This weekend, car salesmen around America have donned wigs and beards in a bid to tempt reluctant buyers back into dealerships for Presidents' Day sales.
The long weekend traditionally kicks off the industry's spring buying season, and General Motors, Honda and Toyota are among the carmakers offering aggressive sales and marketing promotions.
As they do, carmakers and dealers are seizing on a rare positive indicator: the used-car market is reviving. Prices and volumes of used vehicles have been rising in the US and major West European markets since the end of last year.
“The used-car market has come roaring back,” Jim Farley, Ford Motor's head of marketing, said last week. “That shows that there is some credit availability out there.”
The trend, if it continues, would be welcome news for both carmakers suffering massive drops in demand and financially endangered dealer groups, many of which have been selling new vehicles at little or no profit, but can earn better margins on used ones.
“It's a glimmer of hope for the industry,” says Jesse Toprak, senior analyst with Ed- , the US car buying website.
After suffering their largest monthly decline ever in October, average wholesale prices for used vehicles in the US, the world's largest car market, rose in November and December and were up another 3 per cent in January, according to Adesa, one of America's biggest vehicle auction houses.
In the UK, where the value of the average used car fell by 20 per cent last year, wholesale prices have climbed about 5 per cent this year, according to Glass's Guide, which follows used-car valuations.
“Immediately after Christmas, consumers started appearing in significant numbers,” Adrian Rushmore, Glass's Guide's managing editor, said. “Retail demand for used cars picked up and has continued since.”
参考译文：
上周末，为了总统日(Presidents' Day)的销售，美国各地的汽车销售人员纷纷戴上假发假须，以吸引不情愿的买家回到经销店。
这个长周末传统上会拉开美国汽车业新春购买季的序幕，通用汽车(General Motors)、本田(Honda)和丰田(Toyota)等汽车厂商都推出了积极的市场促销举措。
它们这样做的时候，汽车制造商和经销商都捕捉到了一个罕有的积极信号：二手车市场正在复苏。自去年末以来，美国和主要西欧市场二手车的价格和销量都在不断上升。
福特汽车(Ford Motor)市场营销负责人吉姆•法莱(Jim Farley)上周表示：“二手车市场已迅速回暖。这表明，市场上存在一些可用信贷。”
对于遭受需求大幅下降的汽车制造商和陷入财务困境的经销商集团来说，如果这一趋势得以继续下去将是一个受欢迎的信号。许多经销商销售新车只有微薄的利润或是根本无利可图，而销售二手车的利润要高一些。
美国汽车购买网站的高级分析师杰西•托普拉克(Jesse Toprak)表示：“这给汽车业带来了一点希望之光。”
美国最大汽车拍卖行之一Adesa的数据显示，自去年10月份遭遇了历史上最大月度降幅后，美国二手车批发均价在随后两月均有所回升，在今年1月又上涨了3%。
在英国，追踪二手车价值的Glass's Guide称，该国去年二手车价值平均下降了20%，但今年以来，批发价格已上升了约5%。
Glass's Guide总编辑阿德里安•拉什莫(Adrian Rushmore)表示：“圣诞节刚过，消费者就开始大量涌现。二手车零售需求有所上升，而且一直持续至今。”
（转载）
