Estimate the current resale value of your car based on age and mileage.
Sedan / Hatchback (Average)
SUV / Truck (Better Retention)
Luxury Vehicle (Faster Drop)
Electric Vehicle (High Demand/Incentives)
Calculation Results
Estimated Current Value: $0
Total Depreciation: $0
Value Retained: 0%
Understanding Vehicle Depreciation
Vehicle depreciation is the difference between the amount you spent when you bought your car and the amount you get back when you sell or trade it in. Most vehicles lose about 20% of their value in the first year alone, and roughly 15% each year thereafter.
How This Calculator Works
Our tool uses a "diminishing balance" formula combined with mileage adjustments to provide a realistic estimate of your car's value:
The First Year Drop: We apply a 20% flat reduction for the first year, as new cars lose significant value the moment they leave the lot.
Compound Annual Loss: For subsequent years, we apply a depreciation rate based on your vehicle type (usually 12% to 20%).
Mileage Penalty: The industry standard is 12,000 miles per year. If your annual mileage exceeds this, we apply an additional 0.5% value reduction for every 1,000 miles over the limit.
Example Calculation
Suppose you bought a $40,000 SUV and have owned it for 3 years, driving 15,000 miles per year:
Year 1: $40,000 – 20% = $32,000.
Year 2: $32,000 – 12% (SUV rate) = $28,160.
Year 3: $28,160 – 12% = $24,781.
Mileage Adjustment: Since you drove 3,000 miles over the average each year, a further deduction is applied to reach the final estimate of approximately $23,600.
How to Minimize Depreciation
While you can't stop depreciation, you can slow it down by keeping mileage low, performing regular documented maintenance, and choosing colors and trims that have high resale demand (like silver, white, or black). Additionally, keeping the interior smoke-free and the exterior free of dents significantly impacts the final "Condition" assessment during a sale.
function calculateDepreciation() {
var price = parseFloat(document.getElementById("purchasePrice").value);
var age = parseInt(document.getElementById("vehicleAge").value);
var mileage = parseInt(document.getElementById("annualMileage").value);
var baseRate = parseFloat(document.getElementById("vehicleType").value) / 100;
if (isNaN(price) || isNaN(age) || isNaN(mileage) || price <= 0 || age 0) {
// Year 1 is always the heaviest hit (standard average 20%)
currentValue = price * 0.80;
// Subsequent years use the category specific rate
for (var i = 1; i standardMileage) {
var excess = (mileage – standardMileage) / 1000;
var mileagePenalty = excess * 0.005 * age;
currentValue = currentValue * (1 – mileagePenalty);
}
// For very low mileage, add a small bonus (max 10%)
if (mileage 0) {
var bonus = ((8000 – mileage) / 1000) * 0.01 * age;
if (bonus > 0.10) bonus = 0.10;
currentValue = currentValue * (1 + bonus);
}
// Ensure value doesn't drop below 5% of original (scrap/parts value)
if (currentValue < (price * 0.05)) {
currentValue = price * 0.05;
}
var totalDepreciated = price – currentValue;
var percentRetained = (currentValue / price) * 100;
// Display Results
document.getElementById("currentValueDisplay").innerText = "$" + currentValue.toLocaleString(undefined, {minimumFractionDigits: 0, maximumFractionDigits: 0});
document.getElementById("totalDepreciationDisplay").innerText = "$" + totalDepreciated.toLocaleString(undefined, {minimumFractionDigits: 0, maximumFractionDigits: 0});
document.getElementById("percentageRetainedDisplay").innerText = percentRetained.toFixed(1) + "%";
document.getElementById("resultsArea").style.display = "block";
// Scroll to results on mobile
if (window.innerWidth < 600) {
document.getElementById("resultsArea").scrollIntoView({behavior: 'smooth'});
}
}