Remember that phrase "soft landing"? It was one that was invented right here in Ireland about a year ago. You don't hear it much anymore though, mainly because it is a makey-upy word without true meaning.

The soft landing idea was one seized upon by various vested interests who knew they were facing financial meltdown as the pyramid scheme that has been the Irish economy finally collapsed. Soft landing meant that house prices would "slow" and "readjust", that spending would gently level off and that job creation would slow down.

It was as obvious then as it is now that no such nonsense would occur and if it did that Ireland would present a truly unique economic phenomenon in the history of the world. Some ostriches are still bleating on about talking up and talking down, but as anybody who knows anything about economics will tell you it is the fundamentals that really count.

In the motor trade recently we had another invention along the lines of the aforementioned soft landing, this time in the shape of changes to the way cars are taxed in this country. As many of you will be aware the VRT and road tax system changed at the beginning of this month to reflect the CO2 output of cars.

Many motor dealers had been saying that the disastrous sales figures for the first half of the year were due to people holding off on purchasing a new car until the new regime came into place. In fairness this was probably true for a small number of customers, but fundamentally it would never answer all the problems being faced by the motor trade, and so, in a bleedin-obvious type of way it has come to pass.

It is not all bad news though, especially for you, the customer. For the first time in over a decade we have a buyer's market. In used cars especially there will be very good deals to be had. There are dealers up and down the land whose yards are bulging with used cars they cannot shift, so get in there and hammer out a deal.

By the way the changes in VRT and motor tax wont affect the cost of used cars at all, the new regime only affects cars registered after the first of this month.

Of course nothing concentrates the mind of a businessman like having to fight to the death for customers and that is what car dealers will have to do. They are also unfairly handicapped by the ridiculous, and uncompetitive VRT tax that is imposed upon them by the Irish government. It is surely time for this to be scrapped altogether unless the Government wants a glut of dodgy UK imports on the roads of Ireland, that will do wonders for road safety.

The current difficulties will eventually subside and we will be left with a leaner motor industry. One that is more conscious of value as a mechanism for attracting customers and customers who demand more value for money. Surely that's not such a bad thing.

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