25 percent Decline in New Cars
The economic crisis is clearing be felt in Finnish car-sales. According to Statistics Finland, registration of new cars has fallen by a quarter since this time last year.
In July 2011, 7316 new passenger cars were registered compared to just 6443 this July. According to Statistics Finland, there has been a decline in the registration of all kinds of new motor vehicles in Finland over the last year, but the decline in the registration of new cars is by far the steepest.
It seems that, with everyone tightening their belts, the old car is indeed made to last longer or replaced by one that is second-hand.
I wonder if/when the Finnish government will realise they are taxing the country into the ground?? So that is 25% less of the illegal (as per EU laws) car tax that they will now collect…
I once read that /before tax/, Finland had the cheapest base price for new cars in the EU, and that the UK had the highest. If was the reason why so many Russians would buy their new cars in Finland – they would then get the tax back. When I lived near Lahti, you used to see lots of car transporters on Valtatie 12 heading to Russia. From 2010, they virtually stopped.