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Irish car buyers say that affordability is the most important aspect to consider when looking at a car purchase. That's according to a new report from car-buying website Carzone.ie, which has carried out a survey of survey of Irish car buying attitudes as we approach the new 192-registration period.
From the 250 people polled, who were actively looking to purchase a car or who had purchased a car in the past six months, affordability was rated as the number one consideration, followed by running costs, mileage (if buying a used car), the age of the car (ditto), service history (again), dealer reputation, fuel type, car size, engine size, and model.
More interestingly, Carzone has found that there is change afoot in the way people buy cars, and the route they take between starting and completing the process. The first is the trigger, the thing that creates the need for a purchase, and according to the figures some 25 per cent of those are 'unplanned' triggers, with buyers suddenly finding that they need to buy because of an accident, or unreliability of an older vehicle. When it comes to a planned purchase, 44 per cent say that they have spent 'several months' contemplating their purchase.
In stage three, the 'consideration' stage, buyers say that they're open to influence from both people they know (44 per cent) and websites (50 per cent). Stage four leads us into a narrowing down of preferences, and here buyers can be quite promiscuous. 94 per cent said they've changed their mind about which brand to buy at this point. 85 per cent will alter their budget at least once, while 50 per cent reconsidered whether they were going to buy new or used.
Even at stage five - 'decision' - buyers are still open to a last-minute change of mind, based on something influencing their opinion.
At stage six, 'doing the deal' most - 40 per cent - will complete the transaction within a day. 18 per cent take one-to-two days, 15 per cent three-to-four days, and 18 per cent five days or more.
At that point, worryingly for the car trade in Ireland, 36 per cent say that they're reluctant to visit a dealership, and only five per cent say that they would automatically trust a dealer. According to the study, reputable car dealers are determined by several factors including good reviews, quality of the stock, transparent pricing and friendly staff. 50 per cent did say that they were happy to visit a dealership, though, so it's not all bad, but a definite black mark is that female buyers still feel that they will not be treated as well as a male buyer during the buying process.
Commenting on the Car Buyers Report, Karl Connolly, Audience Manager at Carzone said: "The results from this report are fascinating and offer an accurate look at how the Irish car buying journey has evolved. The report provides insights on how consumers go about researching car brands and retrieving recommendations, to how long it takes a car buyer to make their final purchase decision.
"It is clear from the report that there is a huge amount of uncertainty amongst consumers, which means that the need for trust is greater than ever. Dealers can build this trust by being transparent with customers and ensuring that consumers feel that what they see is what they get. This information provides a great opportunity for dealers and private sellers to meet customers' needs while ensuring they drive away in the best car for them."