Auto Value Calculator

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Used Auto Value Calculator

Estimate the current market resale value of your vehicle.

Excellent (Like New) Good (Minor Wear) Fair (Visible Scratches/Dents) Poor (Needs Repair)
High Demand (Toyota, Honda, High-End Luxury) Standard (Ford, Chevy, Nissan) Low Demand / Niche (Discontinued models)

Estimated Current Value

Understanding Auto Depreciation and Value

Calculating the value of a used vehicle requires understanding how different factors erode the initial purchase price. Most vehicles lose value the moment they are driven off the lot, but the rate of decline varies significantly based on usage and maintenance.

Key Factors in Vehicle Valuation

  • Age: Generally, a new car loses about 15-20% of its value in the first year and roughly 10-15% each year thereafter.
  • Mileage: The average driver covers 12,000 to 15,000 miles per year. If your mileage exceeds this, your value will drop faster due to increased wear and tear on engine components.
  • Condition: "Excellent" condition is rare. It means the car has no cosmetic flaws, a clean history report, and perfect mechanical health. Most used cars fall into the "Good" or "Fair" categories.
  • Market Demand: Brands known for longevity (like Toyota) or specific popular segments (like mid-size SUVs) retain value much better than discontinued brands or niche sports cars.

Valuation Example

Imagine a vehicle purchased for $30,000. After 3 years with 36,000 miles (standard use) in Good condition:

  • Year 1 Value: ~$24,000 (20% drop)
  • Year 2 Value: ~$20,400 (15% drop)
  • Year 3 Value: ~$17,340 (15% drop)
  • Estimated Final Value: ~$15,600 (adjusted for condition and market factors).
function calculateCarValue() { var price = parseFloat(document.getElementById('originalPrice').value); var age = parseFloat(document.getElementById('carAge').value); var miles = parseFloat(document.getElementById('mileage').value); var conditionMult = parseFloat(document.getElementById('condition').value); var demandMult = parseFloat(document.getElementById('brandDemand').value); if (isNaN(price) || isNaN(age) || isNaN(miles) || price = 1) if (age >= 1) { depreciatedValue = depreciatedValue * 0.95; } // 3. Calculate Mileage Penalty // Average miles per year is 12,500. // We penalize or reward based on deviation from average. var expectedMiles = age * 12500; if (age < 1) expectedMiles = 12500; // Floor for very new cars var mileageDiff = miles – expectedMiles; // Penalty: $0.15 per mile over/under expected var mileageAdjustment = mileageDiff * 0.15; depreciatedValue = depreciatedValue – mileageAdjustment; // 4. Apply Condition and Demand Multipliers var finalValue = depreciatedValue * conditionMult * demandMult; // 5. Floor value (A car is usually worth at least 5% of its price in scrap/parts) var scrapValue = price * 0.05; if (finalValue < scrapValue) { finalValue = scrapValue; } // Display Results var resultDiv = document.getElementById('resultArea'); var valueDiv = document.getElementById('calculatedValue'); var summaryDiv = document.getElementById('depreciationSummary'); resultDiv.style.display = 'block'; valueDiv.innerText = '$' + Math.round(finalValue).toLocaleString(); var totalLossPercent = ((price – finalValue) / price) * 100; summaryDiv.innerText = "Your vehicle has retained approximately " + Math.round(100 – totalLossPercent) + "% of its original value."; // Smooth scroll to result resultDiv.scrollIntoView({ behavior: 'smooth', block: 'nearest' }); }

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