UK Car and Van sales at a new high

There's a huge "disconnect" for me between the news of national positive indicators (eg this rise in car sales) and what I actually see around me, in other areas of business life. 

OK other factors are at play too (eg high street shops are in decline partly because of the rise in online purchasing).  Is this a (long overdue) recovery?  Is it a national recovery - or only one affecting a few favoured areas like the South East?         

Originally Posted by CareersPartnershipUK

“There's a huge "disconnect" for me between the news of national positive indicators (eg this rise in car sales) and what I actually see around me, in other areas of business life. ”

Here's an interesting article in the Guardian.

Why car sales are through the roof but homebuying down in the basement?

I like the argument some of it is people cashing in PPI windfalls and anticipating blowing their pension pots

As for is it National or local spikes, the Society of Motor Manufacturers and Traders seems a bit light on actual geographic breakdown, instead concentrating on manufacturer rather than location.

From a Warwickshire perspective, I'd say there seems to be a general feeling of things are now better than they were 12, 18, 24 months ago. Prob mainly from the fuel pumps and supermarket wars.

2 years ago, I put in £130 into my motor from empty. Now it's around £85, that's some saving. Food prices definitely seem a lot more reasonable, you feel like you are getting more in your trolley, and houses locally are certainly selling well, the property market seems to be moving again, although prices are still very high, unlike further south where they are just ridiculous.

"my experience is that  folk beginning to spend ( invest) in their health regimens too"

I find it very reassuring when a significant percentage of the public starts buying the "feel good" products / services again, it shows they now feel more confident! 

It's "batten down the hatches" time when the public only buys the essentials (and as few of them as they can manage).     

i want to buy a brand spanking new crewvan [peugeot] but the dealer wont let me see one before i buy!  they told me they are a 6 seater but when they sent me the blurb its only a 5 seater - then told me the blurb in the brochure is wrong

 What dyou reck?

Do you have to buy from that uncooperative dealer?  I wouldn't buy from anyone giving me hassle even before I'd made the purchase!  

Can't you find out everything you'd want to know by emailing the manufacturer's marketing team direct, explaining you want to buy (you think) but can't without the information you'd sought from the dealer?  You might be able to kill two "birds" with one "stone" (imagine evil cackles!) ...

 thanks for the idea,yes i will do just that .what was galling about the local dealer was they wanted me to order now,sight unseen

altho i repeated i wanted to at least see one ," lets keep moving things forward" was the phrase they used 

update-dealer got in touch, turns out i was right and he was wrong the small van i was interested in he told me had defo 3 seats in the front  actually only has 2.    to try to make amends he offered to sell me an 8 seater minibus ,...i can bring it round for you to try in half an hour....

So it was a pushy try-on.

I still wouldn't want to buy from a business that had treated me the way you've been treated.

I'd be so tempted to keep him dangling and running around trying to get the sale despite having no intention of buying from him.  They sound like rip off merchants!