A car driven by a heavy smoker could easily lose up to £2,000 at trade-in
Smoking in vehicles carrying children is a law which was enforced on 01 October 2015. The news gives reminder about smoking and our health, but any smokers needing another reason to quit should also be aware of the damage their habit can do to vehicle values.
“If you’re a smoker, the first thing a dealer will do is knock back the price of your part exchange,” says James Dower senior editor of the cap hpi black book. “That’s because a car for part-ex has to be made fit for re-sale – a process which is considerably more difficult and expensive when that car was previously driven by a smoker.”
The two main issues are physical damage to the interior and smell – something many smokers either don’t notice or think is solved by using an air freshener.
“Even if there is no obvious damage, the smell of smoke is a major problem for motor dealers,” says James Dower. “Smoke becomes ingrained in the fabric of the car and climate control, requiring a professional valet and a special ‘bomb’ to clean the air conditioning. This can cost anything up to £150 and is still no guarantee that the vehicle will smell sufficiently fresh. In severe cases, the internal fabric and head cloth may have to be stripped out too – a process which can cost hundreds of pounds.”
Add on the cost of repairing any marks, stains and cigarette burns to dash and upholstery and a car driven by a heavy smoker could easily lose up to £2,000 at trade-in.
“Some dealers tell us they won’t even buy vehicles from smokers, because of the time and expense of getting the car properly clean and free of lingering smells,” says James Dower.
“Everyone knows that smoking is bad for our health but few people realise that it can also have a surprisingly nasty impact on the value of your car.”
Examples:
- Ford Mondeo, 2011 11, with 50,000 miles, non-smoking car £6,600 and a car which has been smoked in £6,175 – cost of £425
- Mercedes E class, 2012 61, 40,000 miles, non-smoking car £12,650 and a car which has been smoked in £11,950 – cost of £700
Nathan Lane
