The annual Used Car Market Report, published by leading vehicle auction company, British Car Auctions (BCA), highlights that motorists still have a long way to go to fully embrace environmental considerations into their motoring habits.
A survey of nearly 3,000 UK motorists showed that they have the best of intentions to reduce their carbon footprint,but turning those intentions into reality is another matter.
When asked what steps they might take to reduce their carbon footprint, respondents appeared to be open-minded, with 32% saying they would walk more and 25% saying they would cut their journeys. 19% said they would consider a car
with lower emissions and 16% that they would buy a smaller car. But these intentions don’t appear to translate into a change in car buying habits.
Price seemed to be motorists' best interests however, with them wanting to get a good deal when buying used cars. Environmental considerations came 10th on a list of car choice factors, behind price, make and model, low mileage and even colour. Just 4% said the environmental considerations were important – double last year’s figure – but still very marginal. Interestingly, 17% of diesel car drivers said the environment was an important factor in choosing their car.
Tim Naylor, public relations manager,(BCA) confirmed, after a recent report that "little is going to change UK motorists habbits" if the public are left to their own devices. “However, we may be beginning to see some ‘green shoots’ of environmental awareness. While our consumer survey reveals that just 4% of private motorists considered green issues when buying their last used car, this was double last year’s figure.”
“It could also be said that the diesel lobby has done its work well, as 17% of diesel car owners said they bought their vehicle for environmental reasons. And our report shows that there has been an increase in the purchase of used diesel vehicles by private motorists, largely due to their greater availability in the used market.
“Our Report suggests that it is unlikely that UK motorists are ready to wholeheartedly embrace green issues of their own accord. It might mean that the only way to make UK motorists ‘greener’ is by making it expensive for them not to change their habits.
“Used cars contribute massively to the UK economy, with motorists spending more than £30 billion annually on purchase alone, without considering running and servicing costs”, concluded Tim Naylor. “But more than that, used cars are an important part of everyday life in most UK households, from the school run and getting to work, to leisure and recreational activities.
“Our report has been charting the highs and lows of the used car market for many years, and this latest Used Car Market Report provides a thought-provoking perspective on UK motorists. Whilst there have been some big increases in the rating of environmental considerations and the choice of diesel vehicles year on year, these are still very small numbers compared to other considerations – such as price and make/model.”