Over 2012 the growth in car sales will not exceed 10% and will be almost the same over the year to come. The growth in demand for cars is restrained by expensive loans and demanding requirements to borrowers.

The optimistic projections by car importers and dealers of the growth in car sales over 2012 to 260 ths. new cars are, as it seems, unlikely to come true. Absence of stable economic growth, increase in car lending rates, devaluation expectations, - altogether they influenced the activity of buyers. Car dealers admit: a car is not a purchase of prime necessity and many car owners are ready to postpone a new car purchase “until things are better”. What will the car sales over 2012 and 2013 be like? What will the result of the special investigation into activities of car importers be? What to expect fr om the story of mutual implementation of ecological dues by Russia and Ukraine? What changes will the car loan prices undergo? These questions were answered by the car and financial market experts during the round table discussion organised by “Dengi” magazine.

Maxim Mironenko, Head of Retail Products Development Department of FUIB:

“According to our information, each month car loans are granted for purchase of 3700-3800 cars. Which means, people do buy cars. The car lending rates in August did not reflect the real growth in deposit rates: the cost of car loans is growing, through their growth rate is lower than the one of the price for deposits. This means that banks cut their margin in order not to suspend their lending activity. We observe the situation, wh ere there is no directed trend for growth or decline in rates, thus we are moving towards variable rates. It is especially true for long-term lending for 5-7 years. This autumn and next year the partner programmes between banks and car dealers, car showrooms and insurance companies will become popular. Either an importer or dealer will be able to finance partially the deal.”

Full article about the results of the round table meeting is available in “Dengi” magazine No 18 dd. 27.09.12.