The latest survey of the prices of used cars sold on leboncoin reflects the current price stagnation, after two years of wild increases: +30% for petrol and hybrids, +60% for electric cars.
In this period of high inflation, it is rather good news: the prices of used cars have stopped rising. But if they are no longer climbing, they remain at very high levels.
In March, for the third consecutive month, the prices of used vehicles “reached a ceiling and stabilized”, notes the last price survey carried out on leboncoin, number one in France on sales between individuals and on which are many professionals are also present.
A ceiling price?
After two years of strong growth, +30% since the beginning of 2021, the platform has noted a stable average price in recent months, of 11,260 euros for a car sold by an individual and 23,300 euros by a professional.
Regarding the prices displayed on the ads posted online, there are strong variations depending on the engine. Hybrids, of all types, peak at 34,165 euros on average (+31% since the start of 2021), ahead of 100% electric at 32,046 euros (+61% over two years, but slightly down on the start of 2023) .
The bulk of the market, with more than 9 out of 10 transactions in France, remains at lower levels but still historically high: 18,124 euros for petrol models (+31% over two years), 13,786 euros for Diesel.
“In a context of very strong demand for used vehicles, and a supply that remains 30% lower compared to 2019, the limit of what the French are willing to pay for a used car seems to have been reached. : this largely explains the drop in prices over the past 3 months”, explains Olivier Flavier, vice-president Mobility at leboncoin, quoted in the press release.
The platform also notes a stabilization of prices for all age groups, which is particularly found on recent vehicles less than two years old, at 29,756 euros in the first quarter of 2023. But these models are all the more rare on second-hand as the new market has collapsed since 2020.
Market aging
The average price of ads for cars aged between 2 and 5 years has increased by almost 2,000 euros compared to the last quarter of 2022, to stand at 27,388 euros. Inflation is even higher for models between 5 and 8 years old, +33% over two years at 21,636 euros.
Finally, vehicles over 8 years old are displayed on their side at 8876 euros, +26% over two years and all the same 9% increase compared to the level of the end of 2021. But the category remains quite vast since it incorporates Crit’Air 1 petrol (all models, including hybrids, sold since January 2011), Crit’Air 2 Diesel (all those also sold since January 2012)… and all the rest of the market.
In the last Autoscout24 February barometer, the only category to progress in terms of volume and market share was that of vehicles… 16 years and older. Vehicles which overall are classified at best Crit’Air 3 in gasoline and Crit’Air 4 in Diesel.
In a second-hand market down 6.6% since the start of the year, this category of 16-year-olds and over accounted for nearly one in four transactions in February.
