New cars registrations slumped 10.6 per cent in September compared to same period last year and by 4.2 per cent over the first nine months of 2003, according to the Central Statistics Office (CSO).
However, first licensing of second-hand cars was up 17.3 per cent year-on-year, suggesting the used motors market may be recovering after a number of years in the shadow of the new cars sector.
The combined number of vehicles registered in the first nine months of 2003 dropped 0.5 per cent on the same period last year to 191,314.
The registration of goods vehicles showed a 2.2 per cent rise in September compared with the same period the previous year and increased by 2,659 or 11.4 per cent in the first nine months of 2003.
Toyota has overtaken Ford as the most popular marque in the month with 852 registered. Ford had 656 new private cars licenced, Volkswagen (641), Nissan (573), Opel (476) and Peugeot (404).
The figures refer to vehicles taxed for road use and do not reflect car sales.