Car insurance customers looking for a new car have been urged to consider how its value will depreciate over the coming few years.

HPI, which provides vehicle checks, has predicted that the credit crunch will prompt many people to buy second-hand cars rather than the new 58 models.

Buyers ought to be aware that a number of factors are likely to influence the value of cars currently available in the market, the organisation claimed.

Martin Keighley, used car valuations expert at the HPI, said: "It is really important that consumers think about a car's potential to depreciate before parting with their cash."

"Winners will be anything small and economical, with low CO2 ratings," Mr Keighley asserted.

Fiat's 500 and the Toyota Aygo are likely to remain desirable models over the next few years, he suggested.

Vehicle checks from the HPI have been helping motorists buy cars since the 1930s.

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