Used: Cherished Jaguar

02nd October 2006

Want a dent-free second-hand car? Then buy a Jaguar – but it has nothing to do with the firm’s use of advanced aluminium bodywork or improved build quality! According to a survey by used car magazine Auto Trader, models from the famous British brand are the most cherished in the UK, with an impressive 100 per cent of owners claiming they would fix a dent as soon as it appeared.

In comparison, only 40 per cent of Land Rover owners made the same vow. Jaguar came first in the survey ahead of premium German marques Porsche and Mercedes, with SEAT top of the mainstream brands in fourth.

All Jaguar owners in the study refused to allow smoking in their car, and would take their vehicle to a garage immediately if it started to make an unusual noise. However, a used Mercedes would also be a good bet, because 86 per cent of owners get their car regularly serviced.

At the bottom, nearly 30 per cent of Peugeot owners wouldn’t bother to have an odd sound investigated, while 45 per cent of Fiat owners did not have their car regularly serviced!

Citroens were the least cherished vehicles of all in the survey. If you’re looking at a second-hand model from the French company, pay close attention to the interior – one third of owners admitted to allowing rubbish to pile up inside.

The best
1 Jaguar
2 Porsche
3 Mercedes
4 SEAT
5 Audi

The worst
18 Peugeot
19 Vauxhall
20 Fiat
21 L-Rover
22 Citroen