The car market is a very useful barometer of the general financial situation. For years now people have been bleating about the cost of living etc, and when you look at how much car you can get for loose change and how much more ordinary people spend as a matter of routine it just doesn't stack up. This is in sharp contrast with the 1980s when a £500 car was generally a rat that would need several days of work every year to get through the MoT. £500 cars were sought after back then because that was frequently all the money that people had, not so now. £500 is now 2 months' lease for a great number of people. How many continue with this when the bils start going up remains to be seen. Me? I'll carry on doing 18000 miles a year in a car that cost under £3k, 2 years ago.Yes, the car market will certainly be an interesting one to watch.