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25 Sep 2008Motoring: 1000-vehicle sale a massive success
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This weekend’s 1000-vehicle sale – organised by Burchmore’s, the auctioneering arm of the McCarthy group, and held at the Johannesburg Expo Centre, Nasrec, in Gauteng– was a massive success, with an incredible 810 vehicles sold. A total of 2 600 people attended the sale.
Brand Pretorius, chief executive officer of McCarthy Limited, comments that the success of the sale was due to the value proposition on offer. “It is common knowledge that the used car market has become extremely price sensitive. Burchmore’s is mindful of this trend and therefore it offered an extremely wide selection of vehicles at wholesale prices, offering compelling value as well as convenience. It is clear that the buying public out there is very receptive to efforts by motor retailers to make vehicles more affordable,” he notes.
Thousands of prospective buyers visited the sale and inspected the vehicles that were displayed in Hall 6. Because of the wholesale prices of offer, many of the vehicles were snapped up by dealers. However members of the public also got in on the action, scooping some sensational deals in the process.
Darryl Jacobson, managing director of Burchmore’s, reports there was a huge amount of interest. “This proves what I have always maintained; that there is no dip in demand for used vehicles. Yes, rising household bills are beginning to affect consumer confidence. But South African motorists are still buying as many used vehicles as in the past; it’s just that value for money is now even more important than ever before,” he points out.
Throughout the sale, it was clear that the critical issue influencing the choice of vehicle was price. “This was placed ahead of make/model, odometer reading and vehicle age,” notes Jacobson.
Fuel consumption is also playing a greater role in vehicle purchases: “Our customers are better informed than ever before and they are mindful of the price of fuel. Feedback received from our sales team revealed that buyers were particularly interested in economical vehicles, placing these at the top of their shopping lists. It was very evident that many motorists are seeking to downsize while no one can resist a bargain!” reveals Jacobson.
Pretorius comments that the success of the sale is proof that the used car market is currently more resilient than the new car market. “We all know that the used car market is experiencing significant pressures, but volumes have not shrunk drastically. This is typical of past experiences: during a serious economic downturn, new car sales tend to be harder hit,” he comments.
Jacobson agrees: “Many traditional new car buyers are either trading down to a smaller new car or buying a quality used car (instead of a new one). There is buoyancy in the used car market even when times are tough,” he confirms.
While the popularity of well-priced used cars no doubt influenced the success of the sale, Pretorius adds that much of the success was due to “the incredible teamwork between all the various McCarthy divisions and the outstanding quality of organisation”. “The sale was conducted in a professional manner and all the processes were customer friendly and efficient,” he notes.
Furthermore, he paid tribute to the Burchmore’s team. “Darryl Jacobson spearheaded the sale and he and his team did an outstanding job. I would like to thank them and also thank all our customers for their support,” he concludes.
Customers who were not able to attend the sale can still purchase vehicles at wholesale prices at Burchmore’s in Sandton, Cape Town and Durban.
Business News Sector Tags: Motoring|
