Patience is a virtue for car buyers
Car buyers are prepared to wait as long as a year for a new vehicle, as awareness of the microchip shortage grows.
According to research carried out by What Car?, both new and used car buyers are willing to wait for their next car before considering alternatives, with the percentage of people prepared to wait more than 16 weeks for a car rising from 20% in April to 34%.
Meanwhile, the survey of 1,245 in-market buyers found that 20% are willing to wait longer than six months for their next car, while 10% are willing to wait between nine-12 months for their new car, as long as they were kept updated.
Steve Huntingford, editor, What Car?, said: “Waiting times on new models have been pushed beyond a year in some instances, yet our research shows buyers are adjusting to this. We’ve seen a gradual increase in the average accepted waiting times from buyers, with some now willing to wait up to 12 months for their order to arrive.
“It’s important for dealers to be proactive and communicative with buyers when it comes to long waiting times, as things like weekly and monthly updates on the order can make a big difference when it comes to customer satisfaction and relationships.”
