The second-hand car market in the city, which underwent a slump due to the car boom in the small car segment, is back on track again following the laws of economics, selling more at lesser prices.

In fact, the advent of several new small cars in the market and on the roads, has boosted the second-hand car market, car dealers at the Sunday car bazar point out. With the car companies slashing prices in the face of competition from new entrants, prices of old cars too have gone down ``and that creates an opportunity for more and more people to own cars,'' says Jaspal Singh Ruby, who deals exclusively in used cars.

Amit Jhulka, another car dealer says, ``when people see these new cars on the road they want to buy a car. Anybody with money enough to buy a two-wheeler does at some point think of buying a car instead.''

From a 1985 Fiat going for as less as about Rs 15,000 to a 1998 model Ceilo for about Rs 3.25 lakh, the market has a lot to offer. There are two types of buyers who prefer used cars to new ones, explains a car dealer. Those who have money to buy a new car but decide to buy a sparingly used car of a better or more expensive make, and those who have enough money to buy a two-wheeler but not a new car.

The Maruti 800 and the Maruti Zen, second-hand car dealers add, remain the best-sellers. While, a new Maruti 800 is available for about Rs 1.8 lakh, a six-month old, sparingly used one, is available at Rs 20,000 or so less. Similarly, says a car dealer, while a new Zen costs Rs 2.85 lakh or so, an-year-and-half old vehicle is available at over Rs 50,000 less.

``The Zen is in maximum demand,'' says Rajinder Kumar, business partner of Satpal Gupta, President, Car Dealers' Association, Chandigarh. ``A man who wants to buy a Maruti Deluxe can buy a Zen in great condition with the same kind of money,'' says Ruby. With more cars selling, the dealers are only too happy. ``As for the fall in prices, we have raised our commission from Rs 1,000 to Rs 2,000 for sales up to Rs 1 lakh,'' a dealer confesses.