General Resale value

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General Resale value

s21

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Hi All

Sorry if I sound like a total idiot here, but this is my first time buying a new car - going for a 1.2 lounge dualogic. Everytime I go over to the garage to have a look (taking my time making all the decisions) they keep on going on at me about resale value.

For example I saw a car that was about to be collected in Rock n Roll blue today, and really surprised myself by liking it as always thought the dark colours werent so great - it looked really smart but was told that had to be careful as the resale value wouldnt be so strong.

This is in a long list of things have been told to consider, so its making it hard to work out what I want, and what the sensible option to have is.

Obviously am not planning on changing the car anytime soon but keen to hold its value as much as possible. Can anyone tell me what it really is I need to look out for and think about. Ie will the blue really make a difference, as at the moment feel any spec I do the dealer may not like, I get told its bad for resale!

thanks heaps!
 
what a strange thing for a dealer to comment on

pick the colour you want!

a Dualogic will always be a niche sale so will be in demand (y)
in my experience the dualogic cars hold value well (both Mum and Uncle drive such and are each on their seconds)

only wierd colours like green and maybe yellow adversely affect resale value, you will be fine with any of the blue colours (y)
 
If the features you choose are not as desirable to others, this will affect resale value i.e. if you wanted bright pink exterior, with matching pink wheels - then whilst this be perfect for you - only a small percentage of other people will want the same combination.

In general, this only applies for undesirable colours. In your case, it will not make a difference, as the colour you have chosen is not really offensive, i.e. people who want a 500 later on, and are not too bothered about colour will be happy with blue (most of the time)

Also, spec on a car is very important - generally you do not recover outlay for optional extra's - i.e. if you have a Pop, you will get Pop money - I don't fully buy into this - as when you come to sell, you will probably use a site like auto trader, and this will match to someone who say .. wants a 500, in blue, with alloys - in this case, both an upgraded pop, and higher spec will be displayed

Also, generally, if you plan to keep the car for a longer period - resale value is less important

In short, don't go mad with options unless you really want them .. but don't be pressurised into paying for a higher spec if you do not want the extra kit.
 
Don't think too much s21, and don't listen your salesman too much either! ;)

Whatever colour you pick remember it's a Fiat 500, it should stay popular for years to come. Plus don't force yourself to choose a colour you won't like 100% on the ground that you'd save £500 in five years time.
You will pay at least over 10 grand for your brand new car, you might as well choose one that has all your specifications, not the ones your potential buyer (when you decide to sell) would have. ;) To choose exactly your options is one of the best thing about a new car compared to a second hand, right? :)
 
Don't think too much s21, and don't listen your salesman too much either! ;)

Whatever colour you pick remember it's a Fiat 500, it should stay popular for years to come. Plus don't force yourself to choose a colour you won't like 100% on the ground that you'd save £500 in five years time.
You will pay at least over 10 grand for your brand new car, you might as well choose one that has all your specifications, not the ones your potential buyer (when you decide to sell) would have. ;) To choose exactly your options is one of the best thing about a new car compared to a second hand, right? :)

Agreed

Bare in mind that some options can be added later too, while others cannot. Air con is seen as a must by many people nowadays, and cannot be retro-fitted (economicaly at least), while all the stickery bits, spoilers and wheels can be added later
 
only wierd colours like green and maybe yellow adversely affect resale value, you will be fine with any of the blue colours (y)


I remember going into Fiat Peterborough and asking what used 500's they had as part of their approved program - he checked, and then with a frown said "I'm sorry, we only have Yellow ones at the moment" - I said, I want a yellow one. He then shot me a "how bizarre" look ...

But you are right, so far the following colours I think will not do as well

Yuck Yuck Green
Dull and ugly solid grey (can't remember the name)
Yellow (despite me buying one)

Colours like BNW, and Red suit the 500 very well.
 
I remember going into Fiat Peterborough and asking what used 500's they had as part of their approved program - he checked, and then with a frown said "I'm sorry, we only have Yellow ones at the moment" - I said, I want a yellow one. He then shot me a "how bizarre" look ...

But you are right, so far the following colours I think will not do as well

Yuck Yuck Green
Dull and ugly solid grey (can't remember the name)
Yellow (despite me buying one)

Colours like BNW, and Red suit the 500 very well.

if the yellow was proper Broom Yellow i would have chosen it (y)
was the most popular colur for the 1995-1999 Cinq Sporting :slayer:

indeed Punk Grey :yuck:
but not as 'orrible as the putty coloured No! No!! Green :nono:
 
Tbh the salesperson has a point. Scrogg (also a Fiat salesperson) says that in the trade colours like this do affect resale value.

There are two identical 3 series BMW's parked outside the window here at work, both have the same wheels, body apendages etc etc but one is black and one is very similar to rock and roll blue. They're both dirty but if they're both clean you look at them and the black is certainly the colour to go for. It's a stronger colour than the dark blue and I know this sounds silly but it's BLACKER than the dark blue.

IMHO if I was sitting inside the car with a black steering wheel and an almost black looking dash it would feel strange. I think you should always go for something that matches, or which strongly contrasts and other than having ivory ambience in the car you're not going to get that.

My wifes car suffers because of a (IMHO) pretty dire choice of colour by the original owner back in 1994. It needs a respray and I'm trying to convince the wife to go for either white, a gunmetal grey or my favourite.... the green from the Aston Martin DBR9 GT1 cars :p

Anyhoo back to talking about 500's. IMHO go for a nice strong dark colour like black OR as you seem to have actually originally been intending to, go for a nice bright colour like BNW, NOB or Pasdoble red. If you really like the rock and roll blue and you're not going to sell it for a long time (at least 5 or so years) then go for it though, by that time people will be less fussed with the colour choice if they're buying it. Your salesperson is right though, if 3 cars otherwise identical except for colour are on the forecourt, 1 black, 1 BNW and one RRB I would put money on the other two selling first.
 
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Some colours are simply niche.

Black is very popular at the moment, but I would under no circumstances buy a black car, ever. Nor would I buy a red one. The Cha-Cha is loved by many, but not by me.

Apart from those colours, which are a no-no - for me only:D, the rest of the desirability recipe is down to spec. The Dualogic will always be popular with people who only want automatics, and will sell well, whatever the colour.

Now, you can find any number of people with a whole different set of taste parameters, but the white, the red, the black, the Cha-Cha and any blue will always find a buyer somewhere.
 
black is best :cool:

On a just polished car, with the appropriate design, at night, under artificial lighting, it can look wonderful.

In the world of mud, muck, scratches, bright sunlight, dull overcast gloom, and all the rest, i just think black looks kinda invisible, and insignificant. It doesn't refract light too well, and so it can absorb design details - except when spotless under the right lighting of course.

But I am in a small minority, so don't worry ;)
 
On a just polished car, with the appropriate design, at night, under artificial lighting, it can look wonderful.

In the world of mud, muck, scratches, bright sunlight, dull overcast gloom, and all the rest, i just think black looks kinda invisible, and insignificant. It doesn't refract light too well, and so it can absorb design details - except when spotless under the right lighting of course.

But I am in a small minority, so don't worry ;)
Black is good on some cars because it absorbs design details. Tbh black is OK but needs some brightening up like Rob has done with his with a red stripe.
 
It's so appropriate for the colour it just stuck!!
Yeah :) I think you're right on the mark with it being bad for resale. It's a car that only someone who's interested in the whole retro angle could want. Very few people who want a sporty car will want it in that colour whereas BNW although the most common car will appeal to someone who wants a retro car, a sporty looking car or just something to drive around in.
 
Yeah :) I think you're right on the mark with it being bad for resale. It's a car that only someone who's interested in the whole retro angle could want. Very few people who want a sporty car will want it in that colour whereas BNW although the most common car will appeal to someone who wants a retro car, a sporty looking car or just something to drive around in.

Thought you'd left? :rolleyes:

Anyway, Rock and Roll blue is known in the trade as doom blue. It does not help a cars resale value. Every manufacturer has a doom blue, its the dark, uninspiring navy blue that is offered as a no cost option on most cars. Vauxhall call it Royal Blue, Renault Lazuli blue.

BUT, the only problem is that 500s defy the rules. Pillar Box red is usually a steer-clear colour which will not help resale. Its one of the most popular colours on a 500. Solid colours suit 500 better than metallics, and as such don't hurt resale values. Go with which ever colour you want. You will sell it.
 
Thought you'd left? :rolleyes:

Anyway, Rock and Roll blue is known in the trade as doom blue. It does not help a cars resale value. Every manufacturer has a doom blue, its the dark, uninspiring navy blue that is offered as a no cost option on most cars. Vauxhall call it Royal Blue, Renault Lazuli blue.

BUT, the only problem is that 500s defy the rules. Pillar Box red is usually a steer-clear colour which will not help resale. Its one of the most popular colours on a 500. Solid colours suit 500 better than metallics, and as such don't hurt resale values. Go with which ever colour you want. You will sell it.

:D

Does 'doom blue' actively de-value a car?
How much%?
 
:D

Does 'doom blue' actively de-value a car?
How much%?


That. I wanted to ask the salesmen of this forum to give an an approximate amount for different colours (say green is likely to be worth £500 less than a BNW in 5 years and so on) if you happen to have an idea.
But whatever the amount that I guess is under a grand, I think that after spending above ten grand one deserves to get the colour he/she loves most, even if it means to be out of pocket by a few hundreds in years to come. I am not rich and I do appreciate that some prefer counting the pennies, but in the case of my car I certainly took all the options I liked regardless of resale value.
And without being a second hand car specialist, I certainly believe that any 500 will rather sell easily for years to come. I already imagine students snapping them up in 5 years, how cool would it be at 20 to go to Uni in a 500? ;)
 
I may be wrong, but if you're going to part exchange your car for a new one, the dealership won't mind what colour it is as long as they get the new sale.

So I'd agree with most posters, get the colour you want rather than the one you think anyone else might want in 3 or 4 years time.
 
The value at the end of the day will probably be +/- £200. Not alot once inflation has got a hold. As a private buyer I am much more likely to buy on condition, whether not scraped wheels, matching tyres, clean interior, no accident repairs than on colour. If you sell into the trade they will miss all this and barter you down on colour.

I am looking for another car at the moment and actively trying to avoid any black or silver cars because they are so amazingly dull (but if one is very cheap....). Every car apart from mine in our street is black or silver (including the missus' Panda), am guessing there will be some fashion victim whites creeping in soon.

I think 'doom blue' isnt a bad colour on the 500, prefer it to black.
 
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