An average citizen of Serbia, who intends to buy a car in the next two years, is a man, less than 30, having his family, an advanced or high education and the income exceeding 32 thousand Dinars. He would take out 6 – 10 thousand Euros for a new car and 2 – 4 thousand for a used one. If you do not fit this image, do not be desperate. Perhaps you already have got a good enough car or you do not want to be ‘average’ anyway.

This is just a part of the February research ‘The Car Market in Serbia in 2008’, performed by the market and public opinion research company Synovate and the magazine Vrele Gume (Hot Tires). The other interesting, and for the manufacturers and sellers also useful results of a telephone poll, performed on a representative sample of 600 citizens, at the age between 18 and 65, followed. The results were presented within the BG CAR SHOW 02 event.

From the total of 73% households in Serbia having a car, more than a half, more precisely 52%, drive a car older than 15 years. The average car age is 14 years, whereas slightly better averages have got the vehicles from the region of Vojvodina and Belgrade.

The poll showed that one third of the car owners in Serbia drive a Zastava (31%), then an Opel with 16%, i.e. Volkswagen with 18 percent. Much less people, in percentage – 7% each, own a Lada, Fiat and Renault. The most represented Zastava car model is Yugo Coral, Opel Kadett and the most driven Volkswagen car is Golf.

27% of the poll participants think of buying a car in the following two years. Almost a half of them, or 47%, will probably decide to buy a used one, 39% wish a new one and the remaining ones have not decided yet. According to the plans, the car structure by the names will be changed in two years, since 18% of them wanted to buy a Volkswagen model, 15% wish an Opel, and ten percent would decide for a Peugeot.

It is interesting that, while deciding for a car type, the most poll participants said, ‘it meant personally to them a lot to drive just that car.’ The option ‘it shows my character’ takes the second place, the third one ‘a modern design’, whereas the characteristic ‘convenient for the city driving’ takes the fourth place.

German manufacturers have got the most pointed out image among the prospect car buyers in Serbia.

Most people see Mercedes as a high quality and long lasting car with tradition, being more advanced that the others and failing very rarely. The facts that this manufacturer’s not just perfect image is shown by the fact that very few people see Mercedes as an attractive looking car or the one convenient for city driving.

Just the convenience for the city driving is the most focused characteristic of Volkswagen cars, the prospect buyers are convinced and they also like the fact that it is a family car. These cars are rarely driven by the people who want to be characterized as people having style and those looking for excitement in the drive.