The Volkswagen Golf tops the list as most searched for used car model among Donegal car buyers.
The colour red and VW Golfs top the online car searches in Donegal.
The third Carzone.ie Motoring reports shows it is followed by the Ford Focus, Audi A4 and Volkswagen Passat as most popular choices in Donegal.
The report is a bi-annual index which tracks trends in both the new and used car markets in Ireland.
The data has been compiled using the 60 million searches carried out on Carzone.ie during the last six months of the year, vehicle transactions listed on Cartell.ie and an in-depth survey of 2,187 motorists nationwide.
The results reveal that Toyota is the most searched for car marque in Donegal, ahead of Volkswagen, Ford and Audi.
Contrary to the national trend of black, the majority of Donegal buyers choose red as their colour preference when searching for a used car.
Overall, 474,418 used cars were sold in Ireland during the last six months of 2013, an increase of 16% on the same period in 2012.
The report cites fuel costs and the price of road tax as the top two financial concerns for Irish motorists, while 80% of car buyers continue to opt for diesel models, indicating a desire for better fuel economy.
Although almost 70% of those surveyed commute less than 100 kilometres per working day, however, only 1% would consider purchasing a hybrid or electric power model for their next car.
The findings show that women tend to choose older cars than men, while also opting for lower mileages and spending less on the purchase price.
A quarter of women surveyed purchased their last car based on reliability, while the majority of men (37%) admitted to just wanting a change.
Meanwhile, over half of those surveyed have already bought or would buy a car based on the inclusion of gadgets and in-car technology.
Commenting on the findings of the report, Warren Cray, general manager at Carzone.ie, said: “It is clear from the results that there is cautious optimism in the market as used car transactions continue to rise.
“More than 60 million searches were carried out on Carzone.ie in the second half of last year alone and we are on track to continue that trend in 2014. Indeed, over half of respondents to our survey plan to buy a car in the next six months so the market shows no sign of slowing down any time soon.”
Key Findings
· Volkswagen Golf is most searched for car model in Donegal, followed by Ford Focus, Audi A4 and Volkswagen Passat
· Toyota is most searched for car marque in Donegal
· Red tops the list as most searched for colour among Donegal car buyers
· 474,418 used cars sold in Ireland in last six months of 2013
· Top two financial concerns for Irish motorists are fuel costs and road tax
· 80% of searches on Carzone.ie for diesel models
· Over 50% of motorists would choose a vehicle based on in-car technology
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