THE remarkable rate at which some cars lose their values is revealed in a comparison by Glass's Guide, generating winners and losers for new and used buyers. The cars that retain most of their value from new are small, fuel-efficient models with high quality whilst those that lose most are large, lower-quality gas guzzlers and those that are at the end of their production cycle. The dramatic difference is illustrated by the league-topping MINI 1.4D, which retains a remarkable 63 per cent of its original value after three years in comparison to just 12 per cent for the worst-performing Alfa Romeo 166. However, a large saloon from MINI's parent company BMW can be worth as little as just 28 per cent of its original value after three years whereas Alfa Romeo's new MINI-challenging MiTo is expected to retain almost 50 per cent of its original value. Depreciation is the largest single factor governing whole-life vehicle costs and it varies massively from model to model. It means that choosing the worst-performing models initially can be a very costly mistake but buying those same cars on the second-hand market can secure magnificent bargains. A three-year-old Rover 75 1.8T Contemporary SE with 37,000 miles had a list price of £22,700 and yet its trade value today is just £3,300. "This means that it has depreciated by £19,400. Buyers will be virtually guaranteed trouble-free motoring for the next three years and will not suffer a further significant loss in value. In a further three years' time a dealer is still very likely to offer a minimum of £1,000 in part exchange,' says Glass's spokesman Adrian Rushmore. However, whilst the worst-depreciating cars sometimes have high official list prices, the actual amount paid for them when new is often substantially less. This is particularly true in the case of models that dealers are eager to shift because they are due to be replaced, such as the Vauxhall Vectra or Saab 9-5, which both retain less than 18 per cent of their original value after three years. Mr Rushmore adds: "Obsolescence is the notable feature shared by the majority of the models in the bottom ten. 'This situation is underlined by the presence of three cars bearing a Rover badge. The Vectra is in the process of being replaced, the 9-5 will reappear in a new guise next year and the remainder have been out of production for some time. Ageing product lifecycles are the death-knell for the values of most used cars. 'The most positive thing to say about the models in the bottom ten is that they represent unrivalled value for money." It is the second year in succession that the MINI has topped the annual residual value league table. However, the car's trade value has slipped from a peak last year of 71 per cent, which is equivalent to an additional £600 drop in value, illustrating that no car is immune from the currently-accelerated downturn in used car values. Residual Value Top 10 1. MINI 1.4 TD 2. Citroen C1 1.0/1.4 TD 3. Ferrari F430 Coupe/Spider 4. Toyota Aygo 1.0 5. Peugeot 107 1.0 6. Smart 700 7. SEAT Leon 1.9TDI/2.0 TDi 8. Lamborghini Murcielago 6.2 Coupe 9. Toyota Prius 1.5 Hybrid T4 10. Porsche 911 Carrera 2/4 (997) Coupe and Cabriolet Residual Value Bottom 10 1. Alfa Romeo 166 2.0/3.0/3.2 2. Rover 75 1.8/2.5/4.6 3. Rover 45 1.6/1.8/2.0 TD and MG ZS 1.8/2.5 4. Saab 9-5 2.0/2.3 5. Kia Magentis 2.0 6. Vauxhall Vectra 2.2 7. Jeep Cherokee 2.4/3.7 8. Renault Vel Satis 3.0 dCi 9. Mitsubishi Shogun Pinin 2.0 10. Rover City Rover 1.4 | 
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