VRA asks manufacturers for resources
Vehicle manufacturers should make it easier for the used car sector to check which items of essential equipment need to be included with a car or van that is for sale, according to the Vehicle Remarketing Association (VRA).
These could potentially include smart keys, different charging cables for EVs and PHEVs, and removable tablet displays in some high-end models.
Sam Watkins, deputy chair at the VRA, said, ‘More and more equipment is finding its way onto cars – and vans too – that is easily removable but which potentially costs a lot of money to replace if it is missing.
‘These items are essential to the operation of the vehicle and the car or van generally cannot be sold without them. In many instances, the retailer or trader ends up footing the bill, which can easily be more than their margin in the vehicle.’
VRA finds that it is difficult to know which equipment should be provided for a used car. Having a quick and simple industry resource put in place by manufacturers would help allocate the right equipment for used cars. Sam explained that the information would benefit manufacturers because it would help to keep residual values firm.
Sam believes that to implementing regularly updated information would allow trade buyers to easily and quickly check which items are missing or need to be included with the vehicle.
‘As more and more vehicles are fitted with a range of equipment that can be easily removed, the need for this kind of resource will become more and more acute,’ said Sam.
