Martyr (30)lot Cmr02 on 2040-parts.com

Used car sales return to pre-recession levels

USED CAR SALES reached 7.1 million units in 2012, on a par with pre-recession levels and a climb of 6.4%, according to a comprehensive market report. The 2013 BCA Report by British Car Auctions valued the used car market a £38.1 billion in 2012, putting it £5.8 billion ahead of the new car market over the same period. In particular sales of younger used cars (0-2 years) increased significantly, rising by 18.6% to 762,000 and reversing a three year trend of falling volumes in this age sector.

Drivers fail car insurance test

On a 10-question, multiple-choice test asking respondents to choose correct definitions for basic auto insurance terms, the average score was 32 percent out of a possible 100 percent, according to insurance.com. The test group included 500 drivers of all ages and from various regions of the United States, but apparently no matter what the details, nobody really knows much about car insurance. When broken down into demographic segments, women outscored men by about 8 percentage points on average, and drivers in the south beat out those in the northeast by 10 percentage points.

GM may revive performance brands

General Motors Co. is studying whether to revive brands for performance vehicles to improve its image among go-fast car shoppers. At the Specialty Equipment Market Association trade show in Las Vegas last week, GM unveiled the Z-Spec Chevrolet Cruze, Volt and Spark cars, and two SS-badged Chevrolet Camaros.