Without knowing your car's exact value, you'll have a hard time selling it. Either you'll lose money by selling it for less than it's worth, or you'll wait too long for someone to buy your over-priced vehicle.
To avoid either of these unpleasant scenarios, it's best to get an accurate value of your used car before going into negotiations. Thanks to technology, getting a car appraisal is now easier than ever before. Here are seven trustworthy websites to value your used car for free.
1. Kelley Blue Book
Whenever you’re looking to value your used car, Kelley Blue Book is the place to start. KBB has been valuing cars for the last nine decades and has an enormous amount of data to figure out the most accurate value of your used car. To give you a free car appraisal, it factors in the actual transactions, auction data, market trends, and your car's condition.
The process of valuing your old car is fairly simple. You can either enter your license plate number or VIN, or manually choose your car’s model. After you select other details like the color and equipment of your car, KBB shows an estimated range of trade-in and private party values.
It also tells how much time and effort will it take to get a good price for your car. If you’re in a hurry to sell your car, you can request an instant cash offer and claim it from any participating dealer.
2. Edmunds
Edmunds is a trusted website that gives you the true value of your used car in no time. To value your vehicle, it considers actual sale values, depreciation, your car’s condition, and local data.
To get an estimation of your car's worth, either enter the VIN, license plate number, or model of your car. Then, it asks you more details about your car’s condition, equipment, and required repairs. After analyzing these details and comparing them with their sales data, Edmunds gives three estimated values of your car: trade-in, private party, and dealer retail.
Moreover, it provides a price breakdown, helping you understand how your car has been valued. Best of all, it checks if any of its dealers would be interested in your vehicle and shows you an offer price. If interested, you can schedule an appointment with the dealer and sell your car instantly.
Edmunds is one of the most popular automotive resources. With the great amount of information and experience their team has, it can provide you the best price for your car and maybe connect you with a dealer.
3. NADAguides
Operated by J.D. Power, NADAguides provides accurate car valuations using its data and artificial intelligence capabilities. Besides cars, NADAguides also values motorcycles, RVs, classic cars, and boats.
To get an appraisal, choose your car’s make and model. Then, NADAguides shows you cars based on your selection. Choose the exact model and variant from there. Lastly, enter your ZIP code, mileage, and car equipment. NADAguides then shows your used car's trade-in and retail values based on its condition.
In addition to the price breakdown, you can also view the cost to own your car. NADAguides' extensive data, combined with J.D Power’s analysis capabilities, make this website a great tool for valuing your old car.
4. Auto Trader
Auto Trader is a UK-based online automotive marketplace that has been connecting buyers and sellers since the 1970s. Thanks to the huge amount of data it collects from its marketplace, Auto Trader provides accurate valuations of used cars.
To get an appraisal, you can simply enter your registration number and mileage or choose the make, model, and variant. After you sign in, Auto Trader shows you a part-exchange value of your used car. It considers factors like mileage, make, model, age, fuel type, and extras for estimating your vehicle’s worth.
Since the site receives new data regularly and implements a smart algorithm, Auto Trader’s valuations are quite precise and up-to-date.
5. TrueCar
TrueCar is a NASDAQ-listed company that facilitates its users to buy and sell cars. In addition to its marketplace, it has a few other tools on its website, including a car's value estimator.
To get a valuation, enter your license plate number or VIN so that TrueCar can find your vehicle details. To get an exact price, you'll need to fill a detailed form specifying your car’s condition and equipment. Otherwise, TrueCar shows an estimated range without asking for other details.
As well as calculating the value of your car, TrueCar gives a complete price breakdown to help you understand how your car has been valued. Moreover, TrueCar gives you an offer to sell or trade-in your used car with its certified dealers.
6. Consumer Reports Car Value Estimator
We all have read product reviews on Consumer Reports. But it also has a tool for valuing used cars which pulls data from Black Book.
CR Car Value Estimator asks you about your car’s make, model, year, variant, and mileage. It then shows Trade-In and Private Party estimations, depending upon your car’s conditions.
Consumer Reports gives a decent estimate without taking much time or asking for too many details. But as it doesn’t take other factors into account, you may find its value slightly off compared to other tools.
7. Parkers
Parkers is another UK-based website that connects car buyers with sellers, publishes car reviews, and values used vehicles. Parkers provides free as well as paid car valuations.
For a free valuation, it considers only the model and variant of your car. Whereas Parkers gives a more accurate paid estimation by considering mileage, optional equipment, and other details. If you want a rough idea of your car’s worth, a free plan would suffice.
Or else, you can upgrade to a custom valuation for £5. On top of valuing your used car, you can also find helpful reviews and other tools on Parkers' website.
Know Your Car’s Exact Worth
Having a correct estimation of your car's value not only helps you get the best price for it, but also avoids unnecessary delays in selling your car. So, whenever selling your car, it's useful to know it’s worth beforehand.
Although the actual market values may differ a bit from these online appraisals, these websites still provide you a great starting point for negotiations.
