Nearly one in two used car dealers have already added Chinese vehicles to their forecourts, as the UK’s embrace of ‘new entrant’ vehicles extends to the secondhand market.
What’s more, 45 percent of used car dealers report Chinese vehicles selling quickly – and fast turnaround is a key metric when they choose which secondhand stock to buy.
“In the last couple of years, Chinese new entrants have made a sizeable impact in the new car market,” said Paul Burgess, CEO of Startline Motor Finance, which publishes a monthly Used Car Tracker.
“Stock is now beginning to filter through into the used sector and it’s clear that a large proportion of dealers are enthusiastic about their arrival.
“Their proposition in the used sector is similar to new – these are models that represent good value and have high retail appeal.
“Every dealer we surveyed who had sold a Chinese car reported that they sell quickly.”
Some dealers play the waiting game
Not all used vehicle dealers are on board, though. Some 37 percent say they are waiting to see how reliable Chinese cars prove to be, while one in five still believes consumer awareness is low.
Additionally, 14 percent are worried about good parts availability and manufacturer support.
“Objections indicate a degree of wariness that might be applied to any unfamiliar car brand,” added Burgess.
“However, to us, it seems likely worries over reliability and manufacturer support are set to disappear relatively soon.”
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