NEARLY ONE MILLION MOTORISTS ARE LOOKING TO BUY A NEW CAR WITHIN THE YEAR BUT DON’T CARE ABOUT HOW GREEN IT IS ACCORDING TO NEW RESEARCH BY AUTO TRADER
March 19th, 2008New research by Auto Trader, the UK’s no 1 motoring website and magazine, reveals that currently nearly one million motorists are looking to buy a new car within the year, yet only 3% are concerned about the green credentials of the vehicle.
Motorists are being targeted in the Chancellor’s new budget, which was announced last week, with punitive taxes on ‘gas-guzzling’ cars and incentives to buy low-emission vehicles. This shake up of car taxation will mean that buyers of so-called ‘Chelsea tractors’ will be placed in car tax band G and will be hit with a first-year charge of more than £1,000, before it reverts to the current level of £400.
According to the new research, nearly 10% of respondents are looking to buy a new car with one in five looking to spend more than £30,000 on their new car. When asked what the most important things to look for when buying a car, 100% of motorists said price, followed by:
- Model (51%)
- Reliability (44%)
- Engine size (39%)
- Cost of ownership (36%)
- Fuel type (30%)
- Brand image (27%)
However, motorists are least concerned about:
- Green credentials (3%)
- Status symbol of a vehicle (3%)
- In-car entertainment/technology (3%)
- Residual value (9%)
- Capacity/storage (9%)
- Design (13%)
- Style (15%)
Important features of a car are airbags (74%), braking assistance systems (70%), parking sensors (27%), in car satellite navigation (23%) and MP3 player connectivity (17%).
In fact, to ensure that their new car had everything on their ‘desirability’ list, UK motorists said that they would be prepared to travel more than 100 miles (31%) to purchase their next car.
The most important factors, according to UK motorists, for choosing a new car over a used car are:
- Manufacturer’s warranty (61%)
- Affordability of a new car (38%)
- Status of having a new car (28%)
- Low cost finance deals (27%)
According to the survey of nearly 5,500 drivers nationwide, motorists are prepared to spend up to three months researching their next car (74%), with the majority looking to buy a lower medium class vehicle, such as a Volkswagen Golf (20%), followed by an upper medium class vehicle, such as a Ford Mondeo (15%) and a compact executive class vehicle, such as a BMW 3 Series (11%).
Over 80% of respondents said they will use AutoTrader.co.uk to research their next car, followed by manufacturer’s own websites (40%) and visiting a dealership directly (38%).
Jonathan Williams, Head of Marketing at Auto Trader, comments: “New cars are still hugely desirable for over a million motorists each year. According to the SMMT, new car sales are growing steadily by around 2.5% year on year with obvious spikes in new car sales in March (19%) and September (17%).
“In order to help motorists search for their next car, either new or used, Auto Trader has both more new cars advertised than any other website in the UK and more used cars advertised. Auto Trader offers hints, tips and checklists on what to look for when buying and selling, including car reviews and test drive feedback from our team of motoring experts.
“We are delighted to see that so many motorists are researching their next vehicle well in advance of its purchase. It is vital to have all info to hand when making a decision that is considered to be the second biggest purchase that we make in our lifetime.
“With this in mind, we have launched a new car microsite, which will give motorists helpful advice for all their new car queries.”
Auto Trader’s New Car microsite - www.autotrader.co.uk/newcars/ - runs until April. The special New Cars’ site is designed to be an expert and helpful guide, covering all aspects of buying and owning a new car, including a range of content from features, news, test drives and best buys.
AutoTrader.co.uk has over half a million searches within the New Car section every month, and attracts a massive audience of car buyers looking to purchase cars across all segments.
Auto Trader makes the world of cars easy, with a one-stop-shop of all things motoring – from new and used cars to insurance and finance. Auto Trader also has the largest collection of motorist reviews of their cars, with 50,000 reviews covering thousands of makes and models.
- Ends -
Notes to Editor:
• With 13 regional Auto Trader magazines across the UK and the Republic of Ireland, and an expanding online presence through AutoTrader.co.uk, the brand is building a competitive position across all effective channels including print, the web and WAP.
• Auto Trader is owned by Trader Media Group, which also publishes market-leading niche titles such as Top Marques, Bike Trader, Truck & Plant Trader, Ad Trader, Motorhome and Caravan Trader, Farmers Trader, Auto Freeway – all with the largest reach in their sectors, through magazine readership and web visitors.
• Trader Media Group publishes almost 70 titles every week with a combined circulation of 1.5 million and has leading websites for its top titles.
• Trader Media Group, a division of Guardian Media Group, employs over 3,900 people across 40 locations in the UK, Ireland, Holland, Italy and South Africa. The Group is looking to expand on its winning formula: developing a one-stop-shop for motorists; giving trade customers the opportunity to choose all effective channels to market; building the service and relationship with dealers and manufacturers; and strengthening its portfolio of automotive and specialist classified titles.
• Trader Media Group is jointly owned by Guardian Media Group and Apax Partners, with GMG as the majority shareholder.
For further information, please contact:
Karen Hughes/Caroline Burnell
The Drum Consultancy
Tel: 020 7025 8044
Fax: 020 7025 8100
Email: karenh@drumbeat.co.uk
Posted in Press releases
