The colour of your new car matters

Choosing the right colour for your car can influence its resale value, says BCA’s Simon Henstock. When a business buys a new car, it’s wise to think ahead and choose one that will be easy to resell.

TO maximise resale values, it’s important to select the right specification. But it’s also true that some colours are easier to resell than others.

The most important resale factors are condition, specification and presentation. Colour becomes important to professional buyers once the other factors are satisfied.

Generally, metallic colours always sell well, particularly when paired with a decent set of alloy wheels.

Smaller hatchbacks and city cars can carry off brighter colours with ease, but remember that highly fashionable colours can quickly become undesirable. Limited-edition models with overly fussy colour schemes tend to date quickest.

In the family car and mini-MPV sectors, most metallics go well, but nothing too garish. At the other extreme, black looks funereal.

In the rugged 4×4 market, buyers like utilitarian colours. Greens, greys and yellows are popular.