Auction prices, sell now or after New Year

I bought my present car at a freezing cold auction just before Christmas. There were quite a few lots that failed to make any sensible amount of money. A one year old C1 barely made £2k!

I think it's true that the trade doesn't expect to sell much over the long holiday period, and they don't want their money tied up in stock that's deteriorating for several weeks whilst they can't sell it. Mind you, they may be wrong about this. Most other retailers do a thriving business during this period, so why not car retailers?

Buying a second had car is a more long drawn out process: Paperwork, road tax, insurance, minor repairs etc. And Cristmas is a busy time.

Bought my car 4.5 years ago on ebay. Never imagined that I would do that; not for the faint hearted. But the car was ok with only minor repairs needed.

I don't think it's that. Rather, a car purchase can be deferred; Christmas shopping cannot. I learned a valuable lesson about vehicle values many decades ago and that is prices *do* temporarily dip over the holiday period. This disparity is especially stark with respect to used motorcycles as a matter of interest. For a long time back in the late

60s, I made a tidy pile out of buying used motorbikes during November and December and flogging them again in April and May. Oftentimes I'd double my money and AFAIK, the situation today is no different.

I bought a Lexus from ebay, did not see it first, 16 years on it is still great, very few repairs needed other than service items, it is even still on the original exhaust.