• 70% of car dealers say the September registration plate change is less important to the motor industry than it used to be    
• 53% believe people care less about driving on the latest plate, and 31% think most don’t even know the newest plate number
• However, 18% say there are always customers who want the latest plate, according to September’s Startline Used Car Tracker

September’s Startline Used Car Tracker also shows 53% think motorists now care less about driving on the latest plate, and 31% that most don’t even know the newest plate number.

However, 18% say there are always customers who want the latest plate and 16% that the plate change creates demand among car buyers.

Paul Burgess, CEO at Startline Motor Finance, said: “Plate changes have traditionally been a big deal for the motor industry, and certainly, when I was a boy, you would look out for the first car you could spot at every registration change.

“However, it does feel as though there has been a gradual shift over time. This might be traced back as far as the introduction of the twice annual change in 2001, but it does feel as though there has been an acceleration in recent years.

“Probably the most likely explanation is that generally, all used cars are now older thanks to production shortages during the pandemic, so buyers have simply become accustomed to caring less about the age of their vehicle.

“It’s also interesting that a sizeable minority – slightly less than one in five – still think the plate change has an impact, so there are clearly dealers who see a shift in trading patterns every March and September.”

The Startline Used Car Tracker is compiled monthly for Startline Motor Finance by APD Global Research, well-known in the motor industry for their business intelligence reporting and customer experience programs. This time, 301 consumers and 60 dealers were questioned.