NADA: Used Vehicle Price Index Reaches All-Time High in March

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-- WITH PHOTO -- TO AUTO, BUSINESS, AND NATIONAL EDITORS:

NADA: Used Vehicle Price Index Reaches All-Time High in March

McLEAN, Va., April 9, 2014 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- Wholesale prices

for used cars and light trucks up to eight years in age increased by

3.7% in March, well above February's 2.2% increase, according to the

National Automobile Dealers Association (NADA) Used Car Guide in the

April edition of Guidelines, a monthly report on new and used vehicle

sales trends and price movement.

http://photos.prnewswire.com/prnvar/20110203/DC41745LOGO

"Harsh weather in January and February compelled dealers to bid

aggressively and play inventory catch-up in preparation for the

traditional spring bounce in consumer demand," said Jonathan Banks,

executive automotive analyst of NADA Used Car Guide.

Late-model volume continued to fall while dealer activity was heating

up, adding further buoyancy to prices, he added. "These unique factors

pushed NADA's seasonally adjusted used vehicle price index to 127.0, a

new all-time high," Banks said. The index measures the change in used

vehicle prices up to eight-years-old.

Upward price movement was greatest for the segments experiencing the

biggest declines in auction volume. The number of auction transactions

for compact cars, mid-size cars and mid-size vans fell by respective

averages of 4.5%, 4.9% and 9.7%; correspondingly, prices for the three

segments improved by an average of 4.4%.

The large pickup truck segment was one of the few mainstream groups to

have a sales increase last month, up 5.8%. Following years of price

appreciation, first quarter results indicate little waning in demand

for the large pickup segment, Banks added.

Luxury utility prices grew by an average of 1.3% and luxury cars

recorded a 1.2% lift, which is normal for the month of March over the

last five years.

NADA's forecast for April points to prices falling 1.8% to 2.2%

compared to March by month's end, which is higher than both the 1.7%

drop recorded in April last year and the 1.2% decline averaged for the

month of April over the last 10 years.

Prices are expected to be softest for many of the segments that

experienced the biggest price increases in March - mid-size cars, SUVs

and minivans, and to a lesser extent, compact cars and compact SUVs,

NADA predicts. NADA also forecasts luxury car prices to drop at the

higher end of the predicted range, while prices for pickups are

expected to slip the least during the month.

Click here for the April edition of Guidelines.

About the NADA Used Car Guide Since 1933, NADA Used Car Guide has

earned its reputation as the leading provider of vehicle valuation

products, services and information to businesses throughout the United

States and worldwide. NADA's editorial team collects and analyzes over

one million combined automotive and truck wholesale and retail

transactions per month. Its guidebooks, auction data, analysis, and

data solutions offer automotive/truck, finance, insurance and

government professionals the timely information and reliable solutions

they need to make better business decisions. Visit nada.com/b2b to

learn more.

About NADA NADA represents nearly 16,000 new-car and -truck

dealerships with more than 32,000 domestic and international

franchises. For more information, visit www.nada.org.

SOURCE NADA Used Car Guide

-0- 04/09/2014

/CONTACT: Allyson Toolan, Manager, Public Relations, NADA Used Car Guide, (703) 821-7165, atoolan@nada.org

/Photo: http://photos.prnewswire.com/prnh/20110203/DC41745LOGO

CO: NADA Used Car Guide

ST: Virginia

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