Mycarcheck.com market guide: August 2017

Great time to grab a bargain used car butnew bike sales still plummeting

• Used car of the month:Land Rover Discovery 4

• Used bike of the month:BMW R Nine T

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

Vehicle valuation manager at mycarcheck.com, Jon Wheeler, said:"With enough space for the kids, the dog and the weekly shop, the Land Rover Discovery 4 ticks all the boxes as a go-anywhere family car. It was subject to many upgrades from the previous model, notably an improved interior, better driving dynamics and a larger capacity 3.0 litre diesel engine, which is cleaner, more frugal and brought some welcome extra power. Repair costs can be expensive though, so it is well worth seeking out an example with full service history. Of all the Discovery models we've checked so far in 2017, a very low 6.97% were previously written-off, a higher than average 15% were on finance and 0.62% were stolen."

As to market trends,Wheelersaid: "With the new 67 registration plate released at the start of September, the focus for most dealerships is predominantly on new vehicle sales. The happy byproduct of this will be an influx of trade-ins and plenty of good quality used cars coming into the market. For secondhand car buyers now can be a great time to grab a bargain as dealers will be looking to turnover their stock quickly to make room for new acquisitions."

On the motorbike, scooter and moped sector, mycarcheck.com's Mark Field said:"BMW's R Nine T takes the look and appeal of a retro classic and brings it bang up to date with a superb level of equipment and build quality. Rider aids are limited to just ABS, but the R Nine T is loaded with exotic parts - Brembo brakes, Akrapovic exhaust and S1000RR forks - and it handles brilliantly. The 1170cc air-cooled boxer engine is perfect for this bike with 110hp and loads of torque. Coupled with the Akropovic exhaust, it produces a wonderful sound and the spoked wheels are a great finishing touch. Expect to pay somewhere in the region of £8,500 to £9,500 for a good used example and check before you buy because, of all the BMW R Nine T models we've checked so far this year, a much higher than average percentage were previously written-off."

As to market trends,Fieldsaid: "It is hard to put a brave face on the sorry state of the new bike market. New registrations continue to decrease month on month compared to last year and it is the smaller capacity, entry-level bikes that are struggling most. The only crumb of comfort is the growth in 650cc and 1000cc sectors, but these are to seasoned bikers at a time when you would think smaller capacity bikes would be a tempting and economical choice for the next generation. By contrast, dealers report that used bike sales are up on this time last year. With new sales so slow, the biggest issue facing the used motorcycle market is the availability of good quality stock."

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.