Sales up – they couldn't go lower!
John O'Rourke of FM Auto Centre.
Related Articles
JOHN O'Rouke, the managing director of FM Auto Centre, the main distributor of Chevrolet, Opel, and SsangYong in Carlow, says the market is on the up after reaching an all-time low last year.
Figures for February are up about 30 per cent on last year, but this wouldn't be hard, according to Mr O'Rourke, who says the market hit a record slump in early 2009.
'It was at such a low that it wouldn't be hard to move up, but it is encouraging to see an improvement,' he said. 'It is better now than what it was this time last year. Confidence is building in general, maybe they are just realising that they have to get on with things.'
Based on the Wexford Road, the centre is a busy dealership in Carlow which, like most places, sees business peak in the new year.
The first quarter of the new year is always the busiest time for motor sales, particularly for new vehicles, and despite a slow start this year because of the frost and snow, things picked up. The motor trade season is heaviest in the new year,' he said. 'It is our busiest time for new registrations.
'January this year was slow because of the weather conditions, and people who had ordered vehicles were a bit reluctant to pick them up because of the snow and ice – but it did pick up.'
The majority of cars here qualify for the scrappage scheme by virtue of their low emission and this also has benefits when it comes to taxing your car.
'Scrappage helps,' he said. 'Low emissions means low tax also and this is something that people are increasingly aware of. The Opel falls in categories A and B and this means a lower tax bracket.'
'Thankfully we are seeing an increase on last year. I know this wouldn't be too hard considering how low things got last year but it is great to see a bit of a stir in the market again.'
