Vehicle auctioneer Manheim has recorded its best-ever sales week, selling 9,000 used vehicles across its 17 sites.

The week of 7-11 January, inclusive, was the company’s best in 92 years of trading with sites at Saltash, Wimbledon, Leeds and Colchester breaking sales records. Leeds, Colchester and Bristol each recorded more than 1,000 sales.

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John Bailey, chief executive at Manheim also predicted total January sales would be 5,000 ahead of the same month in 2012, which he took as "a positive sign that the market is showing good recovery and growth".

However, the results are slightly at odds with those tracked by vehicle valuation firm CAP, which reported a slower uptake of used cars at the start of January than should be expected; only picking up in the second half of the month.

The figures follow those of British Car Auctions, which has reported average used car prices at auction reaching a record annual high in 2012.

Further figures

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Manheim also reported the volume of cars coming to auction was up by almost 60% year-on-year for the week 2-9 January, inclusive. The same week, the number of auctions was up by nearly 20%, each with a third more vehicles available than at the same time the previous year.

Conversion rates are also up, according to Manheim, with stock sold up by approximately 80% year-on-year.

Web-auction statistics were also positive for the company including year-to-date online sales volume doubled, year-on-year, a 53% increase in those logging on to its Simulcast auctions, and each sale recording around 30% more online bidders. One-in-four vehicles for sale year-to-date have received an online bid.

Further BCA auction data will be published in the February issue of Motor Finance magazine.