August 2022 New Car Wait Times: Part 2

In the first part of our monthly analysis of new car wait times, we detailed the makes and models with the longest wait times, as well as the state of play across the broader market, with the average wait time increasing two days to 159 days at the end of August.

We will now shift our attention to wait times across the different states and territories around the country, as well as the makes and models with the shortest wait times right now. Without further ado, here are the rest of August’s observations.

Wait times across the country

The average wait time for a new car in the Northern Territory is almost 300 days, which stems from the fact that stock has largely been diverted to primary markets in other regions of the country, and the logistical bottlenecks in terms of stock making its way out to the remote region.

On the other hand, South Australia recorded a slight improvement in terms of reducing delays, but the wait there is still 172 days, or almost 6 months. The situation has also gotten better for the likes of Western Australia, where some stock has become more accessible across the local marketplace.

Victoria also recorded a surprising improvement throughout August, with the average wait time decreasing by 9 days to a total of 150 days, or approximately 5 months.

While a few regions saw improvements, it was the deteriorating situation in some of the other markets that ultimately skewed the national average and pushed it towards a record high. Wait times in New South Wales and Queensland both increased by 5 days and 13 days respectively, with new car buyers in each market staring at a delivery time of more than 5 months.   

Further delays also crept in across Tasmania and the Australian Capital Territory, with the former hit particularly hard, albeit the numbers for these regions tend to be more volatile on account of the smaller size of each market. 

Makes and models with the shortest wait times

No two ways about it, the brand with the shortest wait time across the country remains French auto-maker Renault, which has maintained an average delivery time of just 27 days. 

That is on par with pre-pandemic wait times, which gives you an indication that the brand’s local supply chain remains the least affected of any other brand across the market.

It’s worth pointing out at this time that particular models from other manufacturers may have a comparable wait time as Renault - for example, the Mercedes-Benz GLC - but this figure is derived across its entire line-up. Considering the year started with a 145 day wait for a Renault car, its improvements have been rapid despite the significant headwinds plaguing the industry. 

Meanwhile, M.G. was able to cut its wait times by a further 8 days last month, which means the average wait time across its stable is now just 51 days. 

Given the issues that have affected supply chains in and around China, the fact that the company has been able to continuously source stock without a real blow-out in delays is a credit to its operational efficiencies, and tells you significant stock is landing down under to keep up with elevated demand. 

It’s a not too dissimilar story for GWM, although it contends with less demand than its main peer at this point in time, so managing stock has come a little easier for management.  

Volvo and Skoda round out the top 5 most accessible brands, with average wait times of 58 days and 60 days respectively, with Haval and Suzuki dislodged from the top places.

We’ll have to see whether it can be maintained, but the Jeep Cherokee has Australia’s shortest wait time of any car on sale today, at just 11 days, however, this is more likely to be attributable to recent stock arriving down under, especially with the new Grand Cherokee model pushed back until 2023.

Meanwhile, the Renault Koleos and M.G. 3 have become mainstays in terms of being two of the most accessible new cars on the market. Each model saw further improvement last month, with wait times now both sitting under a month at 25 days and 27 days respectively.

They are joined by the Mercedes-Benz GLC and Suzuki Vitara as other models with an average wait time of less than one month, indicating comfortable supply is available for new car buyers at this point in time. 

Beyond the top 5, the likes of the BMW 3 Series, Hyundai Santa Fe, and Suzuki Swift are in close proximity, with comparable wait times, give or take a few days.

The biggest improvements in terms of supply chain last month have come from none other than RAM, wait times down 44%, and Audi, where supply improved by 34%. They are not alone, however, as M.G., GWM, Kia, and Subaru all recorded a double-digit improvement in terms of reducing delays.

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