Many people wonder… how are prices for used cars determined? There really isn’t any secret formula, it’s just knowing the market and researching what the values of used cars are. All dealers, new and used have access to the various auto auctions that are run all over the country. The two biggest are Mannheim and Adesa. These auction houses publish a list of what the cars that go through their auctions are sold for. Business’s like Kelley Blue Book, Edmund’s, and NADA auto Guides and Black Book base their figures on what the cars are sold for at auction.

When used car managers are looking to price a car for sale they consult these guides. The one factor that these guides don’t give you is what the market bares in the various cities across the country. Prices do vary from city to city believe it or not. A good used car manager will know what the market is for the different cars and will price their cars accordingly.

When you’re looking to sell a car on your own a great place to start is KBB, Edmund’s and NADA. After you get an idea look at the various selling sites like Autotrader or Cars.com and see what similar cars are selling for in your area.

The other thing you need to remember is that the overall condition of the car has to be looked at also. Be very critical on this, what you think is excellent condition may not necessarily be so. Have a friend or work associate look at the car and get their opinion of it’s condition.

Remember a clean car always will sell much better than a dirty one.  Take some time to detail and research values, the effort should pay off when you sell your car.