Consumers, who wanted to meet their automobile needs before the new year’s hikes, flocked to the dealers.
When vehicles were exhausted in many dealerships, the vehicles on the ships en route to Turkey began to be sold. A queue is also written for domestic models with high demand.
According to the news of Aysel Yücel from the Economy newspaper, the automotive sales, which were mobilized with the disappearance of the uncertainty about the SCT update, accelerated beyond the expectations as the last days of the year entered. Many dealerships are out of stock.
Brands have started to sell vehicles that are on the way to meet the demand and that have not yet passed through customs. The main factor in the increase in demand was the consumer’s emphasis on the rise in the exchange rate and the increase in prices in 2023.
Month-end forecasts revised
The automobile and light commercial vehicle market realizes the highest sales figures in the regular period, mostly in the last month of the year.
Because in this period, while fleet sales accelerate, consumers tend to meet their automobile needs before the new model year increases. The average of automobile and light commercial vehicle sales in December of the last 10 years was 116 thousand. In the years when the market was good, there were also more than 150 thousand sales in December.
Last year, due to the rapid increase in the exchange rate, automobile and light commercial vehicle sales in December decreased by 40.3 percent compared to the same period of 2020 and became 62 thousand 243. In the first week of December, a sales forecast of close to 100,000 was made for this month. Because, in addition to inflationary pressure, difficulties in accessing credit continue to suppress demand.
However, last week, demand accelerated even more than expected. Uncertainty prevails in the market for 2023, when elections will also take place. There is growing concern that the exchange rate will rise and prices will rise. Fiat Brand Director Altan Aytaç pointed out that at the commercial vehicle launch of the brand on Monday last week, sales accelerated with the disappearance of the SCT uncertainty, and pointed out that the market could reach up to 120,000 units in the last month of the year. In the last days of last week, the expectation increased even more. According to some industry representatives, the market may exceed 120,000 units depending on vehicle availability.
“We sold all the vehicles in the dealership”
Günerler Automotive representative Oğuz Güner, who is the dealer of Renault and Dacia brands, said, “The demand is very high. We sold all our vehicles in the dealership. In fact, we have started to sell the vehicles on the ship, which is on its way to Turkey and will arrive at the end of the month, as is the case with many dealers.”
The order is written for the domestic models with the highest demand. Alp Gülan, Chairman of the Board of Gülan Automotive, who is the dealer of Nissan, Renault, Dacia, Fiat, Peugeot, Opel and Citroen, stated that the demand is very high, and that the sales may exceed 120 thousand units in December.
Alp Gülan also stated that the vehicles on the ship started to be sold and said, “The postponed demand came into play again as the expectation of the tax base disappeared. Consumers, who are worried about the increase in prices, are taking the lead. It is predicted that the advantage that comes with the base update, especially in B segment vehicles, may disappear in parallel with the increase in the exchange rate. Therefore, there is a great interest in vehicles in that segment.”
“There is a potential of 1 million units”
Recalling that in 2016 and 2017, when sales records were broken, nearly 1 million units were sold, industry representatives point out that the market has a similar potential this year, if the supply crisis and difficulties in access to finance were not there. Because it is stated that there are hundreds of thousands of automobile demands in the market that have been postponed in recent years. In the first 11 months of 2022, 668 thousand cars and light commercial vehicles were sold in Turkey.
He turns to the second-hand vehicle that can’t find a new one.
In addition to new vehicles, the demand in the used car market accelerated last week. Melih Mutlu, General Manager of the second-hand brand Otoshops, said, “There were those who postponed their purchases with the SCT base update. While they are stimulating the market on the one hand, on the other hand, there are those who take their purchases forward with the fear of a price increase. Consumers who cannot find a new vehicle are also turning to second hand.
Prices continue to rise as the demand for used vehicles increases. VavaCars Retail Group President Serdıl Gözelekli pointed out the increase in demand and said, “Our sales are very good. Demand is booming. The market turned into a very positive, especially with the removal of uncertainty from the name of the SCT base update.”
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