Motorists alerted to flood warnings

12/08/11

Richard Cranidge

The internet is the best way to sell a used car - and sellers who fail to take advantage of the technology will lose out, according to new research.

The vast majority of vehicle buyers visit online classified ad sites, such as Auto Trader or Fish4Cars, the study by car data expert HPI found.

It recommended that car dealers boost their online presence to attract buyers, as most people believe they can achieve better deals on the internet than in a showroom.

The survey found that just one in 10 people - who knew what they wanted to buy and were ready to search for the best package for their money - thought franchised and independent dealers or car supermarkets offered the best deals.

Nearly half believed that buying online offered the most affordable prices, 30 per cent favoured attending auctions while 14 per cent preferred flicking through classified ads in the printed media.

HPI managing director Daniel Burgess said: "With consumers generally now browsing and buying online, not just by PC but by smartphones and tablets, those dealers that treat their website as secondary now need to be taking steps to shift its priority."