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Everyone’s driving home a used car… it seems
Maltese motorists are more likely to buy a second-hand car import, if statistics about registered vehicles in Malta are anything to go by.
12 June 2013, 12:00am
Staff Reporter
Staff Reporter
1 min read
Within less than a decade, the proliferation of used imports from Japan and the United Kingdom has seen the used car business take the lion's share of the motor retail market, according to data released in the House of Representatives this month.
In 2008, new car imports registered in Malta totalled over 7,300, compared to 5,900 used imports. By 2011, the balance tilted in favour of the used car business, which registered 12,600 vehicles, compared to 7,700 new imports.
The used car business took the market in 2009. That year, the total amount of imported vehicles grew by 50%, but used car imports alone grew by 115% over the preceding year. As a percentage of the total market, they represented 63.9% of registered vehicles.
After a fall in imports in 2010, the market picked up again in 2011, with a 27% increase in imports, but used cars kept dominating the market with a 61% share.
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I have two used cars and have nothing to grumble about.
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@ Jar Jar
While I can understand that the general public may perceive the new car importers to be "milking the public" by charging "exorbitant" prices for new cars, this could not be further from the truth. The resultant difference in new car prices between the UK or Italy and those of Malta result from the high registration tax that is charged in Malta. If that tax is removed prices will be in line with those EU countries where such tax is not charged or a nominal registration fee is paid.
With regards to second hand cars imported from the UK please remember that in that country salt is applied to the roads in wintertime and that causes corrosion of the vehicle.
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@ Jar Jar
While I can understand that the general public may perceive the new car importers to be "milking the public" by charging "exorbitant" prices for new cars, this could not be further from the truth. The resultant difference in new car prices between the UK or Italy and those of Malta result from the high registration tax that is charged in Malta. If that tax is removed prices will be in line with those EU countries where such tax is not charged or a nominal registration fee is paid.
With regards to second hand cars imported from the UK please remember that in that country salt is applied to the roads in wintertime and that causes corrosion of the vehicle.
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@ Jar Jar
While I can understand that the general public may perceive the new car importers to be "milking the public" by charging "exorbitant" prices for new cars, this could not be further from the truth. The resultant difference in new car prices between the UK or Italy and those of Malta result from the high registration tax that is charged in Malta. If that tax is removed prices will be in line with those EU countries where such tax is not charged or a nominal registration fee is paid.
With regards to second hand cars imported from the UK please remember that in that country salt is applied to the roads in wintertime and that causes corrosion of the vehicle.
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..and had Malta been a drive-on-the-right country, 100 per cent of new cars would be imported from Italy...so lucky for local car importers that we drive on the left!
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This is a result of the exorbitant prices charged for new cars. New car importers have been milking the market for too long with their 'take it or leave it' attitude. And let's face it, a five year old car driven on highways is a far cry from five years driven in Malta - gearboxes and suspension take their toll.
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A clear sign of a dismal public service perhaps?
