Independent used car dealers are feeling the pressure from tougher business conditions, according to the April 2013 Dealer Survey by CAP Automotive.
The monthly survey of more than 100 dealers also found the majority respondents reporting their stock levels were too low but were no longer having difficulty sourcing quality stock.
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Perceptions of both business climate and confidence dipped compared to April 2012: Those finding the business climate ‘stable’, ‘good’ or ‘very good’ dropped from 87% this time last year to 74% at present. Those expecting business to remain stable, improve ‘a little’ or ‘significantly’ in the second quarter fell from 95% a year ago to 87.5%.
Just 22% of dealers were pleased with the amount of vehicles available to them, compared to 70% who felt their current stock levels were too low, up from 61% in April 2012. At that time, however, 66% reported difficulty in finding a high enough quality or range of vehicles, a figure which has now dropped to 32%.
richard.brown@timetric.com
