MOTORING BRIEFS:The number of vehicles offered for sale with finance outstanding has fallen to its lowest level in six years, according to a car history checking firm.
An analysis of just under 6,000 vehicles by Cartell.iefound an average of 11 per cent had loans attached, down from 16 per cent.
The decline is probably due to a combination of factors, including a reduction in the availability of finance and an increase in the average age of Irish-registered vehicles, which now stands at 7.4 years.
Vehicles offered for sale with a 2009 registration were the most likely to have finance outstanding, at 17 per cent.
Decline in reports of bad driving to Garda hotline
New reports to An Garda’s Traffic Watch phone line have fallen to almost a quarter of the 2006 level. On average, 82 calls per week reporting dangerous driving and other road offence were made to the hotline this year.
This compares to an average of 290 calls per week in 2006. The number of notifications has fallen steadily in each year since.
In 2009, the last year for which figures are available, An Garda said the Traffic Watch scheme dealt with 19,103 “incidents”. In 62 per cent of cases, the complainant refused to make a statement, in 8 per cent the complaint was withdrawn and in 21 per cent there was a problem with the number plate.
A Garda spokesman said no details were available for the number of convictions or cautions arising from the scheme.
Chevrolet to drive Irish sales
Chevrolet is relaunching in the Irish market this week. The iconic American brand had previously been handled by an independent importer, but from now on Chevrolet Ireland will be a branch of the UK operation.
Don’t expect too much Americana though; the cars, including the Spark city car, Aveo small car, Cruze hatchback and saloon, Orlando MPV and Captiva SUV are actually all built in Korea by what used to be Daewoo, and are closely related to Opels.
Chevrolet will major on value for money, and it’s currently the fastest growing mainstream brand in Europe, so expect to see it pushing hard for Irish sales too.