Cars imported from mainland Europe are now achieving similar residual values to UK versions. Buyers have become used to parallel imports – 230,000 cars were imported to the UK last year according to the DVLA – which has boosted their resale value. They are often better equipped than UK alternatives.

Grey imports are also enjoying an improved reputation due to the introduction in February of new Government regulations that changed the personal import system.

Robert Hester, Cap grey book editor, said: “The flow of cheap but highly suspect vehicles that some importers brought into the country is being eradicated. To import a car personally you must have lived abroad for a year and used the car there for six months.”