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Lockdown… has it changed our car-buying patterns? PRITESH RUTHUN
NEW vehicle sales have continued to establish firmer ground, recording the third consecutive month of growth since lockdown. The slow resurgence of sales comes off the back of reduced lockdown level regulations as the country entered level 1 during September. Year-on-year results for the past three months have shifted from 29.6% in July, down to 26.3% in August, then to 23.9% in September. According to the National Association of Automobile Manufacturers of South Africa (Naamsa), 37 403 new vehicles were sold during September, up 3 888 units from August. Lockdown, however, has affected every single South African – on so many levels. One of the most interesting impacts has been the change in car-buying patterns. According to George Mienie, AutoTrader chief executive, it is interesting to see how preferences have changed during lockdown. “The 2020 AutoTrader Car Industry Report reveals which cars were the most searched for pre- and during-lockdown. When one compares this to search data during lockdown level 2 (August 18 to September 20), there are some distinct differences.” One of the most interesting trends was the substantial growth in searches for the Volkswagen Golf – whereas it was the fourth most searched for vehicle before lockdown, it shot up into first position during level 5 and level 4. “This could have something to do with the affordability
of the Golf. According to the AutoTrader report, the average selling price of the Golf over the past year was R288 049 while the average selling price of the Hilux was R327 807. The dominance of the Golf during lockdown could indicate that motorists were under financial pressure and wanted to minimise their spending on a car,” Mienie maintains. However, there was an exception to this rule in the form of the Porsche 911 which was the 10th most searched for car during lockdown. “The 911 is periodically in the top 10 list of most searched for cars – yet it did appear during lockdown. Maybe motorists were dreaming of better times to come, or maybe they were just wanting to have some fun during what was a very difficult time for us all,” Mienie suggests. The data also reveals lower search statistics for the Ford Ranger compared to its competitors. “According to the 2020 AutoTrader Car Industry Report, the Ford Ranger was the top-selling used car, contributing 4.7% of all cars sold, at an average selling price of R305 944, an average mileage of 85 948km and an average year model of 2016. Yet it was the fifth most searched for vehicle during all three periods,” Mienie says. While the exact reasoning behind the search data is hypothetical, Mienie says that one thing is certain: “Lockdown has had an enormous impact on the lives of motorists (and indeed all South Africans). It has greatly impacted the used car market too. Hopefully, those challenging times are now behind us.”
TOP 10 MOST SEARCHED MODELS: DURING LOCKDOWN
TOP 10 MOST SEARCHED MODELS: DURING LOCKDOWN LEVEL 2 AUGUST 18 - SEPTEMBER 10
TOP 10 MOST SEARCHED MODELS: PRE-LOCKDOWN
