My Car Check market guide: July 2016

Buyers and sellers look ahead to the September plate change

• Used car of the month:BMW 1 Series  

• Used bike of the month:Kawasaki Z1000SX

My Car Check's valuation experts reveal significant trends in the UK used vehicle market and choose a car and bike of the month.

Head of Valuation Services at My Car Check, Gavin Amos, said:"The BMW 1 Series has been in the market place for some time now and as such they're available to suit almost any budget. The German build quality, the ultimate driving machine reputation and BMW's general badge appeal make them a popular used choice. Our picks are the diesel variants, which offer more than enough power for most drivers. The star of the show as a used car is the 123d but there's far more choice of 118d and 120d. One question to ask concerns the tyres as many of those which left the factory with run flats have now regular tyres due to the cost of like-for-like replacements. Full service history adds real value and, as always, conduct a provenance check before you buy for complete peace of mind.

As to market trends, Amos said: "Dealers report that used car enquiry levels are slightly down, but that is entirely to be expected at this time of year. People are either on holiday or watching their spending because they're about to be on holiday. Both buyers and sellers are starting to look to the plate change in September to generate an influx of new stock. In the meantime, most values are holding firm."

On the motorbike, scooter and moped sector, My Car Check's Rob Hobson said:"Our used bike of the month is the Kawasaki Z1000SX, which has all the attributes for great road motorcycling. It can be loaded up for a touring holiday or taken out for a quick blast - comfy but with enough sports focus to keep it exciting. The SX has performed well in terms of new sales, so there are usually quite a few around in the used market. Keep an eye out for low mileage examples, which can be something of a bargain.

As to market trends, Hobson said: "Wet weather is never a great stimulus for the two wheel market. That, combined with the uncertainty that Brexit has stirred through the country, hasn't done much for what is for many a luxury purchase. Overall, the market is fairly stable but a prolonged dry period would be most welcome."

With information from the police, DVLA, insurers and finance houses, My Car Check holds up to 77 fields of data for every vehicle on UK roads - all points that buyers should be aware of before making an offer.

CDL Vehicle Information Services, which owns My Car Check, performs over a million look-ups a day for companies including AutoExpress, CompareTheMarket, Go-Compare, Moneysupermarket, Swiftcover, Tesco and WhatCar?.

For further details, download the freeMaking Better Used Car Choicesreport, including profiles of the top 5 most-searched makes -Ford, Vauxhall, VW, BMW and Audi:https://www.mycarcheck.com/blog/wp-content/uploads/2016/04/mycarcheck-vehicle-search-data-insight-report-2015.pdf