BMW owners are seeing the best residual values in the country according to specialist trade guides CAP Future Residual Values and Glass's Guide. The manufacturer says the excellent returns on its used models are proof that its concentration on wholelife costs instead of short-term price incentives are what the customer wants.

The March issue of Glass's Guide shows that the BMW 3-series tops the RV league compared to its executive sector rivals from Mercedes-Benz and Audi. It shows that a 96N BMW 318 SE with 36,000 miles on the clock retains 66% of its value, compared with an Audi A4 1.8 SE auto which retains 59.6% and a Mercedes-Benz C180 Elegance auto, which holds 56.6% of its value over the same distance.

The story is repeated with the 5-series. A 95N 523 saloon with 36,000 miles on the clock is worth 71.9% of its new value, compared with an E230 Classic of the same age and mileage, which is worth 62% and the Audi A6 2.6 saloon which is worth 53%. CAP Future Residual Values tells the same good story for BMW, showing that over three years/60,000 miles, a BMW 318 SE auto retains 52% of its new value and costs 28.1p per mile to run. The CAP guide gives the Mercedes-Benz C180 Elegance 47% after three years or 60,000 miles (31.4ppm) and the Audi 1.8 SE auto 44% (29.1ppm).