Dealer numbers keep climbing

The number of dealers in New Zealand increased by 26 during July to reach 3,122 at the end of the month, according to figures released by the Motor Vehicle Traders Register (MVTR).

It is the second consecutive monthly increase after there was an extra 35 registered traders in June.

The rising numbers come despite concern about how the economy will cope in the wake of the coronavirus pandemic.

However, the figure at the end of July is still 97 fewer dealers than at the start of 2020 when 3,219 were registered. 

Up until the past two months, dealer numbers have mostly been dropping since hitting a peak of 3,536 in November 2017.

The MVTR holds essential information about registered traders and their businesses. It is operated by Trading Standards, a business unit of the Ministry of Business, Innovation and Employment.