FLEETS will rush to launch partnerships with well-established internet disposal companies to sell their cars in a drive to push up used prices, leading analysts are predicting. The move is a landmark in the acceptance of the internet among fleets, which have been reluctant to investigate the benefits of web-based selling.

The changes are still a few years away, but once here, they could radically alter the way fleets dispose of their vehicles, according to market analyst Datamonitor, particularly as 35% of retail buyers could be using the internet in the buying process in future. According to Datamonitor's latest report, 'Surfing the Used Car Wave: Internet Remarketing 2000', revealed at the Fleet Show last week, the British market will follow the widespread acceptance of the internet in the United States, particularly because of the savings it promises in administration costs.

Zafar Currimbhoy, automotive consultant for Datamonitor, said: 'The exponential growth of the internet guarantees a large customer base. As business shifts from offline to online, companies will be well advised to secure their place on this expanding circle of opportunity. The used car market has been the subject of considerable research in the past five years, as companies realise the value of analysing, interpreting and predicting residual values.'