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Independent garages utilising BookMyGarage undertook £22.26 million worth of additional work from retail customers within three months. From September until the end of November 2024, BookMyGarage generated a substantial increase in business for independent garages. Motorists are using digital tools to meet vehicle ownership requirements. BookMyGarage chief marketing officer, Jessica Potts, said: “At BookMyGarage, we are heavily invested in driving ...

Dealers are bracing for a sharp fall in pick-ups in 2025 following the government hike in taxation announced in the Budget last year. Sales are already in decline, down -8.3% in 2024 and this looks likely to accelerate this year, according to the Society of Motor Manufacturers & Traders, which released van sales figures today. “A cause for serious concern ...

  ZEV Mandate, inflation and supply chain pressures look likely to dominate the agenda for dealers in the year ahead. Ian Plummer, Auto Trader Commercial Director commented that new car sales still sit “significantly behind” pre-COVID levels. “Even though electric car sales accounted for around a fifth of the total 2024 sales- not far off the government target – hitting ...

The new car market in 2024 revealed winners and losers among carmakers as they battled for sales in a market skewed by the ZEV Mandate. Car makers that found the going tough include Ford, which fell -23.7% for the year followed by Stellantis owned Vauxhall which was down -21-4% for the period, followed by Porsche (-17.5%), Fiat (-14.1%) and Suzuki ...

Carwow has predicted strong and sustained demand through Q1 of 2025, particularly for used cars.    Used car enquiries placed with dealers via Carwow increased dramatically during Q4 2024, up by 49% versus the same period in 2023, while new car enquiries rose by 12%.   There was a 14% increase in overall visits to Carwow between Christmas and New ...

Registrations by private buyers in 2024 fell by -8.7% to 746,276 units. The lack of demand in the private sector is reflected in electric vehicle sales. The Society of Motor Manufacturers and Traders (SMMT), which released the figures said one of the major constraints to growth was the “lacklustre demand by private buyers”, with only one in 10 choosing an ...

Firstly, happy New Year to all that follow this blog!  I hope that the break has allowed you to recharge your batteries, ready to re-engage in your business for the next, doubtless eventful, twelve months.  I’m sure that your inbox will be full of projections for 2025 related to the world in general, the economy and our industry, so I ...

Tesla has experienced its first decline in vehicle sales in ten years with 1.79 million vehicles in 2024, a 1.1% decline year on year. This downturn occurs amidst increasing competition, particularly from Chinese rival BYD, which has seen its electric vehicle (EV) sales increase significantly. In contrast to Tesla’s performance, BYD sales reached 1.76 million units, up by 12.1% year ...

The National Franchised Dealers Association (NFDA) has joined van manufacturers in calling for a moratorium on the ZEV Mandate for vans. Its commercial vehicle members back van manufacturers who have called for a short-term moratorium of the Zero-Emissions Vehicle (ZEV) mandate while welcoming the Government’s announcement, on 24 December 2024, of a consultation seeking industry input on supporting the transition ...

Close Brothers Motor Finance has revealed its list of the most popular cars to finance in 2024. The Volkswagen Golf topped the list, followed by the Ford Fiesta and the Ford Focus. John Cassidy, MD of Sales at Close Brothers Motor Finance, said: “The continuing challenges facing motorists is reflected in the selection of petrol and diesel vehicles on this list. ...