Used car prices are now nearly 50% higher than they were just before the onset of the pandemic in January 2020, according to a new report by online marketplace, DoneDeal.ie.
The research says the spike has been caused by a combination of the pandemic hitting supplies of new cars, as well as Brexit-induced trade barriers.
The situation has been made worse by strong demand driven by the growth in household savings during the pandemic. The analysis, by Trinity College Dublin and National University of Ireland Galway economist Dr Tom Gillespie, finds that in the three months since June used car prices have increased by 10.6%.