ANALYSIS of the resale value of Rovers by Glass's Information Services has revealed 'mixed' results with cars up to four years old suffering less from the trials at the company than newer models. This month's Glass's Guide Fleet Digest reveals that the Rover 200 has fared better than the older 800 at disposal. The residual values of a Rover 216 SLi year-on-year between 1994 and 1997 are 35%, 34%, 39% and 33% while those for an 820Si are 30%, 31%, 26% and 20%.

By comparison, the figures for a Ford Mondeo 1.8 LX, described as an 'ageing model in residual value decline', are 39%, 37%, 31% and 30%.

Fleet Digest editor Ron Williams said: 'The Rover 200 has survived better than the 800. These two models have come to epitomise Rover in the eyes of many and the new owners will have to reverse that conception.

'The 75 has now been generally accepted as a good car, but has been blighted by adverse publicity. Values of nearly-new Rovers have shown a marked decline this year in reaction, but three and four year values for ex-company cars are less subject to these wide swings.'

The battle for the 75, said Williams, will be to reverse the 800's residual story. He said the promotions in April and May boosted registrations, but did little for long-term residuals. Glass's projection after three years/60,000 miles has been reduced by an average of £2,000.

But Mark Norman, CAP Monitor editor, believes the lack of confidence in the market has affected all Rovers: 'Nearly new stock has never been so cheap - unbelievably so compared to two years ago,' said Norman. But, he shared Williams' view that the Rover 200 was proving more robust than the 800. 'The 25 is seen as a natural successor to the 200, while the 800 has just gone and its RVs are freefalling in the same way as the Ford Scorpio,' said Norman.