Depreciation Index: Best and worst family cars - Skoda Superb Car Review

• Latest index debunks myth that all used car prices have shot up
• Used Car Expert names and shames the UK’s worst performing cars
• Used Car Expert does not use list prices, but assumes all buyers are savvy enough to buy pre-Reg cars, nearly new cars or negotiate a discount on new cars to match the prices of similar cars in the market under 1 year old.

Worst Performing (over 3 years)

Best Performing (over 3 years)

This research is based on over 800,000 cars on sale at retail – not trade auction - over the last 3 months.

Price not up

Editor Matthew Tumbridge debunked the myth that all used car prices have shot up, “Recent press releases have talked about a dramatic rise in used car prices. At trade auctions this is true. But we are the only people to calculate prices based on retail asking prices and we can reveal these rises have not all made it through to the forecourt. While auction prices are up from their low of £4,743 average purchase price for a used car to £6,223, our data shows that retail prices are relatively steady at around £7,300, which is similar to their price a year ago.

“If consumers move fast, and do their research, they can still grab a bargain before prices shoot up. Which they look likely to do if auction prices continue as they have been.”

Tumbridge continued, “Used Car Expert readers keep telling us how they are using our information to pick up bargains. Only yesterday, because they had done their research correctly, a customer told us how they secured a £1,500 discount from a Peugeot main dealer.”
Advice for consumers

Editor Matthew Tumbridge urges caution, “While these deprecation figures are a great top line guide to help car buyers whittle down their short list. When it comes to buying a car, they need to look at each year’s current average depreciation and compare different engines and specifications. Then they can make an informed decision about what fuel, engine size and specification will cost lest to own, plus they will know when to buy and sell. We’ve tried to make this as easy as possible with our magazine design that puts similar cars next to each other and gives deprecation for every model and every year.”

The latest edition of Used Car Expert magazine has picked the top 5 family buys, based on this more detailed approach, and advises car buyers when to buy and sell those models to minimize depreciation.

Market comments

• Vauxhall Insignia’s early performance is very good with depreciation in low single digits, far better than its predecessor, the Vectra. The Insignia is not covered in the table above as there are too few in the market.

• Jaguar, in need of good news, will be pleased to see its newest model, the XF, averaging just 5-6% depreciation per annum. The S-Type derided when in production is also enjoying a renaissance.

*Auction data quoted from British Car Auctions