One in 10 drivers intends changing their car before July, says AA survey

Almost one in 10 motorists intends changing their car before July 2017, with more than 20 per cent planning a change before the end of the year, according to research carried out by AA Ireland.

More than 9 per cent of the over 7,000 respondents to an AA Motor Insurance survey stated they intend to change their car in the first half of the year. A further 13 per cent of those surveyed said they were likely to change their car before 2018 while the survey found that the majority of motorists are planning a longer wait before heading to the forecourt.

Almost a third of those surveyed (32.21 per cent) stated that would wait 1-2 years before changing their car, with more than a quarter (25.44 per cent) planning to retain their current car for 3-5 years.

"New car sales are very slightly down at the start of the year but that is not the full story," says director of consumer affairs Conor Faughnan. "The second-hand market is strong and there is a lot of interest in bringing cars in from the UK. The relative weakness of sterling is certainly being felt."

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While the majority of motorists intend purchasing directly from a dealer when the time to change car comes, just 28 per cent of those surveyed stated that they intend buying a brand new car.

Over half of those surveyed stated they are would most likely buy a second-hand car from a dealer when they opt to replace their current vehicle, with some 7.5 per cent hoping to avoid a dealer and buy a secondhand car elsewhere. Meanwhile, it appears that the increase in vehicles being imported from the UK seen in 2016 is set to continue, with 8 per cent of respondents planning to purchase a UK car when they opt to make a change.