While new car dealers are apprehensive about the SSIA windfall increasing their sales, a rise in the sale of classic cars, and a business boom at secondhand car auctions is anticipated.

Ricky Wilson, of Wilson Car Auctions, said: ?As the average payout is going to be around 11,000, we expect that the used-car market will benefit more than car dealerships selling brand new cars. If people do buy new cars, there will be an influx of cars into our car auctions."

A surge of interest in classic cars as a hobby is also predicted. Emilio Macari of Emilio's Beetles, said: ?We expect the demand for Beetles to grow further when people get their SSIA windfall. A lot of people will look into buying a second car for the weekends. I have heard people talking about how they might splash out their money on a vintage car."

Ian Meldon of the Morris Minor Centre in Ranelagh said:

I expect that there will be more interest in vintage cars of all types, including Morris Minors."

The popularity of MTV's Pimp my Ride show has already seen many Irish motorists modifying their cars and the SSIA windfall is set to see this trend continue.

John Kavanagh, of Route 66 Automotive in Walkinstown, Dublin . . . which specialises in car body kits, alloy wheels and in-car entertainment systems . . . expects a boom in business as the SSIAs mature.

Most people will not be able to afford a new car with the SSIA money but they will spend money on modifying their car, " said Kavanagh.

I have noticed more and more people buying 10-year-old Honda Civics and then spending money modifying their cars with lights, spoilers, alloy wheels, and entertainment systems so I expect to see more of this with the SSIAs."

However, staff in new car dealerships are not as excited about the possibility of a huge spend on new motors.

A spokesman for Lambe and O'Connor car sales said: We are hoping for a business boom but it is not evident yet. We would like to think that we will benefit from people's SSIA windfalls but so far we have not noticed anything."

Derek Brady, of Michael Barrable Motors in Swords said: Realistically we have not noticed an increase in enquiries from people who are about to get their SSIA money about new cars. I think that there will be an overall boom in sales but we would expect that it will be next year when that happens after most people get their SSIA money."