Independent dealers are more confident in how Q3 will perform, compared with franchised dealers, according to a JudgeService’s latest Dealer Barometer which polled the views of over 1,000 dealers.
Neil Addley, managing director of JudgeService, said: “Despite the ongoing political and economic headwinds, at home and abroad, our research shows the resilience of independent and franchised dealers.
“Overall, independents are feeling bullish on the back of brisk trading during the first half of the year, buoyed by robust pricing and buyers seeking out older profile cars.
“Expectations among franchised dealers are more nuanced and the end result will be heavily influenced by OEM campaigns as we move deeper into the quarter.
“Our Dealer Barometer shows their confidence levels, although lower, have remained consistent throughout the year, with half yet to make up their minds about which way Q3 will go.”
Overall, 62.5% of independents are positive about forward trading prospects and buyer confidence, 25% are neutral and 12.5% expressed negative views.
This compares to 29% of franchised dealers feeling positive, a further 21% feeling negative and 50% remaining neutral.
The percentage of franchised dealers upbeat about business prospects this month dropped slightly from January (35.6% to 34.4%).
However, their views on consumer confidence have risen from 35.6% in January to 37.5%.
