Whether you’re planning to buy a new car, or sell, refinance, or repair your current automobile, it’s important to have an idea of a vehicle’s full value. But how can consumers check the value of their own used car, truck, or SUV?
It’s actually quite easy and completely free to calculate a car’s value. Here are three different ways you can estimate the value of your vehicle for free. We recommend using all of these methods to get the best idea of its accepted worth.
3 Simple Ways to Find Automobile Values
1. Use Online Car Valuation Websites
Kelley Blue Book (KBB), Edmunds, and CARFAX are three of the best known online websites to check a car’s value. All you have to do is head over to their websites and put in your vehicle’s information to run a lookup.
– How to Check a Vehicle’s KBB and Edmonds Values
For Kelly Blue Book and Edmonds you will need the vehicle’s year, make, and model, as well as your zip code. Select what type of value you’re looking for: trade, retail, or private party. Then enter the style, transmission type, mileage, options, and condition of the vehicle.
– How to Check a Used Vehicle’s CARFAX Value
To check the value of a used motor vehicle according to CARFAX all you need is to input the license plate or vehicle identification number (VIN) of the automobile, zip code, and check the box to indicate whether you’re the owner to get an estimated trade-in, retail, and private party value report for that area.
– How to Check Classic Car Values
Use Hagerty and Nada Guides to view how much classic cars are estimated to be worth.
Run your vehicles through multiple valuation sites and take note of their value estimates on each. Within just a few steps you should have a good idea of what your cars and trucks are worth.
2. Speak to Local Auto Dealerships About Trade-in Value
Many people feel they can get a better value for their vehicle by speaking to a sales representative in person. You can call, but it’s best to visit your local dealership and ask for the trade-in value for your car.
You won’t usually get an exact price unless you’re looking to buy a specific vehicle there and are already in the purchase process, but you can figure it’s close enough to give you a good estimate of what you would get if you were to trade your car in somewhere. If your car is common enough you can even see what the dealership is selling similar cars for when pricing yours.
Visit multiple dealerships when searching for a good general idea and the best offer. Oftentimes, you can negotiate this price depending on if you are trading it in for a specific vehicle at that dealership.
You can use these numbers as the bare minimum you can expect for your car, truck, SUV, van, or another type of vehicle, as you’re likely to get more for it by selling to someone privately.
3. Browse Local Newspapers and Classified Automobile Ads Online
You can also check out your local paper, Nickel Ads, free auto trading magazines, or classifieds on the Internet to figure out the value of your car. Search for cars that are similar in make, model, and condition to your automobile to get an estimate of what yours is worth.
Online classified advertising websites such as Craigslist and AutoTrader.com have listings similar to newspapers and are oftentimes more popular, so don’t forget to check there as well.
If you like mobile apps, then Facebook Marketplace and CarGurus are two of my favorites. CarGurus is a car-shopping website that tells you if a car for sale is a good or bad deal and by how much when compared to similar cars nationwide. I find it extremely helpful for estimating values.
Final Thoughts on Seeing How Much a Car, Truck, or SUV is Worth
Buying or selling a car, pickup truck, motorcycle or SUV is a pretty huge decision. It’s important to have all of your facts gathered before going ahead with a purchase or sale. Otherwise, you could potentially lose hundreds or even thousands of dollars if you’re not well-prepared.
The auto dealerships are in the business of making the most money, and private buyers are also looking to get a steal. By knowing your car’s valuation numbers and having a little patience you’re sure to get top dollar for your vehicle.
