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A survey by BMW Financial Services has found that for a third of motorists the single factor most likely to discourage them from buying a used car would be if it looked dirty or neglected.

This ranked ahead of extensive body work that didn't fit the style of the car, engine modifications, or the car having several previous owners. All things that could have much more of an impact on its condition and resale value longer term.

Preparing your car for sale can make a used car look new - helping it sell and adding hundreds of pounds to its value.

The survey also showed that for a third of buyers the make of a car is the most important factor when choosing a new motor, while only nine per cent of respondents would be put off if the car was an unusual colour.

Only four per cent of buyers said that the popularity of a colour would influence their buying decision. The key factors affecting used values are:

• Overall condition
• Make and model
• Age
• Mileage
• Equipment, such as air-conditioning and alloy wheels
• Colour
• Rarity of model
• Gearbox, e.g. automatic models are usually worth more than a manual
• Bodystyles, e.g. a five-door or estate is usually worth more than an equivalent three-door model

The research was commissioned by BMW Financial Services UK and is based on 2,000 adults with full UK driving licences, questioned in August 2010

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