SMOKERS are knocking
thousands of euro off the value of their cars, it's
been revealed.
Experts say cigarettes can damage not only your own
health but your vehicle's health - and puts more
than half of drivers off buying.
The depreciation is even higher when it comes to
luxury, high-end models.
"It is definitely off-putting for buyers. We would
say smoking can knock over 10% off the trade-in
value and puts at least five-in-ten people off the
car," said luxury car dealer, Jeremy Beshoff.
"It's a nightmare trying to get the smell of tobacco
out of a heavy smoker’s car. If it's very bad, it
could knock between 1,000 and 2,000 euro off the
trade-in value of a car worth about 25,000 euro,” he
added.
"No matter how many times you valet a heavy smoker’s
car you can still drive it down the road and come
back with your clothes smelling of cigarettes."
Car dealers must factor in the cost of an intensive
valet which can double for smoked-in cars. Luxury
valets can jump from about a standard 150 euro to
300 euro for a smoke and ash-ridden vehicle.
The worst affected part of the vehicle is usually
the ceiling head-cloth which may have to be removed
for cleaning or completely replaced.
Climate control air vents also have to be removed
while cigarette burns on upholstery are unsightly
and difficult to repair.
Mr Beshoff, who runs Beshoff Motors in Howth, said
he is sometimes even forced to refused very
expensive trade-ins if they are badly smoke-damaged.
"People who are spending 100,000 euro or more on a
car these days are extremely fussy and you don't
want to give them any excuse not to buy the car," he
said.
While it is illegal to smoke in a car with child
passengers in Ireland, penalty points and/or fines
have yet to be finalised by the authorities.
And tobacco smoke wasn’t a problem for the 121,098
drivers who bought brand new cars in the year to
September - a 30% increase on the same period last
year.
But more Irish motorists wanting to sell their used
cars are now including their 'non-smoker' status as
a positive feature along with mileage, year and
spec. |
