The number of cars bought using finance is falling, according to a report from automotive research specialist MFBI.
It said of the 8.96 million new or used cars bought by private motorists in 2003, only 23% were bought using some kind of retail finance.
This represented a 6% fall in retail finance sales, against a 21% growth in the new and used car markets over the past four years, said the company.
The biggest decline in retail finance sales was in the used car market, said MFBI.
