Mycarcheck.com market guide: April 2017

Dealers report strong new and used car sales but bike sales down on last year

• Used car of the month:Nissan Qashqai

• Used bike of the month:Aprilia RSV1000 R Factory

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 managerat mycarcheck.com, Jon Wheeler,said:"Well-built with plenty of space and a comfortable driving position, the Nissan Qashqai makes a great family car. There are engine options and specifications to suit most budgets, but our choice would be the smooth and efficient 1.5 diesel. There's no shortage of these in the used market, so seek out one with full service history and always perform a history check.Of all theQashqaimodels we checked last year, a better than average 10.1% had been previously written-off, but a higher than average 21.6% were on finance."

As to market trends,Wheelersaid: "Dealers continue to report strong used car sales, while new sales were helped by buyers looking to get in ahead of the Vehicle Excise Duty (VED) change on 1 April. For those still in the market for a brand new model, we suggest enquiring whether the dealer has any registered before the changeover date. There's no harm in asking and you could save on both the purchase price and future road tax bills."

On the motorbike, scooter and moped sector, mycarcheck.com's Mark Fieldsaid:"Adorned with exotic components, the Aprilia RSV 1000 R Factory (2004-2010) is temptingly affordable as a used option. Ok, you can expect to pay upwards of £4,000 for a tidy example, but in return you get a 60-degree magnesium V twin engine, Ohlins suspension front and rear, forged aluminium wheels and carbon fiber fairing covers. As always, full service history is highly desirable and keep an eye out for any electrical issues. Of all the Aprilia RSVmodels we checked last year, a surprisingly low 7.6% had been previously written-off, while a not insignificant 6.8% were on finance."

As to market trends,Fieldsaid: "The latest new bike sales figures were disappointing, with total registrations down 14.9% compared to the same point last year. The only sector showing a small increase is the over 1000cc category. The good news is the evenings are getting lighter and there are plenty of great new and used bikes around, many on very attractive PCP finance deals. Dealers will be hoping for a prolonged spell of sunny weather to generate interest and sales."

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.