Premium carmakers should resist the temptation to sell entry-level models at low prices with poor specification, warns Glass’s Guide.
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.”
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By GlobalDataGlass’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.