Used-market experts at CAP have backed comments from rival price guide Glass's which last week said supply of nearly new cars was well down on the same time last year (Fleet News May 31). The situation is a direct result of the leading manufacturers' new year promises to restrict supply into the fast-churn sectors of the fleet market in a bid to stamp out disorderly marketing and strengthen residual values.

CAP editorial director Andrew Wilkinson said although smaller manufacturers had come into the market to fill the gap, overall numbers were down and prices were up. His view differs from Glass's cars editor Arnie Fenn, who concluded that the wider variety of ex-rental nearly new stock available would automatically level out prices.

In the June edition of Black Book, Wilkinson said new models like the Vauxhall Vectra and Ford Fiesta were commanding sky high prices because output had been so carefully controlled. And he added that there is unlikely to be any change in the ex-rental situation over the coming months.