Immediate Release - Highlights:

• Market volume has risen 25% and market value by 68% in last decade to reach 7.73m and £43.5bn in 1996, down 270,000 units/£2.4bn from the peak of 2004.
• Today's average used car price is estimated at £5,625, again down from 2004.
• Market growth is forecast to resume from 2008, to reach 8.33m units and a value of £55.4bn in 2011
• Average used car prices will rise by 18% to £6,650 by 2011
• Independent dealers' market share has risen since from 27% to 34% over the past decade; although on average franchise dealers sell 50% more used cars than 10 years ago, their share has stuck at 28%.
• The number of used car outlets is forecast to fall over the next five years - independent dealer numbers falling by 8% and franchise dealers by 7%.
• On average, independent dealers make bigger profits per used car sale than franchised dealers, despite selling lower-priced cars with lower operational efficiency - because they can control their purchasing and stock profiles.

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