25/09/2012 07:59
Summer is over but show rooms are still “on leave” since uncertainty leads sector from bad to worse.
Saloon car importers see their turnover returning ten years back and expect that the state will launch a new withdrawal plan.
Oddly, the state had offered such plans at a time of euphoria, when sales were at record high.
Now that the market needs new plans, the state, the buyers and the banks have run out of cash.
According to Cystat data, private saloon car registrations in the first eight months of the year fell to 14,252, the lowest since the first data available.
In 2002, when economy was in a slowdown phase, registrations were for 16,633 saloon cars in the first eight months of the year.
Compared to the corresponding period of 2011, registrations dropped 20.6%.
This decline coincided with the first signs of the crisis in the economy in 2009.
“The economic condition has largely affected the car sector, as constructions”, Sales Manager in Mercedes, Lakis Kostekoglou said.
“Although the first years of the crisis we all tried to avoid layoffs, some companies have already reduced their staff’, Sales Manager in Ford, Charalambos Papacharalambous said.
Staff reductions reflect the size of the problem and the importers’ effort to deal with lower revenues.
“The drop is large and all importers face problems”, Mr. Kostekoglou added.
“The banks’ stance also causes damage to the sector since after the serious problems in the financial field, they do not approve loans”, Mr. Papacharalambous said.
Sales in the first eight months of 2012 have dropped for both the new and used cars.
According to the figures, new car registrations have declined to the 2003 levels to 7.7.368 from 9.027 last year.
Similarly, used car registrations fell to 6.584 this year.
Withdrawal plan still pending
Car importers hope that the government will offer help to save the sector and consumers will return to the showrooms, however, nothing new has been announced on the old car withdrawal plan.
Mr. Papacharalambous said that the Motor Vehicle Importers’ Association is pushing hard to restore the withdrawal plan.
“We hope that the government will take measures”, Mr. Kostekoglou said.
In this negative climate, car importers will seek opportunity for new sales at the upcoming motor show to take place on October.
Saloon car importers see their turnover returning ten years back and expect that the state will launch a new withdrawal plan.
Oddly, the state had offered such plans at a time of euphoria, when sales were at record high.
Now that the market needs new plans, the state, the buyers and the banks have run out of cash.
According to Cystat data, private saloon car registrations in the first eight months of the year fell to 14,252, the lowest since the first data available.
In 2002, when economy was in a slowdown phase, registrations were for 16,633 saloon cars in the first eight months of the year.
Compared to the corresponding period of 2011, registrations dropped 20.6%.
This decline coincided with the first signs of the crisis in the economy in 2009.
“The economic condition has largely affected the car sector, as constructions”, Sales Manager in Mercedes, Lakis Kostekoglou said.
“Although the first years of the crisis we all tried to avoid layoffs, some companies have already reduced their staff’, Sales Manager in Ford, Charalambos Papacharalambous said.
Staff reductions reflect the size of the problem and the importers’ effort to deal with lower revenues.
“The drop is large and all importers face problems”, Mr. Kostekoglou added.
“The banks’ stance also causes damage to the sector since after the serious problems in the financial field, they do not approve loans”, Mr. Papacharalambous said.
Sales in the first eight months of 2012 have dropped for both the new and used cars.
According to the figures, new car registrations have declined to the 2003 levels to 7.7.368 from 9.027 last year.
Similarly, used car registrations fell to 6.584 this year.
Withdrawal plan still pending
Car importers hope that the government will offer help to save the sector and consumers will return to the showrooms, however, nothing new has been announced on the old car withdrawal plan.
Mr. Papacharalambous said that the Motor Vehicle Importers’ Association is pushing hard to restore the withdrawal plan.
“We hope that the government will take measures”, Mr. Kostekoglou said.
In this negative climate, car importers will seek opportunity for new sales at the upcoming motor show to take place on October.
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