Scots buy used cars quicker than the rest of the UK

Used cars sell six days faster in Scotland than the nationwide average, according to data from online automotive marketplace, CarGurus.

According to CarGurus data, cars spend just 25 days on dealer forecourts in Scotland compared with to the average of 31 days across the UK.

Car buyers will need to move quickly as the CarGurus research also demonstrates that Scottish dealers managed to shift stock a full 10 days faster compared with to those in Wales.

CarGurus, which shows consumers how many days a car has been on the forecourt, analysed used cars listed on the market throughout 2018 to compile the league table of fastest selling regions.

The fastest selling UK regions, and the average number of days listed on CarGurus.co.uk, is:

1, Scotland, 25 days; 2, West Midlands, 29 days; 3, East Midlands, 30 days; 4, North East England, 30 days; 5, Northern Ireland, 31 days; 6, North West England, 31 days; 7, Greater London, 31 days; 8, Yorkshire and the Humber, 32 days; 9. South East England, 33 days; 10, South West England, 33 days; 11, East of England, 34 days; 12, Wales, 35 days.

North of the border, the Vauxhall Insignia and Mercedes A-Class were identified as the fastest-selling models. The hatchbacks spent an average of just 17 days on Scottish forecourts before being sold.

Dealers in the Midlands also proved their selling prowess with the region taking second and third place. In the West Midlands, the Volkswagen Polo and the Ford Ka were most popular, with these cars finding a home on average after just 22 days. Whereas, the Ford Mondeo and BMW 4 Series were the choice of buyers in the East Midlands – selling in 23 days.

The fastest selling model(s) and average number of days listed on CarGurus.co.uk is:

1, Scotland, Vauxhall Insignia and Mercedes-Benz A-Class, 17 days; 2, North West England, Vauxhall Zafira, 19 days; 3, South West England, Vauxhall Zafira, 20 days; 4, South East England, Vauxhall Zafira, 22 days; 5, West Midlands, Volkswagen Polo and Ford Ka, 22 days; 6, East Midlands, Ford Mondeo and BMW 4 Series, 23 days; 7, East of England, Vauxhall Zafira, 23 days; 8, Greater London, BMW 1 Series, 23 days; 9, North East England, Vauxhall Insignia, 23 days; 10, Yorkshire and the Humber, Seat Ibiza and Mercedes-Benz A-Class, 25 days; 11, Northern Ireland, Nissan Qashqai, 26 days; 12, Wales, BMW 1 Series, 29 days.

Chris Knapman, editor at CarGurus, said: ‘When shopping for a car in Scotland, buyers should be aware that cars are selling more quickly than average for the UK, particularly the most popular used models. Doing research ahead of a visit to the forecourt should allow the consumer to make an informed decision more readily.

‘When acting quickly, trust and transparency are key. This is where our pioneering technology and tools come in, allowing car buyers to easily see which vehicles represent the best deals from top-rated dealers in their search area.’

Created by TripAdvisor co-founder Langley Steinert, CarGurus combines dealer reviews with comprehensive car valuation analytics to bring trust and transparency to the automotive marketplace, allowing buyers to quickly and easily find great deals from top-rated dealers.

Visit CarGurus at www.cargurus.co.uk.