There was a time when you had to buy a newspaper to know how much to sell your car for? Thanks to the internet, everything goes faster! In a few clicks it is possible, with an online estimation tool, to know the theoretical value of your vehicle for a possible auto trade-in . Simply by entering some data concerning its mileage, its year of entry into circulation…
Estimate
In order to establish the trade-in value of a used vehicle for the purpose of a self-recovery, several calculation methods exist. They are called Argus, Autovista… and are used today by automotive professionals but also by regulated professions (accountants, bailiffs, insurers…) as well as by tax authorities. The method is based on an equation taking into account the make, model, date of entry into service of the vehicle, mileage, equipment and options. The value expressed by this calculation is what is called the coast.
Coast
Generated by the algorithm taking into account the model, brand, age, mileage, equipment, options or repair costs, the coast of a vehicle recent decreases every year. From the first year, a new vehicle is devalued by 15 to 30%! The second year, this discount can reach 50%! This is why a recent second-hand car is very often a good deal compared to a new model! However, these are averages. Indeed, a city car depreciates less quickly than a large sedan. Rightly or wrongly, a German car has a better reputation than an Italian one. It will be easier to resell a black car than a yellow one. There is even a seasonal phenomenon!
Depending on the characteristics of the model, this rating could possibly go up in many years by entering a category of cars called “youngtimer”, “old”, “collection”. The only exceptions are very rare vehicles, produced in small quantities. In some cases, the cost may be higher than the price of new after only 6 months!
Best trade-in offer
However, the price of a used vehicle can be refined, in particular through the history of sales of similar vehicles over comparable periods and geographical areas. Increased or improved, it depends! Indeed, a poorly maintained or damaged vehicle will benefit from a lower trade-in offer from the automotive professional. The latter must take into account the costs of restoration. Conversely, a vehicle in perfect condition and benefiting from rare equipment (such as an automatic gearbox or a sunroof) may generate a better trade-in offer than its price.
In this case, it is important to know how to play the competition between different professionals in order to sell your car at the best price! If the negotiation margins are not always very wide, you can rely on negotiations about the vehicle you intend to acquire as part of this recovery in order to benefit from a better rate, a higher level of equipment or free complementary services.
