Not surprisingly official V-Facts car sales figures for November showed a 7.4 per cent decline on November last year. Always a strong barometer of the overall economy most importers are reporting very slow sales this month and many will carry considerable stock into 2019. Recent publicity has centered on the subject of so-called cyber cars.
According to the Victorian Automobile Chamber of Commerce, 20 percent of reported sales don’t in fact exist. They suggest many dealers are pressured by importers to meet higher sales targets by pre-registering cars each month – pre-registering of cars called pre-retail delivery advice vehicles or cyber cars, has been an industry practice for some time and the VACC wants an end to the practise to provide a more accurate picture of the national vehicle industry. Whilst they reflect in the official monthly V-Facts car industry registration figures they are effectively still in dealer stock awaiting a genuine buyer and will more than likely be sold as a demonstrator. Importantly, the warranty starts from the moment they appear in the official car sales figures so buyers beware – your new car could have been in dealer stock for some time. Check the build date and the warranty left and make sure you get a decent discount. If you’re in the market for a prestige or luxury car or SUV dealers will welcome you with open arms and buying at the very end of this month will probably yield a very handsome discount. I’m David Berthon

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