Look great in an ‘08

‘Motorists keen to be the first to have an 08 registration plate will make Saturday (1 March 2008) one of the biggest days for car sales in 2008,’ said Sue Robinson, Director of the RMI National Franchised Dealers Association (NFDA).

The 08 plate comes into force tomorrow, and many consumers will want to be the first to have a car bearing the new designation.

The NFDA expects that around 442,000 new vehicles will be sold or collected by their owners during March. This will be a drop on the 449,287 new vehicles sold in March 2007.

Robinson continues: ‘The new plate will give a boost to sales in what is expected to be a tougher trading year for the industry. Further interest rate rises, a high level of consumer debt and increasing tax burdens and utility bills are unlikely to benefit the retail new car market.

She adds: ‘Despite the twice-yearly number plate change introduced in 2001, many consumers still want to be the first to have a car with a new plate, and the March plate change is proving to be more popular.’