Estimate the current market resale value of your vehicle based on depreciation and condition.
Excellent (Showroom quality)
Good (Minor wear, well maintained)
Fair (Visible wear, needs minor repairs)
Poor (Heavy damage or mechanical issues)
Estimated Resale Value
How Your Car Value is Calculated
Understanding the true market value of your vehicle is crucial whether you are planning to sell, trade-in, or simply manage your personal assets. This car value calculator uses standard industry depreciation curves to estimate what your vehicle is worth today.
The Factors of Vehicle Depreciation
Depreciation is the difference between what you paid for your car and what you can sell it for later. Most vehicles lose value the moment they leave the dealership, but the rate of loss stabilizes over time.
Age: On average, a new car loses about 20% of its value in the first year and roughly 15% each subsequent year.
Mileage: High mileage significantly impacts value. The average driver covers 12,000 to 15,000 miles per year. Exceeding this "normal" range results in a lower valuation.
Condition: Mechanical health and aesthetic appearance play a major role. An "Excellent" condition car can fetch a 5% premium, while a "Poor" condition car might lose 35% or more of its book value.
Example Calculation
Suppose you bought a sedan for $30,000 four years ago. It currently has 48,000 miles and is in Good condition.
Initial Year Drop: $30,000 – 20% = $24,000.
Subsequent Years (3 years at 15%): Value drops to approximately $15,600.
Mileage Adjustment: Since it hits exactly the 12,000 miles/year average, no extra penalty is applied.
Condition Adjustment: Since it is "Good," the value remains at $15,600.
This provides a realistic baseline for private sales or dealer trade-in negotiations.
function calculateCarValue() {
var originalPrice = parseFloat(document.getElementById('originalPrice').value);
var carAge = parseFloat(document.getElementById('carAge').value);
var mileage = parseFloat(document.getElementById('mileage').value);
var conditionMultiplier = parseFloat(document.getElementById('condition').value);
if (isNaN(originalPrice) || isNaN(carAge) || isNaN(mileage) || originalPrice 0) {
// First year hit
currentValue = currentValue * 0.80;
// Subsequent years
for (var i = 1; i 0) {
currentValue = currentValue – (mileageDifference * 0.15);
} else {
currentValue = currentValue + (Math.abs(mileageDifference) * 0.05);
}
// Condition Adjustment
currentValue = currentValue * conditionMultiplier;
// Scrap value floor (usually a car is worth at least 5% of its price or $500)
var floorValue = Math.max(originalPrice * 0.05, 500);
if (currentValue < floorValue) {
currentValue = floorValue;
}
// Display Results
var resultArea = document.getElementById('resultArea');
var estimatedDisplay = document.getElementById('estimatedValue');
var summaryDisplay = document.getElementById('depreciationSummary');
resultArea.style.display = 'block';
estimatedDisplay.innerText = '$' + currentValue.toLocaleString(undefined, {minimumFractionDigits: 0, maximumFractionDigits: 0});
var totalLost = originalPrice – currentValue;
var percentLost = (totalLost / originalPrice) * 100;
summaryDisplay.innerText = "Your vehicle has depreciated approximately " + percentLost.toFixed(1) + "% from its original purchase price.";
resultArea.scrollIntoView({ behavior: 'smooth', block: 'nearest' });
}