The volume would actually revert to 2011-2012 levels in the months without an operational clunkers program.
“The local auto market saw a significant decline in the first half of April, both compared with the previous month and with last April. The decline is rather steep, but normal under the circumstances,” said Cristian Milea chairman of the Automotive Manufacturers and Importers Association (APIA) in Romania.
On the other hand, new car registrations in Romania are also affected by the fact that they first go through temporary registration (the license plates the car is delivered with) and then get their permanent registration within 30 to 90 days.
“We can’t compare with the European trend one to one because we are analyzing a month that is already fueled by registration of cars sold up to 90 days ago. On the other hand, as long as the law allows up to 90 days for the permanent registrations, there’s no reason why some should go do that now.”
Cristian Milea says the association lobbied the government and had car market regulations included in the Military Ordinance 8, so now people know they can go to dealers to buy a new car or have their cars fixed.
There are no short-term projections, no plans or short-term budgets and cannot be done, the APIA official said.
The auto market got a big help from the transformation of the `Rabla’ clunkers program into an online program, allowing people to submit the necessary papers online. There are contracts in progress, cars are being delivered, car service shops are working, Cristian Milea added.
(English version by Loredana Fratila-Cristescu)