Used-Vehicle Show a Hit Among Spanish Consumers

MADRID ─ The 21^st annual Used Vehicle Show here closes its doors after recording a best-ever 3,820 vehicle sales representing 73% of the total offered.

The 45,516 visitors to the 10-day show was about 1,500 fewer than in 2016, as a result of the elimination of open doors day of precedent editions and scaled-back hours on weekdays, says the show’s director, Miguel Aguilar.

The 5,259 vehicles exhibited this year passed independent certification by Applus+ Services, which conducted 100 inspection points grouped in 10 key areas including safety, reliability, aesthetics and mileage.

The Used Vehicle Show has become one of Spain’s premier automotive events, as used cars are the first option for 80% of buyers, up from 70% two years ago, according to a survey by GANVAM, the main Spanish association of auto dealers, vendors and repairers and co-organizer of the show. The show’s share of repeat buyers is 55%.

The poll of 700 consumers report shows more than 50% of used-car sales are carried out between private individuals, with 75% of contacts in 2016 coming through the Internet compared with just 28% two years earlier.

The survey also notes that while governments are trying to reduce air pollution by penalizing the use of private cars and promoting shared driving, Spaniards generally appear unwilling to give up the freedom provided by their vehicle: 69% of those polled say they would rather buy a used vehicle than pay for a car-sharing.

Emissions appear to have little influence on used-car purchase decisions, with the poll showing one-third of buyers chose cars with more than 60,000 miles (100,000 km) on their odometers.