agent Entrepreneur logo
MenuMENU
SearchSEARCH

Used-Vehicle Market Tight

November Cox Auto numbers show demand outpaced supply.

December 18, 2023
Used-Vehicle Market Tight

Used-vehicle inventory has hovered around a relatively tight 2.3 million for a while, Cox says.

IMAGE: Pexels/Andreas

1 min to read


Used-car inventory rose in November while days’ supply fell, Cox Automotive said, showing that sales growth exceeded replenished stock numbers.

Used sales have been brisk since pandemic-era supply-chain issues, coupled with consumer demand, squeezed new-vehicle inventories and prices.

Ad Loading...

Inventory ended the month at 2.36 million units, up 2.4% month-over-month but flat year-over-year, while days supply fell from 53 to 52; it was 56 a year earlier. Average mileage at sale was 70,368, flat month-over-month.

Despite the inventory decrease, used prices extended a nearly continuous fall from their March peak to an average listing price of just over $26,000, down both month-over-month and year-over-year, Cox said. That reflected a 2% month-over-month seasonally adjusted wholesale value drop – nearly 6% year-over-year.

Cox called the used market “relatively balanced.”

“It has been stuck in the 2.2 million to 2.3 million range for some time now, which is generally considered tight,” said Senior Manager of Economic and Industry Insights Chris Frey in a statement.

Used-vehicle sales are on pace to end the year at almost 19 million units, Cox predicts, under 2022’s result by 100,000 units.

Ad Loading...

Originally posted on Auto Dealer Today

More Industry

Two white men's shaking hands
Industry•October 15, 2026

Penske Auto Group Deal a Record

The deal to take the dealership and transportation services company private sets a new pace for industry buy-sell transactions.

Read More →
Rows of cars parked in exterior lot
Industry•by Hannah Mitchell•October 8, 2026

War Toll a Damper on Used Auto Prices

Cox Automotive found wholesale depreciation to be elevated in September amid high fuel prices and this year's unusual hurricane season.

Read More →
Mechanic cleaning interior of engine
Industry•by Lauren Lawrence•October 8, 2026

Bridge the Maintenance Gap

With many drivers missing recommended maintenance, service departments offering transparency and efficiency have a better chance of reaching financially strained consumers.

Read More →
Ad Loading...
Ford F-150 truck rounding a curve
Industry•by Hannah Mitchell•October 1, 2026

California Store Has New Owner

The longtime dealership in the northern part of the state is known for robust fleet sales and has served the state capital for 115 years.

Read More →
crane lowering a pipeline into the ground
Industry•by Lauren Lawrence•October 1, 2026

BMW Plant Pursues Cleaner Energy

BMW Group Plant Leipzig has utilized hydrogen to help power its production since 2013, but a new pipeline is planned to take it to another level.

Read More →
Two dodge cars outside of dealership.
Industry•by Lauren Lawrence•September 17, 2026

Auto Affordability Inches Up

The latest Cox Automotive and Moody’s Analytics index shows a slight increase in new-vehicle affordability despite high prices.

Read More →
Ad Loading...
Five men smiling for photo in front of Honda car dealership.
Industry•by Lauren Lawrence•September 10, 2026

Ohio Auto Group Under New Ownership

After 79 years with the Schluter family, Mansfield Auto Group has been acquired by Missouri-based Clement Auto Group.

Read More →
Blue and white RV parked on beach facing the ocean.
Industry•by Lauren Lawrence•September 3, 2026

RV Group Expands Carolina Footprint

Blue Compass RV Columbia Northeast is the 13th RV dealership owned by Blue Compass in the Carolinas.

Read More →
Photo of two men and one woman on a discussion panel
Industry•by Hannah Mitchell•September 1, 2026

Agent Acumen

An Agent Summit panel of people who’ve been supporting auto dealers for years gave both timely and timeless advice for those starting out or mulling the prospect.

Read More →
Ad Loading...
Gloved hand holding two wrenches next to “Turn Overdue into Opportunity” Graphic
Industry•by Lauren Lawrence•August 27, 2026

Missed Maintenance Creates Opportunity

As families get back on the road and into daily school routines, service drives have an opportunity to capture customers who are behind on recommended vehicle maintenance.

Read More →
Ad Loading...