The number of private...

The number of private used purchases hit a 15-year low last year, with only 2.89 million second-hand motors changing hands. That’s a drop of 60,000 vehicles on the previous 12 months, or 38.8 per cent of all used sales.

However, dealers took a larger slice of the market, accounting for 54.8 per cent of overall sales. This means increasing numbers of drivers are opting for the security of buying from a showroom, choosing the greater peace of mind provided by warranty and aftersales back-up.