Interest from car buyers on the rise over the next few months

The auto trade industry has been through a turbulent couple of years and confidence in selling a car for both private owners and big brand retailers has understandably been shaken.

With the end of the scrappage scheme this year, many people could be forgiven for thinking that it will become much harder to find a good way of getting rid of their old model so that they can buy a new one.

However, Sainsbury's Finance reports that a survey of its members reveals that the auto trade could actually increase over the next six months. The finance group claims that their figures indicate that there will be a significant amount of newly interested car buyers entering the market before the end of 2010.

Sainsbury's Finance reports that some 7.65 million are planning to purchase a car between now and August - a 47% increase on the period between September and February. The group estimates that some £49.1 billion will be spent on purchases of either new cars or second-hand vehicles over this period, making it the highest expenditure to have been seen since the start of the economic downturn in 2009.

"Overall, these figures should provide a great deal of optimism for the car industry," said Steven Baillie, head of loans for Sainsbury's Finance.

Combined with recent research from the Society Of Motor Manufacturers and Traders, which revealed that nearly half a million used cars were bought in December 2009, it seems as though 2010 could be an excellent year for selling a car.

Derek Coulson, County Durham, Toyota Auris

Alex Ralph, East Lothian, NISSAN GT-R BLACK EDITION