What Car? Q&A - Why dealer can offer less for an import

Q: I tried to part-exchange my imported Audi A4 recently but the dealer offered me a low price because it was an import. Are they allowed to do this? I don’t see why this should affect the price, especially if it is a right-hand-drive, UK-spec car.
Stuart Masters

A: It is not unknown for dealerships to value an imported car less than a UK-sourced vehicle. Sometimes there are genuine reasons, such as the specification level being lower, or the car coming with a different manufacturer warranty. However, if all the car’ paperwork is in order, and the car is identical in specification to a UK car, there is no reason why it should be worth less.

Some used car buyers will not pay as much for an imported car, so there is a lower perceived market value. Dealers are required to be honest in describing if a car is an import or not, and so may offer less because they feel they will have to sell the car at a lower price.