With final new-car sales numbers for 2012 rolling in, Black Book’s Ricky Beggs took a look at how these high numbers will affect wholesale auction activity.

As the managing editor shared in his latest “Beggs on the Used-Car Market” video report, new sales are reported to have come at 14.49 million, marking a 13-percent increase year-over-year.

And what impact will this have in the lanes?

“Maybe the interest and level of new sales was the major driver holding back the used wholesale activity of the most recent week. More new sales equals more trade-ins, which equals less additional sourcing for used inventory,” Beggs explained.

The editor said that most auctions Black Book attended and received reports from this past week had “low consignment and conversion percentages” that had fallen off from previous weeks.  

On the other hand, Beggs noted it was interesting that “this week definitely had stronger actual dealer presence on the lanes.”

But even though the consignment was reduced, perhaps as a result of strong new-vehicle sales in December, the need for adjustments was still pretty strong, with an average of just over 2,110 vehicle changes each day throughout the past week, Beggs noted.

“One significant difference was the number of adjustments that were increases,” he added.

The number of price increases is decreasing — a trend Beggs says is more in line with the season.

Offering another take on the recent unseasonably strong wholesale prices seen this past month, ADESA company economist Tom Kontos noted in the December “Kontos Kommentary” newsletter that Superstorm Sandy may have played a role in these high rates.

“Some residual effects of Superstorm Sandy may be evident in the relatively strong wholesale prices seen during December, with average prices rising by over three percent relative to November,” Kontos said.

“Moreover, December has been a seasonally stronger month than November in recent years, notwithstanding, or perhaps because of, the tendency of some consignors to hold cars during the month.  Those consignors who chose to sell rather than hold were rewarded with stronger prices, as well as capitalizing on the time value of money,’” he added.

With the previous six weeks showing anywhere from 31 percent up to 50 percent of the adjustments being increases, the 25 percent level this past week “is more in line with the levels seen from last October to the early part of November prior to the market being driven up due to the demand for cars in the northeast portion of the country,” Beggs said.

And with few increases, only two of the 24 segments Black Book tracks showed positive changes overall — the full-size cargo and passenger vans, rising $17 and $14, respectively.

“These two have shown strength now for the past 4 weeks,” Beggs added.

Meanwhile, only three truck segments, the compact pickups, the midsize pickups and the cargo minivan;  and two car segments, the upper midsize cars and the premium luxury cars, resulted in softer markets or larger than normal  percent changes this past week, according to Beggs.

The full video report can be viewed below: