Awash with second hand cars?

Hi All,

I suspect this topic could encourage all sorts of reactions or views however I'll throw it out there.
I would like to add that while an avid follower of cars, I don't know each and every version. I keep my eye on particular types of cars that tickle my fancy and ordinarily, this would not include the likes of what may be regarded as "standard fare" cars such as fiestas (are they made any more?!), micras, focus, golf, 1 series and such likes. They are all lovely in their own right, however not for me.

I'm rambling - my reasonably educated but not critically studied evaluation seems to lead me to me think that the country is awash with used cars (main dealers, not so main dealers and private sellers) however there appears to be an overall lack of appetite to shift on what can only generally be described as a depreciating asset.

I've followed numerous car types over the years and literally, some remain for sale, for that period. While I'm not encouraging businesses to take a hit on all sales (there would be no business as a result) but in car sales, a quick turnaround and freeing up of cash, surely is the way forward. I have always felt that unless competitively priced, a lot of cars sit for far too long a period (sometimes for at least 12 months+) until a sale is achieved.

Are dealers/sellers trying to ensure there is no dramatic reduction of value in the market perhaps? Is there some "hope" value discouraging active selling? I just grapple sometimes with the idea of why forecourts and perhaps fields (somewhat ignoring private sales here) seem to retain a huge stock of used cars for such a long period? Surely it can't pay.

P.S. I'm not someone who has been refused multiple times after a bout of low ball offers therefore encouraging such a post and/or rant - I'm just following cars that seem to sit, and sit and sit some more without much by way of reducing prices or movement off the "for sale" grid, generally.

Would be interested in others thoughts.

Cheers