How to Estimate the Value of Your Used Car

Have you been thinking, “I should sell my car,” recently? If so, you’ll be happy to hear that now might be an excellent time to sell your car and get top dollar for it.

According to a recent KBB Kelley Blue Book report, used car prices have fallen slightly over the last year. But the expectation is that about 8 million fewer used cars than usual are going to hit the market in the years to come. That should make it possible for you to make a pretty penny when you decide, “I’m ready to take steps to sell my car.”

Before you get serious about trying to tell your used car, though, you should try to figure out the answer to the question, “What’s my car worth?” It’ll put you in a much better position to sell your car and get the profit you want out of it.

Check out our guide on how to estimate the value of your used car below.

Understand the Different Used Car Values

It can be tricky trying to calculate the value of a used car, and there’s a good reason for that. It’s at least partly because there are a bunch of different used car values that you’ll need to keep in mind when you’re attempting to do it.

The approach you take to getting rid of a used car will impact its value in a big way. For instance, you’ll often get a lot less for a car when you trade it in to an auto dealership as opposed to selling it to a private party.

When you come to the conclusion that, “I’m going to sell my car,” you should be sure you understand the different used car values first. They will include:

• Trade-in value
• Private-party resale value
• Dealer retail value
• Certified pre-owned value

If you don’t understand what these used car values are ahead of time, it could result in you selling your car for a lot less than it would be worth if you were to sell it another way. Remember this at the very start of the car-selling process.

Find Out the Specific Car You Have

Once you feel like you have a solid understanding of the different used car values, the next thing you should do is make sure you know which specific car you have. You’ll need to know more than just, say, the make or the model of it to find out what the value of your used car is.

Some people know precisely which car they have been driving around in. But others aren’t so sure.

If you fall into the second category, you’ll need to find out:

• The year of your car
• The make of your car
• The model of your car
• The trim of your car

If you still have the owner’s manual for your car handy, it should shine a light on exactly what kind of car you have. Otherwise, you should look for the VIN number for your car and use it to look up the specific type of car you have.

List the Features Found in Your Car

After you’re able to determine which specific car you have, you’ll want to move on to creating a list of all the features found in your car. The more features your car has in it, the more it’ll likely be worth.

Some people get tempted to simply say that their car is fully-loaded from bumper-to-bumper and hope for the best. But this could obviously cause issues down the line, so you’ll want to be diligent about making an accurate list of which features are included in your car.

You might be able to look up the type of car you have and find a list of its features online. But if your used car is on the older side, you might be responsible for going through your car and manually generating a list of the features it has.

Either way, you’ll need to be able to spell out which features your car has to get a more accurate estimate of its value. So do your best to spend as much time on this step as you have to.

See How Many Miles Are On Your Car’s Odometer

The total number of miles that are on your car’s odometer will play a gigantic role in how much your car is worth. You’re going to discover that your car will be worth so much more money if it has 50,000 miles on it rather than 150,000 or even 250,000 miles.

Used cars are beginning to last for a lot longer than ever before these days. It isn’t uncommon at all for some cars to stick around for well over the 200,000-mile mark. So you shouldn’t be too worried if your car has accumulated tons of miles over time.

At the same time, you’ll also need to reel in your expectations if you have a car with a lot of miles on its odometer. You’re usually going to find that the KBB Kelley Blue Book value of it will be lower when it has this number of miles on it.

Determine What Kind of Condition Your Car Is In

Another factor that’s going to play a key role in answering the question, “What’s my car worth?”, will be the condition of your car. If you’ve spent your fair share of time maintaining your car’s engine and working to keep the interior and exterior of it clean, it’ll be worth more than it would be worth otherwise.

The problem, of course, is that the condition of a car will be subjective to some degree. You might think that your car is in excellent condition overall, while someone else might come along and point out a dozen imperfections without even opening it up and getting inside.

This is another area in which you’ll need to be as honest as you can be. If you tell people your used car is in excellent condition but it’s actually in good condition, it could leave them feeling disappointed when they check it out. You should try to provide your used car with a fair assessment so that you’re able to inch your way closer to determining its value.

Research If Your Car’s Color Will Impact Its Value

When you first buy a new or used car, it would be a great idea for you to purchase one that is black, white, gray, or silver. Why? Well, it’s because the color of your car could end up having a much bigger impact on its value in the coming years than you might think.

Black, white, gray, and silver are some of the most popular car colors on the road today. As a result, you shouldn’t have any trouble selling a used car that is one of these colors. There will be plenty of people interested in buying a car that is one of these colors, and therefore, you should be able to command a higher price for it.

The same can’t always be said about used cars that are bright colors like red, blue, and orange. There won’t be as much of a demand for these car colors, and it could lead to you having to accept a lower offer for your used car than you might like.

Check If Others Are Selling the Same Car You Have

If you need to sell your used car quickly and have decided, “I want to figure out the fastest way to sell my car,” there might be a simple way to land on the right price for it. You can look around online to see if other cars like yours are for sale and check out the price tags on them.

You’re probably not going to be able to find the same exact car as yours for sale with all the same features and mileage on it. But you should be able to find at least one or two that are almost just like it with a few minor differences. It could reveal how much you can expect to collect for your used car when you sell it.

Look Up the Value of Your Car On KBB Kelley Blue Book

There are a few different websites that have earned reputations for providing people with accurate answers when they’re wondering, “What’s my car worth?” You’re more than welcome to visit any of these sites and punch in some information about your used car to see what you should be able to sell it for.

But there aren’t many sites out there that are better than KBB Kelley Blue Book. If you’re able to provide KBB with some basic information about your used car, the site will set you up with a handful of different used car values. It’s one of the simplest ways to figure out your car’s value without putting in too much effort on our part.

KBB has actually been around for almost a century now. It has one of the best reputations in the business among the different sites that can offer to provide you with the value of your used car. You can rely on KBB Kelley Blue Book to give you the inside scoop on what you should be able to sell your used car for so that you can decide if you’d like to go through with doing it.

Most people are going to consult a site like KBB Kelley Blue Book before taking a look at your used car and deciding if they want to buy it. So you might as well see what the site has to say about your car’s value from the start.

Secure an Offer From Car Buyer LA

For many years, people didn’t have lots of options when it came time to sell a used car. They either had to agree to trade their car in to a dealership when buying a new car or stick a “For Sale” sign on it and park it in a place where plenty of people would see it and get in touch with them about it.

Later, the internet would change the car-selling game by making it possible for people to list cars for sale online. But that could also prove to be too much of a hassle for some people. They would have to come up with listings for their used cars, post them online, and then spend a bunch of time showing their cars off and letting people test drive them.

Fortunately, this is no longer necessary. If you’d like to get an answer to the question, “What’s my car worth?”, and get an offer for it at the same time, Car Buyer LA can help. We’ll make it so simple for you to get an offer for your used car fast and sell it if you would like.

All you’ll need to do is provide us with information about your car and we’ll send an offer in your direction in no time. You can then check out this offer and determine whether or not you would like to accept it.

If you decide that you do, in fact, want to sell your car to us, we’ll handle all the necessary DMV and legal paperwork and make selling a car a stress-free experience for you. It’s the perfect option for those who have been thinking, “I want to sell my car from home while still getting top dollar for it.”

Wondering “What’s My Car Worth?” Contact Us Today!

Did you just realize what your car could be worth after consulting KBB Kelley Blue Book and decide you would like to sell it? Car Buyer LA would love to provide you with the assistance you need.

We’ll make selling a used car a quick and painless process for you. We’ll also help you maximize the value of your used car so that you’re able to get what it’s worth in a timely fashion.

Reach out to us today to learn more about selling your used car, truck, or SUV to Car Buyer LA.