How Much Is My Used Car Worth

What’s The Difference In Value If I Trade In My Car Compared To Selling It Myself

You can typically get more by selling your car to a private party buyer than trading it in to a dealership. However, private car sales take more time and effort, while a motivated dealer will likely work to make the trade as effortless as possible. Dealers can handle all the necessary paperwork and make any loan payoff.

Car Valuation And Pricing Questions

What should I pay for a new car?

You might find the same new car at a lot of different dealerships – but how do know what you should pay? For new car shoppers, the Kelley Blue Book® Fair Market Range and Fair Purchase Price go beyond widely available new car prices like MSRP and dealer invoice to show you what you can expect to pay for a new car in your area this week. The Fair Market Range and Fair Purchase Price are based on massive amounts of data, including actual transactions – then adjusted for seasonal trends and local market conditions in over 100 geographical regions. In other words, you might expect to pay a little different price for the same car in Portland, Oregon vs Portland, Maine. It pays to have some solid facts in your pocket. Good thing KBB.com has done the analysis for you.

What should I pay for a used car?

Whats my car worth?

Car Values actually depend on how you get rid of your car. The Private Party Value is usually more than the Trade-in Value, because if you sell it yourself, youre the one spending the money, time and effort. Trading in at the dealer is convenient, but you get a little less.

Are Kelley Blue Book® Values accurate?

Classic Cars And Exotics Are The Exception

Exotic cars, special editions or classic cars are rare cases when it comes to buying or selling used cars. This is why there are typically dedicated car shows, exchanges, or platforms with a specific section for these cars. Additionally, you can discover more about the value from the heritage departments of the manufacturers. Beyond these sources, you should have an appraisal done by a technician before buying. This may cost more than 100 euros, but its usually money well spent.

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The Make Model And Year

Your vehicles make, model, and year has a significant impact on the cars overall value. For example, a BOSS Mustang is going to be worth far more than a standard ford Mustang or Challenger. Similarly, a 1980 Dodge Ram will not hold the same value as a newer model.

While older cars are usually less valuable, antique models and collector vehicles retain and even gain value as the car becomes more difficult to find.

Q: How Much Can Options Affect Your Valuation

A: Even though they can make a car more attractive to a potential buyer, not all added options fitted to a vehicle will guarantee an increase in value when you come to sell. Options such as body kits, cosmetic additions, LED headlamps, headlamp washers, floor mats and in some cases alloy wheels, don’t really enhance the price – but where they do, you’ll be given the chance to select them when performing a valuation. The added value of options reduces considerably as the car’s age increases.

Normally we allow about 50-60% of the original option value after the first year. However, after five years the value of options is reduced to around 20-25% and at 10 years, options add little or no value to the vehicle . At Parkers, our car valuation guide only lists the options that do increase a cars value helping you to calculate a more realistic price.

Remember that mileage and options can make a significant difference to how much your car is worth sometimes adding hundreds or even thousands of pounds to a value, so it can pay to get a fully adjusted car valuation.

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Do Car Values Differ Across Canada

Yes. Canada is a large country with many different climates, topographies and road maintenance practices. For example, sand is used on Alberta roads in the winter to combat slippery snow and ice, whereas in Ontario , salt is used instead. Some people have strong preferences regarding buying a car thats been driven on salt , as these agents have different impacts on vehicles. While salt can cause corrosion, sand can cause paint and windshield chips, so neither is perfect. There are also a number of Canadians who prefer B.C. driven vehicles that havent been exposed to a rough winter at all, and that doesnt take into consideration how demand for certain makes/models can vary by area because of things like industry and climate.

Why Do Some Cars Depreciate Faster Than Others

Car prices trend downwards over time. A new car typically loses 20% of its value in the first year, then 15% of its value each year after that. So after 5 years, it may be worth only 40% of its original purchase price. Our History-Based Value considers data that affect depreciation prices, including the cars brand, accident or damage history, title history, service records, and the number of owners its had.

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If The Wheel Isnt Straight Or The Bead Area Is Damaged It Could Be Worthless

If you have rim that is bent, it will be hard to sell. A bent wheel is often not safe and difficult to be made straight again. Testing to see whether or not a rim is straight is the first thing any buyer should do. This is best done at a pro tire shop on a wheel balancer. Alternatively you can roll the wheel across a flat floor and see if the rim skips or hops at all. That is not nearly as good as a wheel balancer, but can weed out some obvious issues with a bent wheel.

Also the bead area where the tire secures against the wheel can not have damage. The only way to inspect this properly is when the tire is dismounted from the wheel. Even a small amount of pitting or peeling on the bead can make the entire wheel worthless.

If the rim is bent or te bead area has damage this is one of the most common causes of a tire losing air and also can lead to tire blowouts.

Additionally you could consider a wheel and rim repair to see if you can restore it back to a higher grade.

How Is It Possible To Guarantee My Car Is Worth $400 More Than Any Other Written Cash Offer

Simple. Every other car buyer has incentives to underestimate your cars value. After all, a dollar out of your pocket is a dollar in theirs. However, the reasons for bad offers go beyond that.

A franchise dealer doesnt want a used car.

Your local franchise dealer doesnt sell used cars, so they only take your trade to sell at auction for low prices. Since it costs them money to buy and process your car for sale at auction – that money gets subtracted from your offer.

Used car lots are more interested in selling, not buying.

A used car lot makes their money by selling more cars than they buy, so their offer has ulterior motives. We dont have any cars to sell you – we just want to buy your car for cash.

Online car value calculators and instant cash offer tools use cheap car averages.

Instant Cash Offer tools are based on the average sale values of cars that go to auction. Auction cars often cant be sold anywhere else due to damage, cosmetic defects, liens, etc. Traditionally, the car values these tools provide are much lower than the retail price of a pre-owned car. That means if you sell your car based on an ICO, whoever sells it next can likely do so at a hefty profit. If youve been searching terms such as sell my car online or how to sell my car? avoid selling it based on an ICO or online car value calculator at all costs.

ICOs cannot give you bonuses for a well-maintained car.

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How To Prepare Your Car To Sell

A broken door lock lever, a cracked windshield, the clattering of a noisy exhaust pipe its in your best interest to fix these things before putting your car or truck on the market.

Youll want to address the bigger mechanical issues unless you plan on selling your vehicle as is at a reduced price.

Consider getting your car professionally detailed, especially during the coronavirus pandemic. Its just one more reassurance for potential buyers that theyre stepping into a clean car. Cleaning your car professionally also helps you increase the sales value when selling the car.

Basic detailing can cost in the hundreds of dollars, depending on the size and condition of your car and where you live. So be sure to shop around for a price and know what youre getting.

If detailing costs are out of financial reach, you can always take it to a car wash and do the detailing yourself.

Interior Tips to Sell a Car

• Remove all personal items and debris
• Shampoo carpets
• Clean dashboard, seats, mirrors and otherwise put a shine on all surface areas

Exterior Tips to Sell a Car

• Remove all stickers and magnets
• Repair dents, dings, and scratches
• Replace any burned out lights
• Fix windshield chips and cracks
• Check the brakes and consider replacing if theyre worn down
• Inspect your tires and determine if replacing is needed

Do Car Valuations Take Into Account Spec

Simply put, yes.

In a slightly more complex manner, the general specification of your car is taken into account behind the scenes but rather than basing the cost on how much you or the original owner paid for it, it’s based on the worth of those add-ons now.

The higher or more sought-after the spec of your car, the more itll be worth.

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Learn How To Get The Most Money When Trading In Your Car

Enter your Year, Make, Model and Trimline.

Provide the mileage, vehicle condition and any additional options your car is equipped with.

Determine your target price for trading-in your car or selling it yourself.

Why Should I Get A Car Valuation

Discover a car’s value* in seconds. Our free car valuation report gives you an idea of the market value of your car. Whether you’re buying, selling or part-exchanging, it pays to do your research so you don’t get stung financially:

• When buying a car, you want to make sure you’re not paying over the odds and getting a good deal for your money.
• If you’re selling a car, knowing how much to ask for it isn’t always straightforward. Undervaluing a car could mean you losing out some of the cash value while overvaluing could make it a hard sell.
• If you’re thinking of part-exchanging, you don’t want to feel pressured into accepting an offer without knowing if it’s a good price or not.

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What Is Considered High Mileage For A Used Car

A lot of people might tell you that a car with 100,000 miles would be high and to avoid it but thats not strictly true.

While yes, higher mileage does generally indicate a car in worse condition than one with low mileage, more crucial is how well its been looked after.

Put it this way youre buying a car and two identical ones have caught your eye. Theres a difference, though.

One has 100,000 miles on it but a complete main dealer service history with regular work done on time, and with no cost spared.

The other has 50,000 miles on it but is missing a few services with some patchy history of where and by whom work was done by. Which are you going for?

How To Pay For A Car In Cash

Dont go into debt for a car. Its just not worth it. That will only give you more grief down the road. Remember, all cars need repairs and maintenance eventually. With a loan, youll have a monthly car payment and repair bills on top of that.

Don’t go into debt for a car. Its just not worth it.

So how exactly do you live without a car payment and still get the car of your dreams? The key is in your approach to saving money. Heres a strategy we love:

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How Do I Know The Price Estimated By Cardekho By Gaadis Used Car Valuation Tool Is Right

• CarDekho’s Used Car valuation tool is based on the brands proprietary algorithm that uses data science to overlay years of used car transaction data points to predict accurate market value of your car. Rest assured, the Used Car Valuation tool arrives at a cars value by purely factoring in variables like model of a car, total kilometres driven, overall condition of the vehicle and others. Dial in the fact that its updated in real time with current market trends and developments and you have an unbiased valuation of your car.

Is Used Car Market Still High

The average, wholesale, used-vehicle price in July was $14,250, KAR Global said. But its still 6.5% higher than July 2020, and 24.4% higher than pre-COVID, July 2019. Wholesale prices are particularly high for the most sought-after used vehicles, which are three model-years old, with around 36,000 to 45,000 miles.

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Whats The Best Age For A Car When Purchasing Used

Buying a used car instead of purchasing a new one has obvious advantages. The most important difference is, of course, the lower price point when you buy used.

Vehicles are assets that suffer from depreciation. While this can be a headache for people who like to buy the latest models, it can be a boon for others happy to buy pre-owned vehicles. Buying a used car thats even just a few years old can mean significant savings.

We must, however, consider that older vehicles may require more maintenance and repair. Wear and tear inevitably takes its toll. So, the question arises, what is the sweet spot for buying a used car? When shopping, is there a best age for a used car?

Second Method: Call Local Auto Dealers

Another way to determine the value of your vehicle is to get in touch with some local auto dealers. Ask them the price theyve got for cars similar to yours even if they dont have the vehicle in stock currently, they likely have a database where they can find pricing information. You can also ask the dealer for an estimate on how much theyd give you for your car were you to trade it in. Theres no obligation to any of this its just a good way to get a feel for your cars value. One thing to be aware of is that the price the dealer is selling the car for will be higher than what you could get if you sold it yourself dealers can add warranties and other bonuses that you cant match, so their prices tend to be a bit inflated.

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Determining The Value Of Your Car

There are different ways to determine value, then, and none will ever be completely precisebut they all offer a reasonable ballpark. Use all three strategies if you really want a feel for the right price expectations. To learn more about used car sales, keep reading our posts at the Get My Auto blog, where we discuss all things automotive!

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Selling A Car Safety Tips

When you sell a car to a private party, youll want to keep these safety tips in mind to ensure a positive outcome for everyone involved. By following these tips youll be better prepared to make decisions along the way as you navigate the sales process to a private party.

Expert Strategies for Safe Transactions

• Meet in a safe area. Meet potential buyers in safe areas, such as well-trafficked retail or restaurant parking lots with security cameras. Local police department online safe zones can also be an option.
• Bring a friend. Always bring someone with you for a test drive or even the sale of your car.
• Tap into a verifiable escrow service. For a fee, an escrow service takes a buyers payment until the deal is done. This type of third-party service protects both parties from fraud. If the buyer suggests one, check the source first before agreeing to anything and determine who pays the fees. Beware of fake escrow services that claim affiliation with KBB.com and TRUSTe. KBB.com does not endorse any escrow services and TRUSTe does not operate an escrow service.
• Choose only legitimate forms of payment. Cash is king but not so much for large transactions. Stick to online forms of payment if possible or use cashiers checks and money orders from reputable banks or credit unions.

Create a Paper Trail

When selling through a dealership, the paperwork is handled for you. When you sell to an individual, you need to keep a paper trail.

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