Second-hand imports and exports are heavily down

The import and export of used cars is under severe pressure due to the corona crisis, according to the latest figures from Bovag and RDC.

Up to and including August, 124,414 used passenger cars were brought into our country this year and 177,734 units were exported, according to Bovag and RDC. That means a cumulative minus of 18 percent for imports and minus 10 percent for exports. In April, the first full month of the lockdown, imports were almost completely flat. This was not only due to the lockdowns in the various countries of origin, but also because the RDW inspection stations had to keep the gates closed. In May imports were still minus 60 percent.

Meanwhile, there was high demand for used cars, as public transport became less attractive and thus the demand for individual transport increased, all of which meant a significant reduction in the company stocks used by the traders. These have now been somewhat replenished, but the level of all company stocks at 346,000 passenger cars at the end of August is still lower than it was in the past two years.

Passenger car exports started very well this year with pluses of 15 percent in January and 13 percent in February. Covid-19 caused exports to plummet, followed by revivals from June.

Top-10 import 2020 to August:

Top-10 exports 2020 to August: