What you need to know

Car ownership in Ireland is high, with three quarters of consumers in NI and RoI personally owning a car. Irish consumers are most likely to own a second-hand car that they bought over two years ago, indicating that there is a buoyant used car market in Ireland which may constrain the growth in new car registrations in the region during 2016.

The main source of funding car purchases among Irish consumers is their savings. Part-exchanging an old car for a new car is also a popular funding method. Combined, this indicates that Irish consumers prefer to buy cars using cash or a convertible asset as they are unwilling to add to their debt levels. This likely explains why there is little demand for financing options such as specialist car loans and personal contract purchases.

Issues covered in this Report

This Report will examine the retailing of cars to private individuals in Ireland, and therefore excludes sales to businesses or operators of company car fleets. It is exclusively focused on cars, and therefore excludes any discussion of the market for light commercial or other goods vehicles and motorcycles. The retailing of cars takes place through the following distribution channels:

  • Franchised new car dealers – those under contract to specific car manufacturers or importers

  • Multi-franchise new car dealers – those with contracts that enable them to sell the products of more than one manufacturer

  • Independents – dealers that sell used vehicles from various manufacturers, some of which specialise in nearly-new or pre-registered cars

  • Second-hand dealers – those selling any make of used car, of any age

  • Automotive auctions – these are mainly used by motor dealers to buy their own stock, but some private individuals also purchase cars through auctions.

The Market Size and Forecast section of this Report examines only new car registrations in the automotive retailing sector in NI and RoI and excludes second-hand and used car sales, and commercial or other goods vehicles. The market shares of the top selling car brands and engine types are also covered in this section.

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