Once upon a time, car buyers had to rummage through the dealers' gravel pitches in search of a suitable used car. In times of the Internet, a few clicks of the mouse are enough to get there. But what do web users want? Mobile.de, the most-visited Internet vehicle portal in Germany with 54 million contacts per month and thus also an important market observer, examined user inquiries for auto motor und sport .
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Most buyers are interested in the VW Golf
The first result is hardly surprising: Most of those willing to buy (six percent) are interested in the bestseller VW Golf . With the brands, Volkswagen with 20.5 Percent clearly ahead. But what about the seven segments into which Mobile.de divides its range of over one million vehicles? It is noticeable that mainly cars from German production set the tone. This is how the BMW 3er in first place for both coupés and convertibles , the Mercedes E-Class is the most clicked sedan.
The greatest loss of value occurs in the middle class
How do car buyers benefit from these analyzes? One thing is clear: the greater the demand and the lower the supply, the higher the price. Those who are not fixated on a certain model look for themselvesconsequently a less popular car that is cheaper to get. In the overview you will find two alternatives for each top model. Since a model from 2006 onwards with a maximum mileage of 70,000 kilometers was assumed in all categories, you can also see how differently the depreciation of the classes has developed: While the price level for small cars remains stable, middle-class models in particular lose their value drastically .
Many people looking for used cars set a price limit of a maximum of 6,000 euros
Also noticeable: some cars that are inexpensive when new are traded more expensive after four years than their originally priced competitor, as compared with Opel Astra Caravan and Skoda Octavia Combi shows. The Czech is simply less likely to be sold second-hand. The price is an important criterion anyway. Only around three percent are willing to spend up to 15,000 euros. The main interest focuses on two major price ranges. More than half of all searchers set a price limit of a maximum of 6,000 euros and are more willing to compromise on age and mileage.
This is also necessary in a segment where experience has shown that demand exceeds supply. Most authorized dealers keep their hands off corresponding models for fear of incalculable follow-up costs from the warranty obligation. Usually one looks in vain for such cheap cars in branded stores, they are mainly offered by private individuals.
The widest range of used cars available from 15,000 euros
On the other hand, around 23 percent of users spend more than 15,000 euros want. You can currently find the widest range. Just beyond the Middle class buyers in these price regions benefit from the rapidly increasing depreciation. It is not uncommon to find Small car with daily registration at a price level with three-year-old leasing returns from the upper middle class .
Achim Hartmann 
