WHAT’s going up in value in the prestige car market; and what’s heading the other way. Here’s August’s residual value winners and losers.
HOT
The 4X4 sector continues to do well with values of the bigger SUV models really picking up.
BMW’s X5 (2007-) is the key performer: values have outstripped competitors, while lack of the new model on the second hand market – don’t expect to see any used examples until the end of 2013 – is helping bolster values more, especially in the short term.
Staying with BMW, the new 3 series suffered from an almost instant over supply when it was launched last year.
The result? Well, you know as well as I do: values went south early in the car’s life cycle. However, recently values have stabilised and the car is looking like really good value. For instance: a BMW 320d M Sport costs £33,000 new but currently has a used trade value of just under £24,000 at six months old.
Finance deals. These are being used by the prestige car makers to tempt private customers into buying new cars. And with average finance around 5% you can see why.
However, with Audi, BMW and Mercedes all vying for market share, I wonder how long it is before we see the first 0% finance deal from one of this trio?
