Cooper Solutions — a company who provide dealer management results for the automotive industry—have released their results of a poll that shows, among other factors, that fuel type affects car resale value more than many motorists realised.
Almost half of the poll respondents said they don’t consider their vehicle’s resale value when deciding between a petrol or diesel vehicle.
Drivers ignorant of resale factors
Let’s face it; diesel has had a lot of bad press of late. From the Volkswagen emissions scandal to the overhaul of Vehicle Excise Duty, the sale of diesel cars is falling, yet 42% of those surveyed don’t think about how well their car will sell for, at the time of purchase.
From choosing your car’s colour to smoking in it, are you aware of what would influence how much money you’d get back when you decide it’s time for a vehicle upgrade?
The best-selling car colours change from year to year, but the handful of colours that sell the best seem to remain as black, grey, white, blue, and silver, though some sporty and niche car models sell better in more statement hues. Despite this, only 19% of people in the survey choose their car colours based on resale value, with 12% choosing a colour to reflect their personality.
Of the people surveyed, 49% admitted to regular eating and drinking in their vehicles, yet a massive 77% said they weren’t aware food and drink stains and smells in their vehicle’s interior could affect resale price—something to consider the next time you visit the fast-food drive-thru.
Keeping your car clean, inside and out, will help maximise its resale value, yet only 44% of men and 28% of women say they keep on top of the cleaning. Regular washing of your car will preserve the bodywork and resale value, yet the Cooper Solutions poll revealed that only 36% of those surveyed wash their vehicles regularly.
Decrease in sale of second-hand diesel cars
Resale value based on fuel type isn’t the only thing to consider when drivers choose their cars. There are many factors they weigh up, such as fuel economy, running costs and driving preference.
Professor David Bailey of Aston Business School has said that fewer diesel cars are being sold due to “environmental pressures and consumer confusion”.
Professor Bailey said: “Diesel cars face a raft of challenges, each one of which could damage sales, and which are combining to kill off the domestic diesel sector, which was so rattled by the ‘Dieselgate’ scandal.
“They face a ‘perfect storm’ of bad PR over pollution, coupled with concerns over increasingly strict regulations and sinking second-hand values.”
Conversely, electric vehicles (EVs) are on the rise with new registrations of plug-in cars increasing from 3,500 in 2013 to over 150,000 by May of this year. The number of pure-electric and plug-in hybrid models available in the UK has also seen a huge increase with EVs now offered by several manufacturers as part of their range of models. Environmental reasons and the cost of diesel are driving down the resale value of diesel cars rather than only future resale prices.
Depreciation is the biggest cost of car ownership, so consider the resale value when choosing between a vehicle that’s fuelled by petrol, diesel, or hybrid, and deciding what the best long-term investment is.
Amanda Stretton, Motoring Editor at Confused.com, said: “Diesel used to be the second most popular fuel-type after petrol, but our research shows hybrid cars are now preferred among car buyers.
“Almost a quarter of drivers admitted they would opt for a hybrid vehicle as their next car, compared to just 10 per cent choosing diesel.
“Positive schemes such as competitive tax discounts and diesel scrappage schemes would be welcomed by 57 per cent of drivers who are calling for the government to make it easier to switch to less polluting vehicles.”
Increasing your chance of a good sale
For many, choosing the make, model, colour, and added accessories is a big part of the pleasure that car ownership brings, but if these things aren’t vital to you, consider other factors that will influence how much money you can recoup when you sell your vehicle.
Used car dealerships say the smell of cigarettes is almost impossible to remove and is very off-putting to potential buyers. While driving whilst smoking isn’t illegal—assuming you aren’t carrying passengers under the age of 18—along with eating, drinking, or even changing the radio station, it can get you a ticket if the police think you’re not in full control of your vehicle. If possible, stop, or limit, the number of cigarettes you smoke behind the wheel. Your wallet will thank you for it when it’s time to upgrade to your next car.
Neglecting to carry out regular servicing of your vehicle could cost you money when you sell, yet only around half of those in the poll maintained a regular servicing schedule, with the same number of respondents ignorant of the fact that ignoring or delaying repairs could impact their vehicle’s resale value.
With certain exceptions, such as convertibles and four-by-fours, used cars sell better in March and September, in line with the release of the new registration plates. If you can time the sale of your car to correspond with this, you’re more likely to both sell your vehicle for more and, if buying a used car, grab yourself a bargain.
Dodgy brakes and worn tyres will also reduce how much you might get for your old car. Here the results of the survey were reassuring, with around three-quarters of people knowing that damage caused by hard braking could affect what they get for their old car. As for tyres, make sure they’re in good condition and within legal limits for tyre tread depth. If not, you might lose hundreds from the sale.
Do you consider fuel type when buying your car? Are you concerned about the falling popularity of diesel vehicles? How would you have responded to the poll questions? Let us know in the comments.
The public access to MOT histories via the internet is also a great way to see how much trouble a car has been and indeed the type of owner. A history where lots of little simple things like blown light bulbs and tyre tread wear show the owner is not focused on making their car safe. Failing an MOT for any of these is downright stupid!
In regards to the tyres, i agree this is down to owner neglect but bulbs can go at any time. The owner may have checke them before the test but during the MOT it may pop.
Yes, but if a car has a history of failing initially for minor things, it suggests the owner is careless generally.
I’ve always given the garage authority to change all bulbs and small consumables as required before the test. They can then retest free if something goes, but I’m obsessive about keeping on top of things. My tyres are the cheapest because of the appalling no of potholes around so I’ve replaced all my tyres piecemeal over the year.
My ‘old banger’ Volvo Estate of three years ago (Insurance Value) is now a top of the range classic car, and I’m torn between spending £1K on repairs and keeping it (while I am in dock with a hip replacement)or selling it and replacing it with something inferior. Sensibly I’d keep it then when an Electric car is within my budget in a couple of years, get one of those. Who knows if I can afford that after Brexit?
I have a Volvo X/C 70, 2005 which is just pre-particulate filter, age. I has only averaged 5,000 miles per year. Bodywork is very good, so I plan to keep it, until it falls to pieces, or it is banned.
If it needed £1,000 spent on it , I would not hesitate to get it repaired – at my local Volvo dealers. I use Shell or BP top quality diesel, as recomended by Honest John, because most of my journeys are short.
My own car is 7.5 years old and only done 5,200 miles from new as due to mobility problems can’t get out without it. Never had an MOT fail for over 20 years, this car to to little use just on local country roads has slight cracking to tyre walls and on MOT coments but told me when a problem they will tell me to change them as tread like new and never used at speed or on motorway.3 tyre centres have checked them and said no problem and not bad enough to require changing. Just like new so someone will get a good cheap family diesel MPV when I snuff it, other than sevicing only had wipers changed.
I think you should use a taxi, it would save you money and agro or spending £’s for a car to sit on the driveway.
Keep on driving for as long as you are able to and as long as you can afford to. You lose your independence when you give up and relying on taxis is just not the same. I had to give up driving several years ago due to a temporary health problem. After 6 months I was able to drive again and the joy was like passing my test all over again. I only put up about 3,000 miles per year but the car gives me the independence to go anywhere at any time. I will only give up when I have to and don’t regret for one minute the cost of running a car.
short journies can be worse than long motorway mileage especially for diesel vehicles as they do not burn off the soot build up. I would steer clear of this vehicle mentioned above
I’ve had several MoT failures over the years with light bulbs despite checking them at home AND at the MoT garage. Garages have vested interest in faults so try local council who can only test , not repair
Quite often MOT’s are combined with a service or maintenance and garages use the MOT to identify faults. I took my car in before Christmas for two new tyres, dodgy light bulb and replacement windscreen wipers. Most of those items which had been identified by myself came up as MOT fails. Incidentally the tyres and one of the wipers didn’t show up at all.
That’s bad practice by your garage, giving a negative impression of your car care. In such circumstances one should make it quite clear at the outset that they must do the MOT check AFTER they’ve dealt with the items you’ve identified.
I do too – Recently spotted a car with a fail on airbag lamp, followed by a pass. Looked down the history and for the last 5 years it had failed every MOT on the same, then passed with 0 miles between. This tells me the garage simply reset the code, then immediately test to get a pass.
I think we’ll see more of this now that MIL (“Check engine” lamp) is a failure point. I’ve spent about £100 and a couple of weekends getting the one on my old Volvo to go off and stay off (been on for years!) but I could have just reset it on test morning to get a pass and not worried when it came back the next day.
Even as a DIY mechanic I like to get a first time pass as a point of pride. A professional should expect it
A blown light bulb can happen at any time particularly those being operated many times a journey such as indicators and brake lights, You could have checked your vehicle thoroughly literally minutes before driving to the MOT station and a bulb fails on the way or similarly it passed the MOT and a brake light fails the first time you operate the brakes driving away. Agreed no excuse for tyre tread wear.
My car is maintained to a high standard, my last mot i had 1 advisory , slight wear on outer edge of front o/s tyre, i was shocked and asked the mot tester to show me the wear, he could not find it even after rotating the wheel a few times,my mot history was all clear prior to this and now it is on my mot history record as he could not take it off .
If you are like us and keep a car for years, the resale value doesn’t count. We gave a Peugeot 407 estate with 120,000 miles on the clock away to a friend’s son who was starting a delivery service. It ran for another year. It had done us 10 years of good service. I looked at the values of our Peugeot 4007 4×4 and took more notice of the mileage for some 4007s on sale, some diesels at 180,000. Since ours, which we have owned for 8 years, has just 80,000 miles at the moment, is dealer maintained from new, and is running as new, we will keep it. Since we no longer have elderly family to drive around, our annual mileage is about 1,200 miles a year. This car will most probably be the last car we buy. We are not interested in resale value. However, this article has reminded me it needs a good interior valet!
One pit full off proper ganda,biggest load of bxxxxxks and we’re all being sucked into the pit.
@Honest John. I see diction is not your strongest attribute. Maybe some form of formal education may have helped, but on reflection……..perhaps not!
Look out the grammar police are about …. I tend to note such errors and move on.:)..
And Essjay confuses diction with grammar .
But he might be a top-class mechanic.
Inspector O’level
I think you’ll find ‘diction’ is simply the choice of words, hence my reference.
‘Proper ganda’ – love it, now in my lexicon. Fair bit of v obvious drivel in the article. Hardly revelationary. Hard braking? Ridiculous.
NOT the REAL Honest John surely!
I looked at MOT site and noticed a fail. I knew nothing about. The car had gone in for a service and MOT. The garage did a test first. 2 minor faults so issued a fail. They then did the service and rectified the faults and then another pass MOT which I received. No mention of the other. One fault was the tyre valve. They claimed I had been supplied it by a well known company who they claim used inferior products. I stated it had been done by dealership.
Name the well known company that supply the valves and the garage that use them. Might help others to avoid
We have had caravans for over 30 years. Small to mid range 2 berths.. We have recently changed our car to yet another diesel. We would have preferred a petrol version but the kerbside weights are less than that of a diesel and the pulling power/torque of a diesel greater. To stay within the recommended 80% so the tail does not wag the dog we have no choice in our price range but to buy a diesel.
I am sure 1,000s of caravaners will agree.
We already pay extra for a diesel car and fuel. Many caravaners will be forced to give up. This will effect the caravan industry and the people they employ.
The knock on effect of pricing out diesel vehicles is huge. The major one being haulage.
Anyone know of a hybrid/electric car that can pull a caravan?
My ancient diesel is worth about £500 despite being a top of the range when it was built. Swap it for a ‘non-polluting’ electric that can tow 1400Kg? Yes – if someone will give me £20,000 for it! Cue pigs flying. I will run it into the ground, pollution and all. I can’t afford anything else.
They say you should buy a vehicle with a colour that is popular when you come to sell it. This means that I could buy a new car in a colour that’s popular, but I don’t like, so that someone else who does like the colour 4 years down the line will buy it. In the meantime I’ve had to live with a colour that I don’t particularly like for 4 years on a car that I’ve bought for £20,000, so that someone else can enjoy the colour after I’ve sold it. What kind of garbage is that for goodness sake? Of course people should be informed of current popular colour trends, but buy the car in the colour that you like, four or five years down the line the current colour fad may well be different.
I agree.
However, it’s not quite as daft as giving the resale price as a reason for having legal tyres! Safety & obeying the law are my reasons for that.
I buy a red car, to be visible when the weather is good, foggy, snowy etc. I can also find it in a car park…
Red is the hardest colour to see as many men are red /green colour blind.White and yellow are the most visible colours in all weather conditions
White. As are invisible fog.
Yellow is the most visible colour.
As someone who is red/green colour blind I’m amused at your statement. It doesn’t mean i can’t see red, it’s just not the same as that seen by people without the problem, it certainly does not make the vehicle invisible.
The problem is that a car is a depreciating asset. So many factors will affect its resale value so be wary of what you wish for when buying.
Hybrid cars great fuel savers
Push bikes save even more.
Do they tow a caravan?
Join the discussion…
Join the discussion… Only if you can still push! I’m now in my eighties, so struggle even with the thought of getting back on a bike. I cycled a lot as a teenager but gave up when I completed my National Service , came out of same having learnt to drive five ton army lorries – passed my test on an airfield in Germany!! On being demobbed I was given a piece of paper which I took to County Hall in London and exchanged for a licence, have been driving ever since.
Some time during my forties I was asked to look after a family members bicycle, which involved me in riding it home. Up until then I used to get annoyed when I saw adults cycling on the pavements – guess what? I felt so insecure that, albeit very carefully, I found myself doing the same – never mounted a bike since!
Good luck to all safe cyclists, you are good for the environment and many of us underestimate that – but please stay off the pavements.
Nearly every hybrid car on sale in the UK fails to meet its claimed fuel economy, according to shocking new research from HonestJohn.co.uk.
https://www.express.co.uk/life-style/cars/970354/hybrid-cars-UK-fuel-economy-2018
Waste of money buying these expensive hybrids
HYBRID
I have a 3 Ltr Mercedes diesel which does 48mpg over the year. The petrol equivalent only does about 29mpg.
This saves me over £500 a year, & I keep my cars 10 years. A total saving of £5,000, & I don’t do high miles.
You won’t recover that with the petrol. resale price against a diesel.
If it is reliable, why should you sell it ?
It probably isn’t reliable, its a Mercedes
Very true!
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZPJ64sTa7KI
Never had problems with my mercs. 3 in the last 14 years. The worst was a broken front spring after 6 years and 300,000 miles from new.
The higher milage from diesel can compensate for loss of resale value and modern diesels produce very low emission.
Top of my list when buying is thinking ahead to resale and I def would no longer consider diesel.
My 24 year old Volvo 940 estate has done 252k miles and is costing me in repairs but I persevere
because it runs on LPG which, in cost terms, currently gives me 63mpg! Bearing in mind that this fuel is greener than petrol, why on earth has it not been championed by the government? Furthermore, there are less and less outlets retailing it but am paying just 49p per litre at Calor, Exeter! Anyone out there a little envious???
Did your car have to be modified to run on LPG.
I have just bought another used diesel car. The money saved at the pump will buy a lot of road tax over the years. That said I bought an older car that was well maintained and did my homework. Before I switched to diesel I couldn’t get to London and back on much less than a tank of petrol. A fill up with diesel and I could make two trips and still have nearly a quarter tank left. That is the beauty of diesel, it takes less to refine it, also. When I gun my engine I do not have any smoke unlike the diesel cars made in the 70’s 80’s and early 90’s. The cost of these new hybrids and electrics are far and away more than the average Joe or Mary can afford. Petrol prices would be affordable if Her Magesty’s Government would quit using the automobile as a cash cow for the coffers. The rate of tax on petrol and diesel is more than enough and if it is raised again the economy will continue to falter.
They need to quit being so greedy. Business rates, the proliferation of superstores and internet sales killed the high street putting more delivery trucks on the roads and the government had been warned by small high street traders that the rates were unsustainable and by the time discounts were given, it was too late.
The government must have taken a tremendous hit whenever a trader gave up their small vat registered business. It was the greed of the tax man that caused it. Amazon has grown and what does the government get from it? I know firsthand as I was a high street vat registered trader for many years. HMG missed the 20% of every thing I sold whether I was in profit or not but I don’t miss working for for the government as an unpaid tax collector one bit and never will again. Sorry about my rant! I seldom give opinions unless asked.
I bought last of Euro 4 diesel van based MPV new unregistered for less than a used one ex motability, dealer got me the silver I wanted but had Euro 5 engine, Peugeot made him take it back and found me last they could find in Inverness if I would accept metalic red, Blackburn dealer had to collect it. I love the colour now and don’t care about resale value as I will keep it until I die, only done 5,200 mile in 7.5 years, it’s still as new and only carried me the driver, it’s great for my osteoarthritis.
I believed the Government when I purchased my Diesel BMW that I was choosing the better fuel to lessen pollution.
So I am very angry that now we are the most pollutants, I will lose money on the sale of my vehicle.
Why can I not claim a rebate towards my next vehicle?, why when on their advice I chose Diesel and now have to lose money when I change my car.
Angry and Frustrated.
Will be looking to change my small 3-door car for a 5-door of similar size in the next few months. Definitely giving diesel the No-no – but hadn’t thought about hybrid or electric, as they would be much more expensive for the age of car I’m after, so will stick with petrol for the time being. For me, it’s fuel economy, car tax rate and insurance rates that top my “look for” list – but will also take into account service history, mileage and general wear and tear.
All valid points but the experience of our family’s business is that diesel sales are holding up well for small cars particularly zero or under £30pa tax and for 4×4’s.
I bought a used electric vehicle 2 year’s ago and it’s current resale value is at least what I paid for it. Also it should cover it’s purchase price in fuel cost savings in 5 years of use. It is more fun to drive than my Lexus 4 litre gas guzzler. At it’s end of life as a car I may use it to power my house and be paid to supply electricity to the national grid.
By the way I have never charged it at home, and pay only 8 pounds a month for fuel no matter what mileage I travel. I average 10000 miles a year.
It’s a no brainer buy an EV and ignore fuel price rises.
They say fitting a towbar decreases the value as it gives the impression the clutch may have worn badly.
I just fitted a towbar to my fiesta lol
One should consider how much labour per hour will be chargeable to replace a lamp bulb! You will be angered at how many of your engine parts need to be removed before being able to reach the dodgy part.
Buses and lorries cause more pollution than diesel cars, yet no one in government recognises this……wonder why!!!!!!!
Because if you got it diesel brought !!!.
I agree that the fuel consumption of hybrids is overstated, my Auris only does 62mpg as against the claimed 72, but surely the ‘official’ figures are rubbish for all makes of car. Isn’t it about time that this dishonest practice was stopped? Us ‘Honest John’ instead.
Indeed so Bob. I did ask the salesman at Toyota if the claimed 54 mpg for the Rav4 was achievable and his reply was that the figure was arrived at by running on a rolling road, with no wind resistance. He said I’d get around 45 mpg and he was right.
My Skoda Octavia diesel will better that – mid to high 50s round town and well into the 70s on a long run. I did once get over 80mpg on an easy motorway trip, crusing at around 65mph.
It concerns me greatly to see diesel cars receive such bad press. What Volkswagen did was undeniably crass but that one incident should not be used as an excuse to taint diesel car models from other manufacturers. The advances in diesel particulate filter manufacture and efficiency over the last few years is never even mentioned. Companies have worked tirelessly in pursuit of cleaner emissions so why is it the motorcar that appears to shoulder the brunt of the blame?
Anyone driving on our nations’ roads cannot fail to notice the huge volume of goods transported by diesel powered trucks. Just look at library pictures of the M20 in Kent when it is used as a parking lot during times of strife in Cross Channel transport. It seems the UK will tip up and sink with the weight of trucks concentrated in Kent! Travel on any motorway in the UK and you cannot fail to see the huge number of trucks.
Then there are buses. Successive governments have increased the amount of public transport available and funding to support this. They also slackened legislation covering who could tender for public transport routes, thus allowing Tin Pot Bus Co. the right to tender for trade. From current experience, a significant number of such companies do not appear to keep their vehicles in good condition. The number of breakdowns and failures is testament to that. AND they are diesel powered. Follow one at your peril. If you do keep your windows closed and turn to recycled air in your car. The fumes from their exhausts is a disgrace. But who is going to police this, especially in fringe areas of towns and cities and in rural communities
I fully understand the concerns of government and the Clean Air lobby. No one wants to live and work where the quality of air is dangerous to well being and long term health. However it is my considered opinion that the driving public at large are not in receipt of all the true facts of the matter. From a governmental point of view the car driver is an easy target. Although there are many millions of us our arguements do not appear to carry as much weight as large companies who have invested heavily in diesel powered transport to keep the nation fed and watered. Their contributions are vital, it is clear, though I wonder what the views of the RHA (Road Hauliers Association) would be if they were told to scrap their fleets of diesel trucks in favour of petrol, hybrid or electric models. When a tractor unit for an articulated vehicle costs upwards of goodness knows how much I can’t see it happening any time soon; but that’s what car owners are being forced to do. In a country which has historically been the epicentre of fair play that is most definitely a red card` Mr. Referee!!
I would have gone for another diesel 4×4 were it not for the fact that newer diesel cars are fitted with a Diesel Particulate Filter (DPF). You need to undertake some fairly regular journeys of an hour or more to regenerate the filter, and if it clogs up you could face a bill of up to around £1800 – £3000 to have it replaced.
I only do short journeys in the main and less than 7000 miles per annum, so the Toyota Rav4 petrol hybrid was the perfect replacement for my 2004 Land Rover Discovery. A no-brainer when taking the £2500 scrappage scheme into account as well as half the road tax.
I’m now achieving an average 45mpg, around twice the mileage I was getting from the Discovery. That’s pretty good for a 2.5 litre motor in anyone’s book. My motoring costs have been halved.