Winter is upon us, the nights are drawing in and the roads are wet. Snow can fall anytime between now and April, and when that happens the country grinds to a halt.
Except, that is, for drivers of 4x4s, for whom life carries on pretty much as normal in the snow, albeit slightly slower. With that in mind it's no surprise that the value of used 4x4s rises in autumn and winter. BCA (British Car Auctions) has just released data showing that 4x4 values rose 16% over the course of October. With long range forecasts suggesting the UK is in for a colder than average winter the value of used 4x4s will rise, or at least remain steady.
The average price of used 4x4s sold through BCA's auctions rose to over £13,000 in October (£1,838 higher than in September). In June the average price was only £10,204.
4x4s are used bargains because they depreciate more than most cars. £13,000 will buy a 2006 Range Rover 3.0 Td6 Vogue SE, a 2008 Nissan Pathfinder 2.5 dCi or a 2009 Mitsubishi Outlander 2.0 DI-D all of which are perfect for dreary conditions.
However, the more sensible motorist will buy a 4x4 in summer - precisely because they are cheaper.