"I’M sorry, it’s dead.

"There is nothing more that we can do."

My shoulders sag and I let out a long, defeated sigh.

This is not how it was meant to go.

Staring blankly out the window, my mind awash with thoughts, I hear myself mumble 'thank you, I’m sure you did all you could' and put down the telephone.

That was how I started a week spent in every local car dealership going.

Buying a new car is a process we go through many times in our lives.

It is a significant financial commitment and it is important to choose wisely.

The recently passed vehicle in question was a 12-year-old Citroen that had served us faithfully, so it was all a bit new to me.

Times have changed, added extras are slicker and shinier, yet the main players remain typecast.

Since the credit crunch, the average age of cars on the road in the UK has steadily increased from around 6.5 years to nearer eight years, with people delaying switching to a newer model due to more pressing financial worries.

However, as was the case for our dearly departed Citroen, cars do not last, and a mix of natural deterioration and an improving economic backdrop has meant new car sales have started to pick up.

According to the Society of Motor Manufacturers and Traders, new UK car registrations rose seven per cent in the first half of the year.

What car did you buy?, I hear you ask.

In the end it was a Volkswagen.

Solid, reliable, German, was the general consensus of friends and family.

It is funny how car makers remain helped or hindered by the national stereotype of their automobile industry.

British cars have a good reputation these days, but the classic British names are not necessarily British-owned.

Minis and Rolls Royces are now made by BMW, and Jaguar Land Rover is owned by India’s Tata Motors.

Due to not being James Bond/a Formula 1 driver, these and the likes of Aston Martin, Lotus and McLaren remain a tiny bit out of my price range.

To buy a local car, arguably you should consider a Nissan.

Its site in Sunderland is one of the most efficient car plants in Europe and the UK’s biggest exporter of motor vehicles.

Last year, it became the first site in the UK to produce more than one million cars in two years.

There is a strong legacy of manufacturing across the North-East, particularly in the Tees Valley, with motor vehicle production contributing a substantial proportion to the region’s economy, far more so than the national average.

Redcar-based car parts manufacturer ElringKlinger GB looks on course to double its turnover in five years.

On Tyne and Wear as well, you have Tanfield Group, who produce electric trucks, used by the likes of TNT.

Across Europe, a weaker euro, a lower oil price and lower borrowing rates have boosted car sales, particularly in the peripheral nations.

Typically, emerging markets have been an important driver of car sales for manufacturers, but with the likes of Brazil and Russia struggling due to the falls in the oil price, and with China economically decelerating, Europe has become increasingly important.

Arguably, the shortfall in these areas may be too large to be made up by an improving Europe.

Therefore, until the emerging markets brake is released, the UK and Europe will have to put their foot down to close the gap.

Jeffrey Ball is an assistant director at Brewin Dolphin.

The opinions expressed in this article are not necessarily the views held throughout Brewin Dolphin. No director, representative or employee of Brewin Dolphin accepts liability for any direct or consequential loss arising from the use of this document or its contents. Any tax allowances or thresholds mentioned are based on personal circumstances and current legislation which is subject to change.