Premium carmakers should resist the temptation to sell entry-level models at low prices with poor specification, warns Glass’s Guide.
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Cars such as the Jaguar X-Type and Mercedes C-class, priced at £19,995, lack the specification that will make them attractive to used car buyers.
Richard Crosthwaite, Glass’s specialist car editor, says: “Premium brands are starting to push price and volume at the expense of specification.
“There are particular worries about the Jaguar X-Type where over 75% of the two-litre models are now being sold without items such as automatic transmission and leather upholstery.”
“These cars may well be difficult to resell in three years time.”
Glass’s comments reflect the views of specialists such as John Coates, a trader and used car columnist in the UK magazine Autocar. Coates has long recommended a smart metallic paint job, automatic transmission, air conditioning and leather upholstery as the minimum specification to ensure easy resale of cars such as Jaguars and Mercedes-Benz.
