (Source: Cartell.ie Carstat)

 
Why has the average value been increasing?

Cartell.ie considered several possible reasons for the increase in the average value of a private vehicle purchased in Ireland over the last several years:

• Consumers may be opting for more expensive vehicles, or more expensive vehicle types like SUVs and Crossover vehicles, or MPVs
• Buyer has 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
• 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
• Vehicles are more expensive to manufacture, to comply with NCAP safety ratings, for example, this increases the cost of manufacture: the consumer 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
• Increased consumer demand for 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.
• Vehicles in the current generation often weigh more than for previous generations to accommodate additional safety systems

John Byrne, Legal and Public Relations Manager, Cartell.ie said:

The buyer of a new vehicle is getting more features than ever before, more technology, more safety, for example. The buyer has also shown an appetite for other features which manufacturers are increasingly rolling out as standard such as alloy wheels and electric windows. Combined, these features increase manufacturing costs and push average values upwards. The buyer may also be opting for more expensive cars owing to more readily available lines of credit or simply because buyers are keen to buy a larger car when fuel economy and motor taxation figures have dropped so significantly across the board.

Buyers have different buying habits: some will enter the market with an open mind and opt for the best available deal within their budget; while others will be keen to opt for the same manufacturer or the same model.

Remember this study is considering average values of new private vehicles based on the Open Market Selling Price: we are not looking at the price actually paid by the buyer: the actual deals struck between the buyer and the seller will vary widely to account for discounts, sales events, and trade-in values for example.”

ENDS

About Cartell.ie:

Cartell.ie was set up in 2006 to help buyers make an informed choice when buying a used vehicle – including imported vehicles – by providing a user-friendly and cost-effective vehicle data checking service. Cartell.ie is a totally independent company and fully Irish owned.

For further information please contact John Byrne on 087 4199018 or at john at cartell.ie or check out www.cartell.ie  for further information.

Notes to Editor:

1. While compiling these figures Cartell assessed, for all the years, the Open Market Selling Price for each vehicle purchased, based on the Jato List price.
2. Rates of inflation are CPI
3. The study deducted public grants and VRT rebates for environmentally friendly vehicles such as Electric Vehicles and Plug-In Hybrid Electric Vehicles (EVs/PHEVs).
4. The values given for New Private Sales in the Tables are those successfully matched to the OMSP

The post Average Value of New Private Vehicle more than €30,000 appeared first on Cartell Car Check.

Overview:

The Electric Vehicle Toll Incentive (EVTI) Scheme commenced on July 1st 2018 and is expected to run until December 31st 2022. This allows EV and PHEV owners to now avail of toll discounts and refunds.

Commenting on the new scheme the Minister declared, “I am delighted to launch the new EV tolling scheme, this incentive is integral to the series of Governmental support measures aimed at promoting a low-carbon transport future”. He added “this new scheme will yield additional savings to EV motorists, with the potential for eligible private car owners to accumulate up to €500 in toll savings per annum, and up to €1,000 in savings for goods vehicles.”

In a final statement the Minister stated, “we are starting to see a steady rise in EV numbers; this can be attributed to improved technological developments and increased battery ranges alongside continued generous Government supports to reduce purchase and running costs. There are now over 5,000 electric vehicles in Ireland, over a 1,000 of which were registered in 2018 alone.”

How it works:

A 50% toll discount will be applied for battery electric vehicles, and a 25% toll discount will be applied to plug-in hybrid vehicles. Higher level discounts will be available across stated tolls during off-peak times/journeys.

To avail of the discount, motorists must sign up for an EV tag with an approved Toll Tag Provider. EV and PHEV Drivers, who are currently registered with a Toll Tag Provider, should be contacted with details on how to transfer to the scheme.

Vehicle Restrictions:

The new scheme applies to all Battery Electric Vehicles, and Plug-In Hybrid Electric Vehicles provided;

• CO2 emissions are 80gm per Kilometer or less.
• The vehicle must be registered in Ireland
• Goods vehicles must have a gross weight of 3,500kg or less to be eligible.

NOTE: Taxis, Hackneys and Limousines will be considered a private vehicle under this scheme and can avail of the same discounts.

New Toll Scheme Details and Refunds:

The following data is taken from the www.tii.ie (Transport Infrastructure Ireland).

While you’re here why not check out Cartell’s new Personal Account:

• Save 20% on your future Cartell Checks
• View your past Cartell Checks
• Get a Cartell Price Guide (CPG) value for your car
• Rank your mileage against other identical cars with our Mileage Analysis tool
• Check the ABI Insurance Rating of any Irish car.

To register for your Cartell Personal Account please CLICK HERE.

Alternatively, If you would like to find out more Information CLICK HERE.

The post New Toll Scheme; EVs & Plug-ins to Benefit appeared first on Cartell Car Check.

It’s official, Saudi women are now allowed behind the wheel after the decades long ban has been lifted.

Last September it was announced the ban would be lifted, and the first licences were issued to women this month. More than 120,000 women applied for a driver’s license Sunday, according to senior Ministry of Interior and Traffic Directorate officials.

“Demand for obtaining driving licenses is very high,” said Maj. Gen. Mansour Al Turki, official spokesman of the Ministry of Interior.

Saudi Arabia was the only country left in the world where women were unable to drive and families had to hire chauffeurs for female relatives.

It was the only country left in the world where women could not drive and families had to hire private chauffeurs for female relatives.

In 1990 dozens of Saudi women were arrested for driving in Riyadh, and from 2008 there were other cases of women posting videos of themselves behind the wheel.

Saudi television presenter Sabika al-Dosari told the AFP news agency, “It is a historic moment for every Saudi woman”.

Other Quotes:

“It feels weird, I am so happy. . . I’m just too proud to be doing this right now,”

“We are ready, and it will totally change our life,”

“Saudi Arabia has just entered the 21st century,”

While you’re here why not check out Cartell’s new Personal Account:

• Save 20% on your future Cartell Checks
• View your past Cartell Checks
• Get a Cartell Price Guide (CPG) value for your car
• Rank your mileage against other identical cars with our Mileage Analysis tool.

To register for your Cartell Personal Account please CLICK HERE.

Alternatively, If you would like to find out more Information CLICK HERE.

The post Saudi women to get behind the wheel! appeared first on Cartell Car Check.

Introduced in 2009, labels give consumers important information on their tyre selection, including fuel consumption and environmental performance, noise levels, and how well they will handle wet weather breaking.

By law, when a consumer is buying a tyre the labels must be clearly presented, and the values/details listed must be included on the bill once the sale is complete.

The SEAI will be making sure each of the fitters and retailers they visit are following the above correctly, and are warning that those found in breach of these regulations will face a substantial fine.

Programme Manager with SEAI, Tim Stokes, commented on the importance of this regulation for both fitters/retailers and motorists: “Tyres are a driver’s only contact with the road and so are one of the most important parts of any car. It’s vital that motorists have reliable information regarding safety and fuel economy to allow them make an informed choice when buying tyres. Tyre retailers have an important role, as well as a legal obligation, in that regard.”

SEAI representatives will be focusing on the accuracy of the tyre labels as well as the fact that they must be displayed. Although the vast majority of tyre labels are accurate for the tyre they’re on, and are checked across Europe by several testing facilities, and through technical documentation checks. If a label is found to be displaying improper information, it will have to be changed, ASAP.

“SEAI has already distributed leaflets to all tyre retailers informing them of their obligations. SEAI is also working with industry representatives and other stakeholders, such as the Road Safety Authority, to increase awareness of tyre labels among motorists. SEAI will continue to regularly carry out inspections to ensure tyre suppliers and distributors are compliant, helping to protect consumers and the environment” said Stokes.

While you’re here why not check out Cartell’s new Personal Account.

• Save 20% on your future Cartell Checks
• View your past Cartell Checks
• Get a Cartell Price Guide (CPG) value for your car
• Rank your mileage against other identical cars with our Mileage Analysis tool.

To register for your Cartell Personal Account please CLICK HERE.

Alternatively, If you would like to find out more Information CLICK HERE.

The post Tyre fitters and retailers subject to inspection by the SEAI appeared first on Cartell Car Check.

This week we are celebrating Cartell’s 12th Birthday. It’s hard to believe two years have already passed since the big 10th celebration, time flies when you’re having fun as they say.

We’re delighted to be continuously helping people with one of the bigger and more difficult decisions they have to make, and at the same time, doing our best to make Irish and UK roads a safer place by providing damage and Write-Off categories in our Checks.

The last year has been a big one for us. We’ve been constantly growing since day dot, and in the last 12 months we’ve added even more highly qualified staff to our ranks.

We organised two very successful events in Killarney;

• The International Rally of the Lakes, which you can see highlights of HERE on our Facebook Page.
• Electronomous – The Car Tech Summit, which more than doubled in size since the previous year.

GDPR was a hurdle successfully cleared by our legal team et al. We can proudly say we are compliant.

The Cartell Trade App became available on the Apple Store and Android, and,

We also made new additions to the usability of Cartell.ie. Our world-class developers have created a Personal Account option which allows users to register with Cartell, receive discounts, and use our new tools.

This is only a sample of what we’ve been up to for the year, and we have plans, on plans, on plans for the future. I’d love to go on and on but as we know attention spans are….

…what was I saying?

Anyway, we’ve put together a short video highlighting some of our accomplishments and proudest moments over the last 12 years. Have a look, enjoy, and thank you very much for reading if you made it this far.

The post Last Year of the Preteens – Cartell’s 12th Birthday appeared first on Cartell Car Check.

The website will allow Lexus owners to enter the registration of their current vehicle, Cartell.ie then works instantaneously (in the background) to find the vehicle information for Lexus, who provide a listing of Service packages available.

The user will be able to select the closest and most convenient “Lexus Retailers/Authorised Repairers” and book a date that best suits.

Ian Corbett, Head of Lexus Ireland commented: “Lexus Ireland has always been committed to delivering the best customer service possible and we are delighted to now offer this new service which gives our customers accurate and immediate service quotes as well as the convenience of booking their service online. Once the driver’s car is with our retailer and authorised repairer, customers can be assured that it’s in good hands, as our technicians undergo intensive Lexus training as well has having years of experience in delivering the highest quality service.”

The Service service applies to all current and legacy models, and has been specifically tailored for the current Lexus hybrid lineup of CT, IS, NX, RX, GS, LS, RC, and LC hybrid models.

The post Lexus launch their Service service, powered by Cartell.ie! appeared first on Cartell Car Check.

In a nutshell, what are you going to be talking about at Electronomous 2018?

I look forward to introducing participants to some exciting work that the ITF has done, on shared mobility solutions for instance. Our modelling for cities like Lisbon, Helsinki or Auckland has demonstrated that if private vehicles were to be replaced by fleets of shared vehicle, only about 4% of cars would be needed to provide the same level of mobility as with private cars. This holds huge potential in terms of traffic congestion and also decarbonisation of transport, a topic on which we are also focussing at the ITF.

Can you tell us a little bit about your role and your involvement in the relevant space (Connected, ADAS, Transport, Autonomous or Electric Vehicles)?

The International Transport Forum at the OECD is an intergovernmental organisation with 59 member countries. The ITF is the only global body that covers all transport modes. Our role is that of a think tank for transport policy, to provides advice to our countries and their ministers. We are also increasingly working with the private sector. In 2013, we created the ITF Corporate Partnership Board that comprises companies from transport and related sectors to work with us to look at emerging issues in transport. Businesses are at the cutting edge of developments in a rapidly changing sector, and their insights are extremely valuable for policy makers when it comes to understanding trends from shared mobility, to drones to blockchain to data-driven transport policy.

Are there any other speakers you are looking forward to hearing?

Several in fact! But if I just have to pick one I would say that I look forward to meeting and listening to Clare Jones, COO of what3words. I think this is an interesting company, and an application like this can be used very broadly across transport and other sectors. In fact, it is a good example of how innovation can be used to leapfrog in developing countries to going from having no address, to a quite sophisticated locationing and address system. Clare will also speak at ITF’s Annual Summit in Leipzig in May 23-25 May.

In your experience, what is the number one challenge currently being faced within the ITF in this new era of transport development?

Transport is facing a great transformation. Our challenge at ITF is to support our member countries in addressing new challenges that are an order of magnitude above what we have seen in the past, and  that are happening very fast. Policy makers need to have as much visibility as possible of what is coming in order to take decisions which will shape transport for decades to come.

How important is technology in paving the way towards a new era of personal mobility?

Technological innovation will change mobility in dramatic ways, by itself but also by enabling new business models. What we are seeing now with app-based ride services for instance is just the beginning.

The post Electronomous 2018 Speaker: Sharon Masterson from ITF at OECD appeared first on Cartell Car Check.