It is increasingly the case, especially in these trying economic times, that the smart buyer purchases a new vehicle with one eye firmly on its residual value. It's almost proverbial these days that, as investment choices go, a car is right up there with stocks in prestigious, third generation American investment banks – not good, that is to say. The second you ease the new car out of the dealer's yard you start losing money, since with the flick of the ignition your car has made the transition from 'new' to 'second-hand'.