It’s hoped a change in the way new cars are registered will help the motor industry recover from recession.
From today new cars are being given plates reflecting which part of the year they were bought in with 131 CE Plates to signify cars bought in the first half of the new year in Clare.
It’s likely to make car purchases later in the year more attractive to consumers who traditionally buy at the beginning of the New Year – to increase their car’s value at re-sale.
Alan Nolan of the Society of the Irish Motor Industry says the mood among car dealers today is low-key, but sales are likely to pick up on foot of the new system
"The raw numbers when they come out will probably be a little bit behind last year, but…the new number plate is only starting to kick-in now" he said.
"I think as people see the new number plate – the 131 number out there – experience in most countries is (that) a new number plate will drive a few extra percentage points".
"When the numbers start coming through at the end of January, into February we’ll see it holding very well".
"We’d expect a year something similar to last year, maybe down a few percentage points" he added.
