Majority of cars still bought from car showrooms – survey

The reopening of car showrooms is good news for the industry, as new research finds that the majority of car owners (76 per cent) still buy their cars from a showroom, with nearly a quarter (24 per cent) of these second-hand cars.

The survey of 2,000 UK drivers, which was commissioned by InsuretheGap.com, a leading supplier of GAP Insurance (Guaranteed Asset Protection) for new and second-hand cars, found that car showrooms are particularly popular with the over 55s with four fifths (81 per cent) buying from a showroom, compared to two thirds (66 per cent) of 18-34s.

Nearly a half of drivers (49 per cent) prefer to see a car in the showroom and inspect it for themselves. However, it is important the showrooms offer a good deal, as over a quarter (27 per cent) say they don’t believe that the deal a car salesperson gives is the best deal they can get, and nearly a third (31 per cent) go to car showrooms but then compare the prices online.

A fifth (20 per cent) of drivers say that they find negotiating stressful and would rather cars be advertised at the final selling price, and 18 per cent of women say they find car showrooms intimidating, compared with 10 per cent of men.

The remaining buyers purchase cars from private sellers (7 per cent), car supermarkets (4 per cent), online retailers (3 per cent) and family members (3 per cent). One in ten (11 per cent) said that they would be happy to travel across the country to collect a car purchased online, with 14 per cent of men saying this compared with 7 per cent of women.

Almost one in five (19 per cent) drivers would be happy to buy a car without a test drive (men 23 per cent and women 16 per cent), compared with a third (31 per cent) of 18-34 year olds. A third of drivers (33 per cent) in the North East are also happy to buy without a test drive compared with 12 per cent in the South West and 14 per cent in Wales.

Eight per cent said they would be happy to buy a car online, from a reputable seller, even if they had never seen it, with 11 per cent of men saying this compared with 6 per cent of women. Although buying a car is a big decision, 14 per cent said that they would buy a car on their own, without consulting their partner.

Ben Wooltorton, chief operating office of InsuretheGap.com said: “It’s great that car showrooms are now open to car buyers, however they need to make sure they are offering really good deals. It seems that drivers are doing their research, and if they aren’t happy with the deal being offered, many, and especially younger drivers, are willing to buy online, even without a test drive or seeing the vehicle!”

He continues: “It’s the same with GAP insurance, the insurance which makes up the difference, between the market value, and what was originally paid for a car, if it’s written off or stolen. Many dealerships offer this as an add-on in the showroom when selling a car, but considerable savings can often be made if you do some shopping around online, and get some quotes from a standalone providers like InsuretheGap.com.”