In 2023, 2,036,602 cars were offered on the secondary market, representing an increase of 297,000. For the first time in October, the number of gasoline engine car offers outperformed diesels.
The Barometer AAA AUTO report, based on the analysis of data on used car sales in consignments, on websites and at used car dealers, showed that in December 2023, 198,740 second-hand cars were offered in Poland, signifying an increase compared to November of the previous year by 1,998 cars.
In December 2023, the median price of used cars on the secondary market decreased by PLN 1,000, to PLN 32,900 from PLN 33,900 in November of the previous year. However, for the entire year of 2023, the median price was PLN 29,700, a jump from the 2022 value of PLN 23,000 by PLN 6,700. The increase in median prices, besides high inflation, rising loan interest, and basic living costs, was due to an influx of young cars.
2023 saw a larger influx of young cars, aged four to six years on the used car market. While in 2022, sellers offered just over 79,000 four-year-old cars (from 2018), in 2023, more than 104,000 cars four years old, i.e., manufactured in 2019, were offered, and over 107,000 cars from 2018. These vehicles contributed to the decline in median age and mileage for the entire market.
October was a standout month, as more cars with gasoline engines were offered than diesels. Gasoline cars were cheaper, slightly newer, and had lower mileage. AAA AUTO data showed the median price of used gasoline cars in October was PLN 32,900, and the median mileage was 139,000 km. By contrast, the median price of used diesels was higher, at PLN 35,000, and the median mileage was 208,000 km. The median price for the entire secondary market in October was PLN 33,500.
“For the first time in history, we recorded a larger number of offers for cars with gasoline engines than diesel,” said Paweł Molasy, Business Country Manager PL at AUTOCENTRUM AAA AUTO sp. z.o.o. in an interview with MarketNews24. “The difference was not huge, with 97,000 gasoline engines offered vs 93,000 diesel, but the trend is clearly changing.”
Year on year, we observe a decline in the number of diesel engine cars offered on the secondary market, thereby reducing the difference between them and cars with gasoline engines. There are several reasons for this, primarily, buyers are looking for economical cars in terms of maintenance and fuel consumption. Other factors include the age and technical condition of diesels imported to Poland from abroad, which are more worn than gasoline cars, and have a higher average mileage by several tens of thousands of kilometers. Besides, some people considering buying a used car take into account ecological issues and planned prohibitions on old diesels entering clean transport zones in Polish cities.
Molasy further explains: “Customers also consider service costs. Although diesel engines are cheaper in terms of fuel consumption, servicing them is much more expensive.”
Since the start of the pandemic, the number of diesel-powered car offers on the secondary market has decreased by 36,486 cars. AAA AUTO data shows that in January 2020, there were 129,673 such cars offered for sale in consignments, on websites, and at used car dealers, with a median price of PLN 19,900. At the same time, there were 104,763 offers for cars with gasoline engines on the secondary market, with a median price of PLN 19,065.
