IMAGE-CONSCIOUS Britons are pushing up the used values of convertible cars.

CAP Black Book, the trade-confidential benchmark guide to current used car values, says open top motoring is a prudent investment due to rock-solid secondhand values.

Even better news for the aspiring cabrio owner is the range of choice and price.#

Its research shows that a three-year-old Mercedes CLK 200K Elegance at £16,750 is worth £1,300, or 8.4%, more than the same car at an identical age and mileage in March 2003. Other strong performers include the Volvo C70 T5, with an 8.9% rise of £1,100 and Saab 9-3 Convertible 2.0 SE Auto, which has risen by 6.2%, or £650, using the same parameters of a three-year-old car with 60,000 miles.

The Volkswagen Golf Convertible 1.8 auto has risen £500 to £5,575 this month, at six years old, compared with an identical vehicle in March last year.

And the Audi TT Roadster 1.8 T quattro has enjoyed a 3.3% rise, adding £450 to its value over the same period.

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