Observe, enlighten and decipher the evolution
of consumption patterns in France and abroad
Section 1 - A SHIFTING CONTEXT THAT IS DIFFICULT TO GRASP

Buying a car: a difficult decision

2 minutes of reading

Against this backdrop of economic and financial instability, the question of whether or not to buy a car is not an easy one to answer. Nearly 6 out of 10 people say that it is a difficult or very difficult decision (Fig. 4). This view is held particularly strongly in Turkey, where almost 8 out of 10 people are in a state of uncertainty. The Portuguese and Belgians are the next most likely to find themselves in the same quandary.

For 6 out of 10 people the decision to buy a car is a difficult one.

Conversely, the Chinese are by far the least likely to be wracked by doubt on this matter, with three-quarters of motorists believing that making the decision to buy a car is easy. A majority of people in the USA, Norway and the UK also share this belief. Yet in many countries, this decision is not an easy one to make.

Beyond the issue of price, which remains the main factor when deciding to make a purchase, this latest edition of the L’Observatoire Cetelem looks at the reasons why motorists may be unsure, hesitant or even sceptical about the merits of buying a new car.

Fig. 4

The essential

Sub-section 4
A future marked by price hikes
Price rises are not just an issue today, as these look set to continue in the future. For consumers, there is little hope of the situation improving over the next few years as far as motoring costs a
Sub-section 6
Vague information is hampering decision making
The fog in which we find ourselves is materialised not just by a total lack of visibility regarding the future, but also by our struggle to comprehend what we are presented with. This is starkly