Used Car Value Estimator (Depreciation Curve)
Estimate a used car's value from its original price, age, and mileage using a typical depreciation curve. Educational estimate — check KBB/Edmunds for actuals. Runs in your browser.
Uses a typical depreciation curve — roughly 20% lost in the first year, then about 15% of the remaining value each year — adjusted for mileage versus the ~12,000 miles/year average (about $0.10 per mile above/below). This is a rough estimate; real values depend on make/model, condition, options, accident history, and local market. For an actual figure, check Kelley Blue Book or Edmunds. Educational; everything runs in your browser.
About this tool
Cars are famous for losing value the moment they leave the lot, and this calculator estimates how much a vehicle is worth today based on the well-documented shape of automotive depreciation. The widely cited pattern: a new car loses roughly 20% of its value in the first year, then about 15% of its remaining value in each year after that — which compounds to a vehicle being worth only about half its original price after four to five years, and roughly a third after seven or eight. The tool applies that curve to the original price and the car's age, then adjusts for mileage: it compares the odometer to the roughly 12,000 miles per year an average car accrues and nudges the value up for a low-mileage example or down for a high-mileage one (about ten cents per mile of difference, a common rule of thumb). The result is an estimate of current market value plus the percentage of the original price retained. It's important to treat this as a ballpark, not an appraisal: real used-car values depend on the specific make and model (some brands and trims hold value far better than others), overall condition, options and trim, accident and service history, regional supply and demand, and the broader market — all things a generic curve can't know. Certain vehicles, especially trucks and reliable models in short supply, depreciate much more slowly, while luxury cars and EVs with older battery tech can drop faster. For an actual transaction value, consult a data-driven source like Kelley Blue Book or Edmunds, which price specific vehicles from real sales. Use this tool to understand the depreciation trajectory, sanity-check a listing, or estimate what your car might be worth before you look it up. Educational; everything runs in your browser; nothing is uploaded.
How to use it
- Enter the car's original (new) price.
- Enter its age in years.
- Enter the current odometer reading.
- Read the estimated value and percent of original price retained, then verify with KBB or Edmunds.
Frequently asked questions
- How fast does a car depreciate?
- Typically about 20% in the first year, then roughly 15% of the remaining value each year after. That leaves a car worth around half its original price after 4–5 years, though it varies widely by model.
- How does mileage affect the value?
- Cars are expected to drive about 12,000 miles per year. Mileage well above that lowers value (roughly $0.10 per excess mile as a rule of thumb), while below-average mileage raises it. This tool applies that adjustment.
- Is this an accurate appraisal?
- No — it is a rough estimate from a generic curve. Real value depends on make/model, condition, options, accident history, and local market. Use Kelley Blue Book or Edmunds for a data-driven figure on a specific car.
- Why do some cars hold value better?
- Reliability reputation, supply and demand, brand, and body style matter. Trucks and certain in-demand models depreciate slowly; luxury cars and vehicles with rapidly improving tech (some EVs) can lose value faster than the average curve.
- Does the calculator know my specific car?
- No. It applies a typical depreciation curve to the inputs you give. It cannot account for your exact make, model, trim, or condition — treat the output as a starting estimate.
- Is anything uploaded?
- No. All calculations run entirely in your browser.