The world famous Bavarian Motor Works, better known as BMW, has been producing some of the world's best luxury vehicles for over ninety years. Founded in 1916, the company was the top aircraft manufacturer in Germany before the First World War. After the war, the Treaty of Versailles put restrictions on aircraft manufacturing, and BMW was left without a primary product. For a short time after the war, the company produced motorcycles. But soon it was clear that the future of transportation was automobiles. The company focused on the luxury market in Europe and they quickly became a household name in Europe along with rival Mercedes-Benz. In the next few paragraphs we will discuss BMW used cars. Because BMW is a premium luxury brand, buying a new vehicle can be quite expensive. On average, a new BMW goes for about forty thousand pounds. That is why many luxury car lovers look for them in the secondhand market. (more...)
When the global recession hit the UK in 2008, it was clear that the government would have to step in. The number one priority was the automobile industry, which had experienced consecutive quarters of negative growth. Their solution was a scrappage scheme that would encourage new car ownership. Under this program, new car buyers received a discount of up to 2000 pounds for turning in any old bucket of bolts. As expected, the plan was a huge success and it carried the industry through the recession, which ended in the last quarter of 2009. In March of 2010, the government ended the scrappage scheme. This decision is expected to have a profound impact on two markets: the new car market and the market for second hand cars. Without government aid, the used car market posted an increase in sales of more than six percent in 2009. (more...)
Founded in 1919, Citroen was the first carmaker outside of the US to employ the assembly line method of mass production. They were also one of the first car companies to create separate sales and marketing departments. As a result, Citroen became the number one carmaker in Europe and the fourth largest on earth for over a decade. In the period between the two world wars, Citroen gained a reputation for innovation and in both engineering and design. In 1934, they produced the world’s first front-wheel drive vehicle, the Citroen DS. In an age where the European market was dominated by expensive luxury brands like BMW and Mercedes-Benz, Citroen produced reliable, economical models. But for some strange, unexplained reason, the company seemed to forget its roots after the war and took one wrong turn after the next. For starters, they acquired a number of luxury brands, one of them was Maserati, and they dumped millions of pounds into developing new luxury models. Not surprisingly, Citroen car sale suffered. (more...)
When it was introduced, the public had mixed feelings about the government-sponsored scrappage scheme. Many believed that the car industry could survive without taxpayer money, while others thought the plan would fail. The scheme itself was a response to declining new car sales in the UK. Well, declining is a bit of an understatement. In fact, sales had fallen off the proverbial cliff. In the first quarter of 2008, new car sales were down by 38 percent from the previous year. In the end, the scrappage scheme was a success as it led to eight consecutive quarters of growth. At the same time, the used car market was plugging along without the need of government aid. Even in the midst of the recession, second hand car sales increased for two consecutive years. (more...)
If you are thinking of buying a new car you will face the choice of whether to buy a new car or a second hand one. At first thought this might seem an easy choice due to the cost of new cars but in reality it is not that simple. If you have a fixed budget it might be tempting to go down to the second hand BMW car sales lot to see how far your money will stretch, but it is also worth seeing what new cars are also within your price range, as many of the lower cost manufacturers offer very reasonable entry level cars. What are the advantages and disadvantages of new against used? A new car will be spotlessly clean and will be under guarantee for a fixed period. As it is new you can reasonably expect it to be free from any problems. (more...)
It took ten months and four-hundred million pounds in government aid to save the struggling new car market. The program that lawmakers introduced would come to be known as the scrappage scheme. Under this plan, any UK resident who traded in an old clunker for a new car would receive a discount of up to two thousand pounds. In spite of some early opposition, the scheme was a massive success that encouraged three quarters of growth. But like all good things, the scheme had to eventually come to an end. In March of 2010, the program was officially discontinued. At the same time the government was financing the new car market, the used car market was getting by on its own. Though the recession was hard on nearly every sector of the economy, sales of second hand cars actually increased by six percent in 2009. What does the future hold? (more...)
After 15 consecutive months of declines, it was clear that the new car market in the UK was in danger of going down for good. Sales declines of more than a third were commonplace and dealerships were closing their doors at a record pace. In May of 2009, the government introduced the scrappage scheme as a last ditched effort to save the struggling market. The scheme, which gave buyers a discount of up to two thousand pounds on any new vehicle, was a huge success that led to 10 positive quarters. Sales increases attributed to the scheme were well over twenty percent. At the same time the new car market was accepting government money, the used car market was simply going about its business. Somehow, the market managed to turn a small profit, even in the worst months of the recession. In 2009, second hand car sales actually increased by six percent. (more...)
Though they've been open for business for nearly ninety years now, Audi only recently began competing in the luxury car market. The German carmaker has been building sport and racing cars since 1921. After several impressive showings in international competitions, Audi became a niche player in the ultra competitive European market. Of course, they were always eclipsed by their German rivals, Mercedes-Benz and BMW. But even so, the company attempted to enter the luxury car market on several separate occasions without much success. In spite of the fact that their design features were truly innovative and were praised by the critics, their luxury sedans never caught on with consumers. Like most German carmakers, the war years were hard on Audi. It fact, it took nearly two decades before the company began creating original designs again. Most of these modes were racing cars and sports sedans, but a few were new luxury vehicles. What about used Audi cars? (more...)
Whether you are a teenager or a man or woman of certain years, BMW and Mini cars just ooze coolness, but for quite different reasons. For BMW think senior manager of a company, good salary and generous bonuses. If he or she is single, then a top of the range BMW is a perfect magnet, attracting admiring glances wherever it goes. If married, he or she probably has a detached house in a good area and they probably send their kids to private school. Not forgetting the expensive hobbies such as golf and horse riding and several foreign holidays a year, plus of course the second home. The BMW really is a status symbol, announcing to people that you have made it to the upper echelons of society. (more...)
Not even a global recession could stop the recent gains in the secondhand car market. In the worst weeks and months of the slowdown, used car sellers still managed to post a sales increase of six percent in 2009. At the same time, the new car dealers were foundering. Things got so bad that the government had to throw them a life line in the form of a massive scrappage scheme. The programme granted each new car buyer a two thousand pound credit when they traded in an old clunker. Not surprisingly, it was a massive success that led to 12 consecutive months of gains. But secondhand sellers didn't complain. In fact, they didn't say a word. They were doing just fine selling their cars even as the economy was in decline. Why didn't they raise a stink? Well, what few folks know is that second hand cars typically outsell new cars by about three to one. The scrappage scheme was necessary because used cars were outselling new ones by about four to one! In short, the new car market needed a helping hand or it would have gone under. (more...)
|
