A REPRESENTATIVE of the ‘Motor Dealers’ Association’ has now come up with the statement that the ‘commercial’ import of second - hand cars would bring their prices down. Not too long ago these same dealers had led the government to believe that allowing the import of second - hand cars would bring the prices of domestically - produced cars down. Nothing of the sort happened.

The situation now is that whenever local manufacturers increase prices -- which is, of course, frequently -- the prices of second - hand cars, in some cases five or six years old, rise to match them and even go beyond.

New cars can at least give the comfort of warranties, which these second - hand cars, masking indifferent quality behind fancy names and attractive colours, cannot. These ‘inducements’ by car dealers always benefit them in the end and never the consumer.

SARDAR IKRAMULLAH Karachi