When would be the best time to trade up?

Matblack · 30 Mar 2006 at 15:44

The clio is coming up to 33,000 miles on a 52 plate and I haven't had a hint of trouble with it.

Although I don't want to keep it forever I also don't want to run it till its worth nothing at all (I'm not sure what it would be worth right now?).

I wonder when people feel is the best time to trade up/ in to get the best value?

Its a 172 (non cup) btw

MB

Anticipating the reply that no time is a good time

[TW]Fox · 30 Mar 2006 at 15:53

IMHO the longer you keep it the better value you will get. Depreciation slows with age.

ajgoodfellow · 30 Mar 2006 at 16:11

I agree with [TW]Fox

The vast majority of depreciation occurs in the first 3-4 years with the first year being the worst.

The graph then levels off after that

Matblack · 30 Mar 2006 at 16:18

I'll hold on to it till I'm desperate then

My heart is tellling me I need to flirt with danger and get something silly but my wallet and I suspect my wife (who is also my accountant) and my bank manager are telling me the overpayments on the mortgage are more important.

By the time I get something good I'll be too old to be seen in it without people laughing

MB

Ev0 · 30 Mar 2006 at 18:39

I'd say 52 plate with that milage would be worth between 6 and 7k depending on what the markets like atm.

Best to check out autotrader for similar examples, whatever they are going for is what it's worth

A main dealer had one identical to mine a month ago up for 7k!! And that's with 48k on the clock, 2 years older and the previous model!

Matblack · 30 Mar 2006 at 18:45

Ev0 said:
I'd say 52 plate with that milage would be worth between 6 and 7k depending on what the markets like atm.

Best to check out autotrader for similar examples, whatever they are going for is what it's worth

A main dealer had one identical to mine a month ago up for 7k!! And that's with 48k on the clock, 2 years older and the previous model!

Thing is I still love the Clio, it still brings a smile to my face but I don't want it to end up worth nothing, it cost me £11k with 3000 miles on it about 4 years ago ~£1k/ year isn't too bad I suppose

MB

355F1512TR · 30 Mar 2006 at 22:28

There's not really any winning in a situation like this. The only way to minimise your losses on depreciation with cars is either to drive an old banger, or some sort of classic car that won't depreciate, though that isn't very practical as a regular driver. By the sounds of it you are wanting to trade up anyway, which means that you'll probably only end up losing more per year in depreciation than you are currently.

My situation is that I'd love to replace my 306Dturbo with something a bit more exciting (been looking at 172's actually!) but I'm loathed to get rid of a car that is costing me very little to run and doesn't really have a lot of value to lose.