Car values on the rise

Used car values are on the rise, Parker's can reveal.

Parker's car 'shopping basket' compared March 2009 and March 2010 prices for a selection of ten top selling cars from different categories. We compared like-for-like three-year-old models to establish exactly how much prices have either increased, or decreased.

Our survey of cars shows that, on average, used car prices have risen by around 15% over the past year.

This is great news for owners particular if you own a large 4x4 where values have risen by more than £6,000. However, if you are on the lookout for a used car you won't get the same kind of bargains you would have got if you bought in 2009.

Our 'basket' revealed that if you want a smaller car then you won't pay much more than 2009 buyers, but if you want a more specialist vehicle such as a 4x4 or sports car then you'll have to shell out a lot more than those who bought this time last year.

Last year 4x4 prices fell through the floor, due to increased fuel prices and the anticipated hike in road tax.

Conversely, the smaller, more fuel efficient models retained their used values in 2009, which means little change in used prices for this year.

So how much have used prices gone up? Here's our selection of three-year-old values based on an average total mileage of 30,000.

To find out how much your car is worth click here.

• Franchised dealer prices for three-year-old models

Find out how much your car is worth by clicking here.