Mayo car sales rise again up 30 in 2015

CAR sales in Mayo have continued to increase in 2015 according to the latest Motor Industry Review by the Society of the Irish Motor Industry (SIMI) and Done Deal.

The first quarter report for 2015 shows that new car sales in Mayo are up by 30.9%, compared to the same period in 2014.  This saw 1,331 cars sold in the first three months this year as opposed to 1,017 last year.

The report revealed that the strong trend of recovery seen in the Motor Industry in 2014 (96,344 registrations) has continued, with new car registrations in the first three months of the year showing a 29.68% increase to reach 64,714.

Registrations of light commercial vehicles increased by 58.6% in Q1 2015, while registrations of heavy commercial vehicles declined by 20.7% in Q1 2015.

Economist Jim Power, author of the review, commented: “The growth in sales is reflecting the ongoing improvement in consumer confidence, the labour market and the general economic climate.

'Credit conditions for motor finance are also good with the new finance products making a significant contribution. Commercial vehicle registrations are a key indicator of business confidence and investment activity.'

The review highlights that cost of motoring in the year to the end of March 2015 has seen a decline in Petrol prices by 10.9%; Diesel prices by 11.8% and the average price of a new car has also declined by 2.5%. Motor insurance costs however increased by 14%. Average carbon emissions of vehicle registered in the first quarter of 2015 were 1.9% lower than the same quarter in 2014 and 28.6% lower than 2008 levels reflecting more environmentally friendly cars.