AUCTION halls will see a subdued start to the new year, unlike the more upbeat starts to recent years.

With no predictions of the trade buying frenzy which happened in 2003 and 2004 because of a flat retail market, the beginning of 2006 will instead see bidding on stock carried over from 2005, according to used vehicle expert EurotaxGlass’s.

And with the only new arrivals being trade-ins from the dealer network, there will be reduced interest.

It will not be until March and the plate change that the market will see a significant injection of decent stock. However, prices are predicted to remain fairly stable during the start of the year.

Adrian Rushmore, managing editor at Glass’s, said: ‘The general expectation from the auctions was that buying patterns would change little in the run-up to Christmas and that prices would bump along the bottom.

‘The auctions expect that prices will improve in January – but not significantly. No-one is predicting the trade buying frenzy seen at the beginning of 2003 and 2004 and this is simply because the retail market is expected to be much more subdued.’