Value for money - Brits prefer used over new cars

Study: Shpock breaks down the UK's 10 most popular used car brands

Would you buy a used car? 39% of the UK prefer a used car compared to just 24% preferring a new car, a recent study by Shpock, the marketplace app, shows. With a surge in growth for second hand cars, Shpock analysed 50,000 used car sales and can reveal the top 10 most traded used cars in the UK. It also details when is the best time of year for Brits to buy a second hand car. 

Used car sales trending upwards

The UK’s used car market is booming. 2017 marked its second best ever year with over 8 million second hand cars changing ownership.[1] A recent YouGov survey, commissioned by Shpock[2], has shown a real appetite amongst Brits for second hand cars. The main reasons for this preference are the affordable price, reduced loss of value and sustainable consumption. In addition, online marketplaces are increasingly becoming one of the most popular locations to buy used cars. 29% of respondents admitted to checking online marketplaces and classifieds before making a car purchase.

“At Shpock, we’ve seen a growth in demand for used cars in the last twelve months. The number of car listings in March was almost three times higher than the same period last year”, stated Conor Gannon, Shpock spokesperson.

Top 10 used car brands

In order to investigate this trend, Shpock analysed a sample size of 50,000 used cars in the UK which have been listed on the platform in the last year.  Vauxhall takes the top spot as the most traded used car brand on Shpock, with the British manufacturer accounting for almost 15% of cars on the app. Ford (13%) and Volkswagen (9%) round out the top three. The remainder of the top ten is made up primarily of well-known European car brands such as BMW, Peugeot, Audi and Seat.

  1. Vauxhall (14.7%)
  2. Ford (13.0%)
  3. Volkswagen (9.0%)
  4. BMW (7.9%)
  5. Peugeot (5.2%)
  6. Audi (5.0%)
  7. Honda (4.8%)
  8. Mercedes (4.7%)
  9. Renault (4.5%)
  10. Seat (3.6%)

Silver is the new black

Shpock can reveal that silver is the nation’s favourite car colour, accounting for almost one quarter of all used cars (24.5%). Black is the second most popular colour (22%) followed by blue (17.7%). Some of the least popular colours included purple, brown and orange.

Summer deals

The marketplace app also researched when the highest amounts of used cars are traded. The result: the early summer months of May, June and July are when the British public prefer to sell their car. For those hunting their next bargain motor online, the summer is the perfect time to look. January and February have the fewest amount of cars traded.

Platform for professional car dealers

Professional dealers are also driving online car sales in the UK. That’s why Shpock recently launched an online platform for professional car dealerships called Shpock+ Motors. It offers a number of features to help dealers sell cars online:

  • A large audience (over 4 million active users in the UK)
  • A personalised branded digital forecourt
  • Live reporting dashboard
  • Ability to grow dealership brand locally and nationwide
  • Quick stock publishing by integrating with key feed providers or manual uploading in half the time of other platforms

 

[1] https://www.smmt.co.uk/2018/02/uk-used-car-market-stays-strong-2017-8-1-million-vehicles-change-hands/

[2] All figures, unless otherwise stated, are from YouGov Plc.  Total sample size was 2181 adults. The survey was carried out online. The figures have been weighted and are representative of all GB adults (aged 18+)

Contact us
Conor Gannon PR Manager UK
Conor Gannon PR Manager UK
About Shpock

Shpock is the mobile marketplace that brings millions together to discover the Joy of Selling. Whether you’re looking to declutter your home, boost your wallet, or reduce your impact on the environment, Shpock is here for you. With Shpock, you can turn electronics, fashion, and (almost) anything else into cash. 

Shpock is one of the UK’s most popular shopping apps, with regular #1 rankings in the Google Play and Apple App stores in the UK, Germany and Austria. It’s easy and safe to use, plus it’s always free to sell on Shpock. Zero fees. Zero hassle. Zero reason not to. You can find out more at shpock.com