Advertisements influence 24% of consumers in their choice of a new car, according to the annual study of motorists who visited franchises of the 38 vehicle manufacturers accredited to the Motor Ombudsman’s ‘New car code of practice’ – which covers more than 99% of all new car purchases in the UK.
Other headline findings of the survey, which assessed the buying experience and satisfaction of almost 2,400 motorists, included
- 17-25 year olds and male buyers were most likely to be influenced by ads
- 40-45 year olds and those approaching 30 were least likely
- 93% of cars bought matched the advertised claims
- manufacturers scored an average 4.7 out of 5 for willingness to provide further assistance
- the assistance and knowledge of sales staff also achieved a 4.7 average rating
- explanation of terms and conditions of the warranty received the lowest average rating of 4.5
The first code of practice in the automotive sector to gain accreditation by the Chartered Trading Standards Institute, the ‘New Car Code’ covers
- new cars under manufacturer’s warranty
- the terms of the manufacturer’s warranty
- spare parts availability