Dealer loyalty is still a strong factor for customers when buying new and used cars. A third of consumers, 38%, rely on car dealers’ advice and 26% go back to the same dealer they have used before.
Brand loyalty is still a strong factor in car purchasing, according to research from Close Brothers Motor Finance .
A third (34%) of drivers tend to stick with the same manufacturer when choosing their new vehicles, while just over a fifth of respondents (23%) said that they usually get the newest version of the same vehicle that they already have. 42% on the other hand, only buy second hand vehicles.
But price is still the deciding factor. 30% of drivers look only for the cheapest price when making a purchase.
Whatever their motivations, car owners do their research when weighing up their choices.
Over half (55%) of respondents look at car reviews, the same proportion take advice from family friends, and 38% rely on the expertise of car dealers to find the right vehicle for their needs. Loyalty comes into play here too; 26% usually go to the same dealer for each vehicle purchase.
Lisa Watson, director of sales at Close Brothers Motor Finance, said: “Motor dealers need to know the purchasing preferences of their customers to help inform their stock-making decisions.
“And our figures paint an interesting picture. They show that drivers are fairly evenly split between those who tend to stay with a single manufacturer – whether that be through loyalty or ease – and those who do not.
“At the same time, price plays a major role in decision-making, but the key take-away is that expert advice is sought by a majority of consumers. The fact that over a quarter return to the same dealer over and over is a real opportunity for dealers.