Customisation Could Impact Car Value

Drivers are being warned against customising their cars as it can seriously affect the resale value.

New models such as the Citroen DS3 and Vauxhall Adam are particularly open to personalisation, with a range of colour and trim options available to choose from.

However, Glass’s guide has hit out at cars with too many trim and colour options, stating that the onus to guide customers away from bad choices lies with dealers, who should steer buyers away from the possible folly of their quest for individuality, warning customers away from generating a ‘dud’ scheme when ordering their car.

Rupert Pontin, head of valuations at Glass's, explained: "Factors such as colour have always had a large impact on residual values but the trend towards increasing visual personalisation is magnifying the effect.

"There are some very cosmetically compromised cars around with colour, trim and wheel combinations that looked good to the first owner on the original order form but are not so attractive in the auction hall."

Glass’s also have also advised fleets operators about buying such vehicles, saying: “When adding cars like this to their choice lists, fleet buyers need to take care that drivers are not specifying vehicles that may suffer from poorer RVs than you might expect. Fleet specification is not always good future retail specification."

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