My Car Check market guide: February 2017

Used car bargains ahead of March new plate and motorbike sales set to soar

• Used car of the month:BMW 520d M Sport (2010-)

• Used bike of the month:Kawasaki ZX6R (2005-2006)

MyCarCheck.com'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 BMW5 Series sometimes gets overlooked by used buyers who presume they're out of reach in terms of both purchase price and running costs. However, the 520d is surprisingly frugal and servicing costs aren't as scary as many think. There are always plenty of good examples available and it's worth seeking out those with full BMW main dealer service history, as this helps with desirability and value come resale time. In true BMW style, the chassis is great, particularly in its sporty M Sport guise, and if it's boot space you're after, consider the Touring estate versions. Of all the 520d M Sport models we checked last year, 24.97% had been previously written-off, 10.81% were still on finance and none were listed as stolen."

As to market trends, Amos said: "The used market traditionally slows in February as dealers are busy preparing for the new plate in March. As a result, there are great deals to be had. If you find something you like, we suggest opening with a cheeky offer. The dealer might just be keen to free up forecourt space to display his new part-exchange intake."

On the motorbike, scooter and moped sector, My Car Check'sMark Fieldsaid:"Equally at home on the road or the track, the 2005 Kawasaki ZX6R was the first Ninja to switch to Showa suspension. It came with petal discs, a slipper clutch and lap timer as standard, and had a great engine making 115bhp at the rear wheel. The extra 36cc made a big difference to the midrange performance but do your homework as many carry battle scars. Of all theKawasaki Zx6models we checked last year, 19.58% had been previously written-off."

As to market trends,Fieldsaid: "With spring just around the corner, the new plate in March and some fantastic PCP finance offers, dealers tell us that footfall and enquiry levels are starting to increase. As such, we expect both new and used bike sales to really pick up over the next few weeks."

With information from the police, DVLA, insurers and finance houses, My Car Check holds comprehensive data on every vehicle on UK roads - things 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 and Tesco.