BMW 'the most sought-after used car'

Motorists looking for a second-hand car are coveting BMWs above any other brand, according to a new report.

Research published by second-hand car portal Autoquake.com has revealed that vehicles manufactured by the German carmaker are gaining the most interest among its users.

The BMW 318i topped the site's "second chance" rankings, which measures how many customers are registering interest in a reserved vehicle in case it becomes available again.

Meanwhile, the manufacturer's 118d M Sport model logged the largest number of people wishing to receive email alerts when it came back into stock.

Other brands which proved popular choices include Vauxhall and Mazda.

Fredrik Skantze, chief marketing officer and co-founder of Autoquake.com, said: "There's a shortage of quality used cars at the moment, so it's no wonder buyers are queuing up to buy the most popular models."

Earlier this month, online retailer Carsite.co.uk advised those shopping for used vehicles to buy now or risk paying more later due to increasing prices.

Dealerships now places where auto engines die

The 10-year-old Dodge minivan's engine made a mechanically sick clunk, stopped, popped and sighed as a cloud of white vapor belched out of the grille and hood seams, and green coolant ran out on the dealership's back lot.

The white Grand Caravan had been traded in at one of the dozen Jim Click Automotive Team dealerships around Tucson within the last month. It was probably one of the first Cash for Clunkers deals. By the time the engine was snuffed Thursday morning, its former owners were probably already used to their new gas-sipping vehicle.

"It's not in that bad shape, a '99 with 137,000 miles. Someone obviously took care of it," said Pete Cates, service director at Jim Click Ford, 6244 E. 22nd St..

No big dents. The interior still looked sharp. It had probably seen a lot of soccer games and family trips. It was certainly no "beater," not an abused vehicle.

Just 10 minutes earlier, shop foreman Ronnie Porcellini was inside the Ford dealership's hangar-sized car hospital — where everyone else was making repairs or doing preventive maintenance — draining the oil from the minivan's crankcase so he could kill the engine.

Porcellini put the drain plug back in the oil pan, lowered the lift, popped the hood, removed the oil filler cap on the clean V6 engine, jammed in a long black funnel and poured in a large plastic bottle full of Engine Seize, sodium silicate — essentially liquid glass.

Cates said the liquid would get thicker as the engine heated, eventually stopping the engine.

With Cates and curious mechanics from neighboring work stations watching, Porcellini withdrew the funnel, grabbed a shop rag from a mechanic who was acting as his assistant, screwed the filler cap back on, shut the hood, got in the driver's seat, started the engine and drove to a rear lot. He backed the van into a parking space and kept his foot on the gas, keeping the revs up.

In a couple of minutes, it started making strained noises, not normal — the kind of clanks and rattles that should make a responsible driver pull over asap.

Within another minute, there was steam coming out from under the hood. Then came that loud CLUNK! — a pop that was probably a radiator hose bursting, followed by a loud hiss as coolant came running out and more steam billowed from the front.

It was 9:02 a.m.. The time was noted and Cates and Porcellini lined up someone to clean up the antifreeze and to come back in exactly one hour to confirm the engine wouldn't start, that it was indeed dead.

Later, this and other program trades that had gotten their final approvals would be picked up by an approved local auction house. There they would be auctioned off, as untitled vehicles, all the parts except the engine available for resale or scrap.

Like other dealers, the Click executives didn't want to kill the engines in the clunkers until they were sure they were going to get reimbursed by the government for the $3,500 to $4,500 rebates they had credited toward the price of a qualifying new car.

Local dealers have done only a handful of engine kills so far.

Clunkers — some hideous heaps, others surprisingly nice vehicles — have been piling up on local dealers' lots as they wait for the paperwork to clear. The dealers don't want to find out they're not going to be reimbursed for the rebate on some technicality, having already destroyed the most valuable part of the car they took in trade.

Click Automotive team executive Sam Khayat said the group's dozen Tucson-area dealerships had accumulated roughly 400 trade-in clunkers parked on death row and awaiting the federal final word and the last rites — the engine-killing process.

That backlog represents $1.4 million to $1.8 million in rebates.

Khayat was upbeat about word Wednesday that the government had hired upward of 1,000 workers to help process the dealers' Cash for Clunkers rebate claims.

Car buyers have only until Monday to cash in

WASHINGTON — The Obama administration will end the popular $3 billion Cash for Clunkers program Monday evening, giving car shoppers a few more days to take advantage of big government incentives.

The Transportation Department said Thursday that the government will wind down the program at 5 p.m. Tucson time Monday. Car buyers can receive rebates of $3,500 or $4,500 for trading in older vehicles for new, more fuel-efficient models.

The White House has touted the program's success in providing a targeted boost to the sluggish economy since its inception in late July. Through Thursday, auto dealers have made deals worth $1.9 billion, and the incentives have generated more than 457,000 vehicle sales.

But the administration needed to put a halt to the program to avoid surpassing the $3 billion funding level. Consumers were on pace to exhaust program coffers in early September, and dealers have complained about delays in getting reimbursed for the car incentives.

The Transportation Department said it has reviewed nearly 40 percent of the transactions and already paid out $145 million to dealers. Obama officials said there are no plans to seek additional funding.

Applications for rebates will not be accepted after the Monday deadline, administration officials said. Dealers will be able to resubmit rejected applications after the deadline.

The Transportation Department cautioned dealers about making sales this weekend, advising them to make sales only when the buyer's paperwork is clearly in order and can be submitted immediately for repayment.

Used car auctions offer good deals in stressed times

Dubai: Spending some time on research about vehicle auctions in Dubai can save a bunch of money in this stressed economic times. With car auctions held almost every week by different auction companies, chances that a buyer will strike a bargain are better than ever.

"Prices are definitely lower than before the crisis", said Mohammad Majeed, a freelance car dealer from Khartoum, Sudan, at last week's Golden Bell auction at the Al Aweer car complex in Dubai, where he was studying the auctions tables over and over again.

"And not only this - also the quality of the cars on sale has become better. There are more and more younger and lower mileage vehicles available," he said.

Mohammad is kind of a veteran in the business, buying cars at auctions in Dubai for his friend's dealership back home in Sudan since a few years.

Besides the GCC countries, Sudan, Ethiopia and Kenya are the major export markets for pre-owned cars from Dubai. The vehicles find their way from Jebel Ali port to Djibouti, where they are distributed further, pepped up a little bit and then sold to new owners with a reliable profit.

Today, the abundance of vehicles on auction makes life easier for Mohammad and his many colleagues, and even individuals show a rising interest for a quick buy.

Martin Valinsky, a Russian expat working as an IT expert in Dubai, was looking around for a cheap car quite a while at Al Aweer until he was attracted by the shouting of the auctioneer from the auction yard in the centre of the complex.

He now definitely is looking to purchase his car by auction.

"What I see from the sales prices here, it is way cheaper than at the dealerships. But one has to be careful about the condition of the cars on auction since you have no possibility to test drive them," he said.

It is true that the cars at the auctions are sold on an "as is" basis, which means the prospective buyer is able to judge the car only by taking a look from the outside and rely on the technical report which is attached to the windshield.

Nevertheless, at last week's auction in Al Aweer some sellers who were present opened their car for a short drive to people who showed genuine interest. The technical report, a comprehensive test of the car, is conducted by Eppco-Tasjeel for Golden Bell auctions. Even if it does not state too much, major damages such as malfunctioning brakes or gearshifts or the odd "engine not starting" are turning most buyers away.

For individual buyers, it is essential to visit the auctions a few times before starting to bid to get a feeling what is going on and get used to the incredibly quick lingo of the auctioneer.

To take part at the Golden Bell auction, bidders have to present a refundable Dh3000 deposit and then get a small signboard displaying a number with which they can be identified after the auction is done.

The auction itself proceeds very quickly; the sale of a car does not take more than a minute. Cars are being driven one-by-one in front of the tribune where the auctioneer speaks in his head-worn microphone, asking for the first bids. There is no minimum bid, but sometimes the owners or their representatives start with a basic amount, and continue to bid further when they feel that the price should come up a little bit more.

But at last week's Al Aweer auction, some sales prices indeed remained impressively low. A 2007 Mazda 6 went for Dh23,000, a 2006 Toyota Camry for Dh19,000, a 2007 Ford Mustang for Dh26,000 and one-year-old Mitsubishi Pajero 4WD cost only 63,500.

Even if some repairs or cosmetic adjustments have to be factored in by a buyer, it's still a good deal as similar cars offered by private owners through trading websites like Dubizzle all show higher asking prices, not to mention the prices at used car dealer showrooms.

By comparison, auctioned cars are currently some five to 15 per cent cheaper than privately traded cars and up to 30 per cent cheaper than dealers' cars. This, however, prompts many dealers to buy used cars at auctions, which then are moved to the dealers' car parks with little changes than a higher price tag.

But it seems the abundance of cars on auction won't dry up in the foreseeable future. Companies like Golden Bell Auctions offer up to hundred cars weekly from different sources, mostly banks and leasing companies, dealerships wanting to get rid of old stock or trade-ins, car rental and transport firms, taxi companies, individuals as well as Dubai Government.

For example, if you want to buy a Dubai Police Chevrolet withdrawn from service, but with it original beige and green paint and battering rams still fixed on the bumpers, take a look at the Al Aweer's next auction.

Used car dealers struggle on but with optimism

MOST of East London’s used car dealerships are feeling the pinch of the recession, with some having to change their sales strategies to survive – but some report signs of a recovery.

McCarthy Motor Holdings estimate more than 250 outlets closed their doors in South Africa over the past 18 months because of the difficult trading conditions.

Dinker Rama, owner of Autorama and the Motorama dealerships in Amalinda and Mdantsane , said he’d altered his strategy to overcome the slump caused by the recession and the National Credit Act.

“Before, I was selling cars for between R80000 and R120000 but now I’m selling vehicles in the R40000 to R60000 range,” he said. “It’s much easier for people to qualify for personal loans than vehicle loans. I’d say about 70 percent of my stock sold is on a cash basis now.”

Auto Africa owner Ian Mackinnon said the market was the worst in his 27 years in the business. “I have noticed an increase in demand but it’s still very difficult for buyers to get finance.”

Mackinnon said he was also looking at selling lower-priced vehicles. “I’m looking at operating a cash business where people don’t have to apply to the banks for loans.”

He added: “I don’t see a big recovery until the banks start loosening up on their credit demands.”

Jason Lamb, sales manager for the Mitsubishi used car division and for Max4 Cars , said: “We’ve been pretty busy on the pre-owned side of the business. The gap between new car prices and used is enormous. A new Pajero 3.2 GLS long-wheel base is R594000 while a one-year-old model with 13000km goes for R450000.”

Nomafuza Bele of Mthatha planned to buy a new Volkswagen Polo 1.6 Classic and was quoted R194000 . She found a 2006 model with 36000km on the clock for R100000 – and it “looks and feels brand new”.

Brad Jones of Car City in Amalinda said after battling for six months there were signs the market was improving and Danie Mare of Auto Pride in Vincent added that “things are starting to pick up now and confidence in the used car market is increasing”.

Jaguar pins its hopes on radical new look

Last night there was a big party at the Saatchi gallery to launch the new Jaguar XJ hosted by American talk show host and car fanatic Jay Leno.

My invitation was lost in the post, but I'm sure it was a flash do. The next XJ is certainly an important new car for Jaguar, which isn't having a good time right now.

The XJ really needed a proper replacement. The big Jag has always been a nice car but, unfortunately, it's always looked the same. Even the current one, which is a very sexy big saloon, looks similar to the XJ that was launched in 1968.

And punters who lash out 50 grand on a posh saloon are not too chuffed if you can buy one that looks like it off eBay for the price of a dog collar.

The new XJ looks totally different. First, it's got a long glass roof that creates a very bright interior. Inside there's all the luxury you'd expect in a Jag including various options of leather and wood.

And while lots of designers bang on about 'wraparound' dashboards, the new XJ's really does. I'm looking forward to seeing the 'virtual' instruments working.

There are several audio and infotainment options including a 1200 watt Bowers and Wilkins hi-fi. No, I hadn't heard of them either. Sounds like a shortbread biscuit maker.

Both standard and long wheelbase versions will be available when the car goes on sale
early next year. If you've been in an old XJ you'll remember that there's hardly enough rear legroom for kids let alone a couple of lanky businessmen.

The new car apparently has ample and the LWB version an extra 125mm. The boot, usually a XJ weakpoint, is 520 litres.

Half of the aluminium chassis is made from recycled metal, so some bloke could be driving round in your old beer cans.

Under the bonnet there's a choice of a 3.0-litre twin turbo V6 diesel, the 5.0-litre V8 and a supercharged version of the latter with 470bhp. I imagine that one day there'll be an R version with a bit more.

As the diesel version can do 40mpg it's going to be most popular. A Jag shouldn't just go fast, but should handle well with a comfortable ride. The new XJ comes with a wardrobe full of gadgetry including air suspension and variable damping as well as heaps of clever electronics.

If it drives as well as the smaller XF, it'll be a job well done. I'm looking forward to finding out if it does.

1968
In September the Series 1 XJ was launched. A 2.8-litre six-cylinder was standard and a 4.2-litre was optional. Air-con was only available on the 4.2.

1972
A V12-powered version was launched, the XJ12. It was so smooth you could barely hear the engine. Sometimes that wasn't because it had run out of fuel - usually it was.

1974
The Series 2 arrives, looking a lot like the Series 1. A two-door coupe arrives that looks even better but it leaked water and wasn't well made.

1979
Series 3 launched. Amazingly it looks a lot like the 2 but with bigger rubber bumpers. The 5.3-litre V12 is still fitted along with the 3.4 and 4.2-litre straight sixes.

1986
XJ40 launched. Hideous, with square headlamps. The only XJ that isn't svelte and sexy.

1995
The X300 arrives - the XJ is sexy again. Ford is in charge and quality is improving.

1997
Now it gets confusing as the X305 facelift replaces the X300. It still looks a lot like the
1968 Series 1. The big news was the new V8 engine.

2003
I'm running out of puff and space so we'll wind up with the X350 which was novel in that it used aluminium for its body (It still looked like the 1968 SJ). This car was given a facelift a year or so ago to keep it alive until the new X351 arrived.