# Is it true 75% of new car sales are to Public sector workers ?



## rabbit (14 Feb 2009)

I know new car sales are down 65% to 70% this year , according to reports.   I heard  though that of the new 2009 cars that were sold this year, three quarters were to public sector workers of one type or another ( people whose job and pension was guaranteed by the government ).   

Any truth in that rumour?   

I know from a friend who has a quality clothes shop in a smallish town (where everyone knows most people ) that most sales there over the past six months follow the same pattern. 

Thank God someone is spending money anyway or the government would have no tax coming in at all.


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## sandrat (14 Feb 2009)

who keeps them kind of statistics?


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## ajapale (14 Feb 2009)

I don't think these statistics exist.

I think rabbit is setting up a "straw man" here and will proceed to beat it to a pulp!


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## NOAH (14 Feb 2009)

It does not take an einstein to arrive at that conclusion, if most in the privtae sector have lost their jobs, all the cowboys in the building trade have had their come uppance(hee hee heee) then it follows that the public sector are the only people with money to spend. And dont forget the Greens kept fianna fail in power.  I for one cant wait for the next general election and I know who will get elected.  Talk about gluttons for punishement.

A final example,   a top man screws up,  offers to resign, instead retires and then in effect wins the pools.  What incentive is there for anyone to do a proper job in the future. I get more if I fail. Of course he will rush out and buy his car or cars in the uk.

noah


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## boris (14 Feb 2009)

Just out of curiosity has anyone been ever asked what their occupation was when buying a car, unless finance is being provided.

I would take this with a large quantity of salt.  Just sounds like another angle to get at public servants again.  Bring back the ceasefire again please Sueellen.


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## rabbit (14 Feb 2009)

sandrat said:


> who keeps them kind of statistics?


I read "new car sales are down 65% to 70% this year" in the paper, as well as hearing it on the grapevine from those in the motor trade. One garageman said 75% of his sales were to public sector people or people with government jobs eg teacher / lecturer / nurse etc. Its hardly surprising seeing as much of the rest of the economy has dried up. A farmer I was talking to recently complained about the price he was getting for milk was half what it was a few years ago etc. Shops / retail sales are way down, the construction industry is very quiet etc....its not rocket science for a garage man to know who most of his customers are.( He knows many people in his locality....and if they buy a car off him, he know then then !) 
Question is, is that experience ( of 75% of sales to public sector people ) widespread ? As I said, thank God someone is spending money anyway or the government would have no tax coming in at all. 
​


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## sandrat (14 Feb 2009)

i thought  was still in effect?


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## DrMoriarty (14 Feb 2009)

Public sector workers don't have to buy new cars. They get them for free, like their pensions.

A guy in a garage told me.


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## NOAH (14 Feb 2009)

No I disagree,  TD's etc are public sector as well,  and look at the way they have organised their pay, pensions for leaving cabinet payable immediately plus existing salary, retaining teaching jobs,  I could go on.  We are paying for all these OBSCENE arrangements,  ala la enda, gave up a pay rise but kept quite about his 15,000 grand pesnsion.  Bertie gets a fortune.  The man resigned in shame.

And a public sector person retires on a pension based on the grade and when  the current pay for that grade increases his/her pension increases accordingly.  If one had set up a committee on how to screw as much as possible from joe soap they could not come up with anything to beat the current arrangements.  A proper leader would bite the bulllet make proper decisions.  They pay themselves more than anyone else in the WORLD not just europe and what do they do of any note ... in a word  NOTHING.  Its immoral, unethical and  we have these people to blame for the mess we are in.

I should add that no doubt UNIONS the protectors of the common people had a hand in these financial deals and did not do anything about the unfairness of it.   

Aresene winger excuses time afer time, .. I did not read that, I was not told that,  it was not brought to my attention etc etc. We are treated like idiots.

noah


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## boris (14 Feb 2009)

I think that this is getting a good bit off thread.


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## Purple (14 Feb 2009)

rabbit said:


> I know new car sales are down 65% to 70% this year , according to reports.   I heard  though that of the new 2009 cars that were sold this year, three quarters were to public sector workers of one type or another ( people whose job and pension was guaranteed by the government ).
> 
> Any truth in that rumour?
> 
> ...



Car sales are down by over 66% (with BMW and Merc’s down over 80%). That's a matter of record as VRT info is publically accessible. 
The rest is hear-say but even if true then so what?


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## MandaC (14 Feb 2009)

That is a bizarre assumption.

Am in the motor trade and if those kind of stats were available I would know about it.


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## MOB (15 Feb 2009)

DrMoriarty said:


> Public sector workers don't have to buy new cars. They get them for free, like their pensions.
> 
> A guy in a garage told me.



And if you don't know a garageman, ask anyone and they'll tell ya....


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## Purple (15 Feb 2009)

MandaC said:


> That is a bizarre assumption.
> 
> Am in the motor trade and if those kind of stats were available I would know about it.



I got this list from a guy in the motor trade;
Passenger:	2009	2008	over/under
	           Total	Total	Total
ALFA-ROMEO........16..........53..........-69.8%
AUDI...................450.........718........-37.3%
B.M.W.  ..............268.......1476.......-81.8%
CHEVROLET..........40..........416........-90.4%
CHRYSLER..............6...........53..........-88.7%
CITROEN..............165........358.........-53.9%
DAIHATSU.............17.........140.........-87.9%
FIAT...................112.........258.........-56.6%
FORD..................2059.......4546........-54.7%
G.M.....................791........2320........-65.9%
HONDA.................314.........787........-60.1%
HYUNDAI..............365.......1302.........-72.0%
ISUZU...................0............0...........#DIV/0!
JAGUAR................20...........30...........-33.3%
KIA......................230.......533...........-56.8%
LAND ROVER...........12........312...........-96.2%
LEXUS...................46........286...........-83.9%
MAZDA................267........1146..........-76.7%
MERCEDES............221........1391.........-84.1%
MG/ROVER..............0............0...........#DIV/0!
MINI....................39..........265..........-85.3%
MITSUBSIHI..........115........498...........-76.9%
NISSAN...............1115......2383...........-53.2%
PEUGEOT..............307......1228............-75.0%
PORSCHE................1..........17.............-94.1%
PRIVATE IMPORTS...170.......230............-26.1%
RENAULT...............494......1348............-63.4%
SAAB......................9........230............-96.1%
SEAT....................149.......599............-75.1%
SKODA..................532......1182............-55.0%
SMART...................0...........0.............#DIV/0!
SUBARU.................45..........59.............-23.7%
SUZUKI.................121.......794.............-84.8%
TOYOTA...............1668.....4811............-65.3%
V.W......................986......3554............-72.3%
VOLVO....................81.......472.............-82.8%
Total:..................11231....33795...........-66.767%


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## sandrat (15 Feb 2009)

I took MandaC to be referring to the assumption of the OP


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## liaconn (15 Feb 2009)

sandrat said:


> I took MandaC to be referring to the assumption of the OP


 
So did I.

Rabbit, do your reliable sources have any stats for who bought the most 4X4s, mercs etc over the last 2-3 years. I bet it wasn't public servants.


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## grahamo (15 Feb 2009)

I'd imagine most cars being bought are purchased in the UK so the govt. are probably still coining it in with VRT payments. Its the middle of February now and I still haven't seen a 09 registered car on the road.


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## gianni (15 Feb 2009)

rabbit said:


> I know new car sales are down 65% to 70% this year , according to reports.   I heard  though that of the new 2009 cars that were sold this year, three quarters were to public sector workers of one type or another ( people whose job and pension was guaranteed by the government ).
> 
> Any truth in that rumour?



Probably not.


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## MandaC (15 Feb 2009)

sandrat said:


> I took MandaC to be referring to the assumption of the OP




Absolutely correct.  I have all the stats in the world as to what models have been bought, ranking, whats going up, whats going down,  etc, but where someone is coming up with details of the occupations of the people buying the cars I just cant fathom.


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## Ron Burgundy (15 Feb 2009)

rabbit said:


> I know new car sales are down 65% to 70% this year , according to reports.   I heard  though that of the new 2009 cars that were sold this year, three quarters were to public sector workers of one type or another ( people whose job and pension was guaranteed by the government ).
> 
> Any truth in that rumour?
> 
> ...



Rabbit, i have a very very very big spoon here if you would like to borrow it to stir the $hit


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## michaelm (16 Feb 2009)

DrMoriarty said:


> Public sector workers don't have to buy new cars. They get them for free, like their pensions.
> 
> A guy in a garage told me.


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## Green (16 Feb 2009)

rabbit said:


> I know new car sales are down 65% to 70% this year , according to reports. I heard though that of the new 2009 cars that were sold this year, three quarters were to public sector workers of one type or another ( people whose job and pension was guaranteed by the government ).
> 
> Any truth in that rumour?
> 
> ...


 
I know its early in the year but this gets my nomination for Most Stupid Thread of the Year!


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## Purple (16 Feb 2009)

YOBR said:


> I know its early in the year but this gets my nomination for Most Stupid Thread of the Year!


 Why? The OP said it was just an opinion he heard and asked if anyone else had a similar view. He didn't present it as fact.


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## grahamo (16 Feb 2009)

Purple said:


> Why? The OP said it was just an opinion he heard and asked if anyone else had a similar view. He didn't present it as fact.


 
I think the OP's real intention was to kick off a load of rants along the lines of...." Those Public sector B***ards can afford new cars and we can't!"


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## Green (16 Feb 2009)

grahamo said:


> I think the OP's real intention was to kick off a load of rants along the lines of...." Those Public sector B***ards can afford new cars and we can't!"


 
Agreed.............


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## S.L.F (16 Feb 2009)

I heard raw rabbit tastes great on toast is there any truth to that rumour.


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## boris (16 Feb 2009)

It is just another way around the ceasefire.


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## Caveat (16 Feb 2009)

boris said:


> the ceasefire.


 

...which has now lapsed AFAIK?


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## MandaC (16 Feb 2009)

I agree it is a silly thread.  It is one of those on the same kind of "urban legend" basis similar to the ones where people actually belive immigrants get free cars(!) or dump buggies at bus stops because they dont want to carry them on the bus(!)


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## S.L.F (16 Feb 2009)

MandaC said:


> I agree it is a silly thread. It is one of those on the same kind of "urban legend" basis similar to the ones where people actually belive immigrants get free cars(!) or dump buggies at bus stops because they dont want to carry them on the bus(!)


 
Everyone knows those stories are true!

A bloke down the pub told me!


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## ninsaga (16 Feb 2009)

S.L.F said:


> I heard raw rabbit tastes great on toast is there any truth to that rumour.



...this actually happens to be true - especially if you are a fox!


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## csirl (16 Feb 2009)

Is this not a case of media initiated urban legend.

Guy works in a car showroom. Sales are down. Reads in paper that the only people with money are public servants. Therefore deduces that the only sales he is making must be to public servants.

Noah's post saying that most of the private sector are unemployed is also a sympthom of this. In spite of the downturn, 90% of people are still in work.

All this doom and gloom stuff can be overplayed a bit. Yes, certain sectors of the economy are suffering a lot, most sectors are suffering mildly due to trickle down effects, but there are still people out there doing well and making money. Everyone seems to know a friend of a friend or an acquaintance etc. etc. who has been hit hard by the recession. Question everyone needs to ask themselves is if they personally are doing badly? I know you may be down some earnings, but are you really on the breadline? I suspect in most cases the answer is no.


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## Ceist Beag (16 Feb 2009)

DrMoriarty said:


> Public sector workers don't have to buy new cars. They get them for free, like their pensions.
> 
> A guy in a garage told me.



In fairness the government is planning to introduce a levy here as well, they're just waiting for the current fuss to die down. Rumour is they will introduce it by means of asking public sector workers to pay for the tax and insurance on the cars each year - although if this is too bitter a pill to swallow they may be persuaded to drop the tax from this levy.

My cousin heard this from a guy who repairs the photocopiers in the Dail.


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## MandaC (16 Feb 2009)

csirl said:


> Is this not a case of media initiated urban legend.
> 
> Guy works in a car showroom. Sales are down. Reads in paper that the only people with money are public servants. Therefore deduces that the only sales he is making must be to public servants.
> 
> ...



The fact is no one knows who is buying cars.  It is foolish to deduce that the only sales are to public servants.

You could also look at it differently.  Organised Crime is up - bumper year for Tiger Raids and all that last year.  Could the only people buying cars be those in organised crime/drug dealing?


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## rabbit (16 Feb 2009)

MandaC said:


> The fact is no one knows who is buying cars. It is foolish to deduce that the only sales are to public servants.


 
Nobody is saying the "only sales are to public servants."   However, the owner of one garage does know who his customers are / what they work at.    Many people in country areas are like that.   If someone is spending 15 or 20 or 30 0r 40 k then someone in the Garage usually knows or gets to know where they work or what they work at.       Most garages in the country are finding things very tight this year, so well done to those still keeping a bit of money circulating.   I suppose Garages differ and one garages business will not be the same as anothers.


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## Bronte (16 Feb 2009)

I wonder why the two most popular cars (Toyato and Ford) have such a different percentage drop of nearly 10%.  Toyota down 65% and Ford 54%, maybe one should buy a Suberu as they have the lowest percentage drop, there must be a reason for this?
The only person closely related to me who purchased a car recently (last week) bought it as they had lost their job and company car.  Maybe Rabbit you could ask a different question, who has purchased a car in the last 6 months and are you a civil servant.


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## csirl (16 Feb 2009)

Bronte said:


> I wonder why the two most popular cars (Toyato and Ford) have such a different percentage drop of nearly 10%. Toyota down 65% and Ford 54%, maybe one should buy a Suberu as they have the lowest percentage drop, there must be a reason for this?
> The only person closely related to me who purchased a car recently (last week) bought it as they had lost their job and company car. Maybe Rabbit you could ask a different question, who has purchased a car in the last 6 months and are you a civil servant.


 
If you watch Top Gear on a regular basis, you'd know that Subaru are the most popular cars amongst farmers. So maybe its farmers who are buying cars?


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## Caveat (16 Feb 2009)

...and boy racers.

Bloody hell I knew it - all this talk of recession and these two demographics have been secretly stockpiling cash all this time and buying as many new Subarus as they want.

Maybe that's why both types don't like spending money on other frivolities and tend to have a crooked smug smile on their faces most of the time?


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## Mpsox (16 Feb 2009)

I was talking to a sales manager in a dealership a couple of weeks back when I went in to get my car serviced. He was telling me that the major difference between this year and last year was that 12 months ago, the banks were looking to see if you had a clear credit history if you applied for finance, in 09, they are looking to see if you can afford to pay it back

It's not unrealistic to assume that public sector workers may be inclined to spend more money then private sector workers since they are probably the only sector not overly worried about job cuts at the minute and for that reason the may actually find it easier to get finance from lenders

I did read somewhere that the only 09 car at the recent social partnership talks belonged to a union guy


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## sandrat (16 Feb 2009)

sales are down mostly i'd say because companies are holding off buying new company cars I work in public sector and most people in my job drive old cars my own one being a 00 punto. Even the boss lady who just retired had a 98 car all be it a bmw. I personally think it is mad buying a new car anyway


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## Ron Burgundy (16 Feb 2009)

A friend of my wife applied for car finance and was turned down....

Reason, she had no dependants....but put on the side she had one on the way. She was turned down on the basis that she might not have a job after maternity leave.


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## thedaras (16 Feb 2009)

sandrat said:


> ........... I personally think it is mad buying a new car anyway


 
Agree, better to hold off buying cars for now - can't be long before society breaks down completely - riots,shootings,storming of the Dail (should be easy -never anyone in) barricades,car-jackings.....would be an awful waste to see lots of new cars go up in smoke....better to wait until after the revolution....we could then import cars from Cuba......


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## MandaC (16 Feb 2009)

rabbit said:


> Nobody is saying the "only sales are to public servants."   However, the owner of one garage does know who his customers are / what they work at.    Many people in country areas are like that.   If someone is spending 15 or 20 or 30 0r 40 k then someone in the Garage usually knows or gets to know where they work or what they work at.       Most garages in the country are finding things very tight this year, so well done to those still keeping a bit of money circulating.   I suppose Garages differ and one garages business will not be the same as anothers.



No, but you are saying 75% of sales could be to public servants.  Unless people are applying for finance through the garage, then most of the Garages do not know what they work at.  


I agree with the person above who said there is still money in the Country, apart from public servants.  Anyone who is still working will find their circumstances have not changed.  The only thing is, with the media scaremongering, people are not as quick to spend their cash.  The feeling in the industry is that people will relax a bit and live their lives as before and those who would normally change their car may still do so.  I dont know if this is the case, but I hope so.


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## rabbit (16 Feb 2009)

MandaC said:


> Unless people are applying for finance through the garage, then most of the Garages do not know what they work at.


 lol lol.   Maybe a few of the big garages in the big cities work like that, but I can assure many is the garage owner who knows his or her business knows who his or her customers are.   In some country areas, some people would know what ye have for breakfast, never mind what ye work at, if ye gave them 20 or 40 k for a car !



MandaC said:


> I agree with the person above who said there is still money in the Country, apart from public servants. *Anyone who is still working will find their circumstances have not changed.*


Rubbish....many people are still "working" but on a lot less money....from the plumber to the tiler to the person who makes breakfast roles...to the restaurants....to those who sell luxury items ....to solicitors to estate agents to those who work in advertising....to those who sell furniture...to interior designers...to those who sell boats or holidays...to pubs....to boutiques....to those who work in many factories on a 3 day week...so its not true to say "*anyone who is still working will find their circumstances have not changed* "


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## MandaC (16 Feb 2009)

I deal with many garage owners in both country and city areas and they dont know (or care) what exactly their customers do.  It never makes it onto any kind of stats list that matters.    My point is that there is nowhere that collates these kind of stats, so it is just heresay.   I went into a garage in a small enough town enquiring about changing my car.  The sales person never asked what I worked at.  He was more interested to see if I could get a sale.


Many people are still working in their same jobs and still on the same money, despite what the media tells you....if they are lucky redundancy will not come knocking on their door.  Whilst I have some friends not working, I have a good few friends who are better off now, prices have come down but their jobs (and income) remain stable.   Not everyone has taken a pay cut. Can they ride it out until the tide changes.  Hope so.


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## Sunny (16 Feb 2009)

MandaC said:


> I deal with many garage owners in both country and city areas and they dont know (or care) what exactly their customers do. It never makes it onto any kind of stats list that matters. My point is that there is nowhere that collates these kind of stats, so it is just heresay. I went into a garage in a small enough town enquiring about changing my car. The sales person never asked what I worked at. He was more interested to see if I could get a sale.
> 
> .


 
I don't agree with the stat as it has nothing to back to it up exceep heresay but I don't think you would go to the garages to get the stats. A much better source would be to look at who is getting finance for a new car. That would break it down into profession. I don't have the numbers and don't know if they are published so it will have to remian an urban legend!


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## rabbit (16 Feb 2009)

MandaC said:


> I went into a garage in a small enough town enquiring about changing my car. The sales person never asked what I worked at. He was more interested to see if I could get a sale.


Had you bought the car, I wonder would your background / job / requirements have cropped up in conversation at all? If you were remotely from the "small enough town", I guarantee someone working in the garage would have known you or known of you or known someone you knew...thats how things work if you spend 20 or 40k. It makes good marketing / common sense if nothing else to know where your customer base comes from. Many garages do not wait for customers to drop in from Mars, sign a cheque for say 20 or 30 k and only mutter in return "have a nice day" lol Customers are not that plentiful. Plus of course many people who buy a car know someone in the garage already before they even buy it, be they in the same sports club, parish, old school,  neighbourhood, etc



MandaC said:


> . Not everyone has taken a pay cut. .


Earlier you wrote "Anyone who is still working will find their circumstances have not changed*."* I put it to you that there are a lot of people working who have indeed changed circumstances ( eg from the plumber to the tiler to the brickie to the carpenter to the person who makes breakfast roles...to the restaurants....to those who sell luxury items ....to solicitors to estate agents to those who work in advertising....to those who sell furniture...to interior designers...to those who sell boats or holidays or hot tubs ...to pubs....to boutiques....etc etc ).


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## sandrat (16 Feb 2009)

thedaras said:


> Agree, better to hold off buying cars for now - can't be long before society breaks down completely - riots,shootings,storming of the Dail (should be easy -never anyone in) barricades,car-jackings.....would be an awful waste to see lots of new cars go up in smoke....better to wait until after the revolution....we could then import cars from Cuba......


 
reason i wouldnt buy a new car is because of depreciation once I pull out of the garage


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## MandaC (16 Feb 2009)

Rabbit, do you work in the motor trade?


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## rabbit (16 Feb 2009)

No, but I have a good few friends who do.


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## Ron Burgundy (16 Feb 2009)

rabbit said:


> No, but I have a good few *friends* who do.


 
wow


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## Ron Burgundy (16 Feb 2009)

sandrat said:


> reason i wouldnt buy a new car is because of depreciation once I pull out of the garage


 
True, but if you plan to keep it for a long time that shouldn't hit you too badly.

I bought a nissan in Jan 07 and i intend to keep it for a long long long time. Just keep it serviced and fingers crossed once the payments are all made i'll have many years of "free" driving.


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## MandaC (16 Feb 2009)

rabbit said:


> No, but I have a good few friends who do.



Well, I do, personally.


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## rabbit (16 Feb 2009)

MandaC said:


> Well, I do, personally.


 
So ?   Why do you ask ?


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## Ron Burgundy (16 Feb 2009)

Maybe because 1st hand information is better than second or third hand.


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## rabbit (16 Feb 2009)

MandyC wrote that he " went into a garage in a small enough town enquiring about changing his car ".    That was his information.

I think I would trust good friends and family more.


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## Ron Burgundy (16 Feb 2009)

rabbit said:


> MandyC wrote that he " went into a garage in a small enough town enquiring about changing his car ". That was his information.
> 
> I think I would trust good *friends* and family more.


 
Once again


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## Green (16 Feb 2009)

rabbit said:


> MandyC wrote that he " went into a garage in a small enough town enquiring about changing his car ". That was his information.
> 
> I think I would trust good friends and family more.


 
What does this matter? There appears no point to this thread apart form the OP informing that a friend in the motor trade in a small country town believes that the majority of new car sales are, he thinks, being bought by public servants. 

What will we have next, 50% of breakfast rolls in Spar in Chapeizod are bought by students? Is this nota tiny bit irrelevant accepting, of course, the parameters of the LOS forum.


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## MandaC (16 Feb 2009)

rabbit said:


> MandyC wrote that he " went into a garage in a small enough town enquiring about changing his car ".    That was his information.
> 
> I think I would trust good friends and family more.



The problem is not to jump to assumptions as regards peoples posts.  Firstly, I am a a woman. Secondly, the fact of the matter is I did go into a garage in a small enough town enquiring about changing my car.  (as part of a marketing exercise)  

If you read my other posts, I have stated three times that I work in the Motor Trade.

I am telling you first hand, from the horses mouth,  that there are no stats available across the board as to the occupations of who  cars are sold to.  There is no nationwide database.  

Your friends who work in the trade must be in quite Junior positions, otherwise they would know this.


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## MandaC (16 Feb 2009)

rabbit said:


> So ?   Why do you ask ?




I ask because I work in the Motor Trade 40 hours a week and have stats coming out my ears, *none *of which tell  which occupations are buying new cars.

The old saying "teaching granny how to suck eggs" springs to mind.

This thread is a bit weird to be honest.  The OP asked the question "is it true that 75% of new car sales are to Public Sector workers"?  Yet, when told there is no way of knowing, does not want to accept this as fact.

What is the problem with people in the public sector anyway.  Are they not allowed have a new car for some reason.  Or am I missing something!


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## Complainer (16 Feb 2009)

The original post and the subsequent increasingly desperate attempts to justify the post say an awful lot more about the poster than they say about the public sector.


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## mathepac (16 Feb 2009)

I'm buying two new cars, one in March, the other after Easter, ergo I have two public sector jobs, or I'm a TD with one salary and two pensions.

So OP was right after all,   I just never knew where I worked, and its been that way since the '60's.


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## Brendan Burgess (16 Feb 2009)

folks - there is a ban on public sector bashing


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