Four in 10 dealers say they are spending more time reassuring customers as they retail older used car stock, according to new research.
Startline Motor Finance’s March Used Car Tracker, based on views from 61 dealers, found 39% of those surveyed are having more detailed conversations with buyers, while the same proportion are placing greater emphasis on pricing accuracy.
The findings reflect a wider shift in used car operations, with 36% adopting more comprehensive pre-sale checks and 33% increasing time spent on vehicle cosmetic preparation.
A further 33% have introduced more comprehensive warranty offerings, while 33% take longer assessing the condition of potential stock and 23% say vehicle history checks have become more important.
The research follows data from the RAC Foundation showing the average car age has reached nine years and 10 months.
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Rapid ageing of UK used car parc
Paul Burgess, chief executive at Startline Motor Finance, said: “There’s been a fairly rapid ageing of the used vehicle parc, especially since the pandemic, and this research shows how dealers are handling that situation.
“It’s interesting that the top response is simply that they spend longer talking to potential buyers, presumably to allay any fears over buying an older car and explaining how it still represents a sound purchase.
“However, more practical moves such as higher preparation standards and a better warranty underpin this approach. Dealers might invest more time in reassuring customers but they are also providing them with a high level of concrete support.”
The tracker also found that 80% of dealers would prefer access to newer stock rather than continuing to retail older vehicles.
Burgess added: “This is not a surprising finding.
“Dealers might have become good at retailing older stock but it remains simply harder work than selling newer vehicles. Most would no doubt want to be able to access significantly younger cars.”