July 
Older Cars Editorial - July 2010
I dropped in to my local MOT station the other day, for a quick test on one of my old Porsches before a European road trip. It’s a village garage, with the owner also the MOT tester. He and his wife both have bad backs from years of pulling front wheels to check steering gear and the like, so I was delighted to see that he has installe... more
July
Older Cars Market Trends - July 2010
The distractions of the General Election, the World Cup, and the recent Budget setting out the austerity measures that face the nation, have all taken their toll on retail sales of used cars. In spite of the retail downturn there were fewer older car bargains to be found at the auctions.
Prices at the older end of the ma... more
May
Older Cars Editorial - May 2010
With the hard winter now a distant memory, the older car market has an increased number of cheaper 4x4s that were handy for ferrying families about in the snow. Now summer is coming and fuel prices are crawling up again, many of these ‘convenience’ 4x4 owners have decided to get out of all-wheel-drive, and bank whatever cash can be ra... more
May
Older Cars Market Trends - May 2010
An insatiable demand for budget priced cars in this period of economic austerity and a limited supply not helped by the crushing of so many clean older cars via Scrappage, has allowed prices to gather a little more pace. Though the Scrappage Scheme has run its course, factory order new cars are still coming through, and Scrappage part... more
March
Older Cars Editorial - March 2010
The recent sale of Saab Automobile AB to a consortium led by Spyker Cars NV was a palpable relief to classic car lovers around the world. Of all the manufacturers that could have failed during the credit crunch, Saab was possibly the one classic car enthusiasts feared losing the most – proved by the huge upsurge of Saab support acro... more
March
Older Cars Market Trends - March 2010
Following a slightly disappointing start to the year thanks to the snowy weather, most independent dealers reported that interest and activity picked up as soon as the snow began to melt, and hibernating car buyers came back to the market.
Clever dealers with some space and working capital spent the quiet retail period bu... more
January
Older Cars Editorial - January 2010
I was recently reading about a private seller who had sold their car. The sales process was somewhat involved, as the eventual buyer drove and tested the car a number of times, both on his own and with a relative. A deal was eventually agreed, and the car was paid for and driven away.
A few months later, the seller received... more
January
Older Cars Market Trends - January 2010
Good, retail-ready older car stock remains difficult to come by, and prices for the very best examples continue to rise. This is especially the case for low mileage examples in good condition, many of which are selling at exceptional prices, both at auction and through the classified ads. Run-of-the-mill examples have enjoyed pric... more
