Selling a car is always a crucial moment. Every owner wants to get maximum money, but it often happens that the price indicated in the ads is significantly different from the one for which the car is actually purchased. This is where the confusion arises: market price vs realHow do you figure out how much your car is really worth and not sell it too cheaply?
Let's take a closer look 👇
📊 What is the market price of a car?
Market price — is the average cost of similar cars on the market at a certain point in time.
It is formed from ads on sales sites (OLX, Auto.ria, RST), but does not always reflect real transactions.
🚦 For example:
All owners put their cars up for sale for 10,000 $, but actually sell them for 9,000 $.
The market price in your head is 10,000 $, and the real price is 9,000 $.
📉 Why the real price is often lower
There are several reasons why the actual sales value falls:
1️⃣ Bargaining at the meeting – buyers always ask for a discount (sometimes up to 10%).
2️⃣ Car condition – if there are scratches, corrosion, problems with the chassis, the price drops.
3️⃣ Demand and season – convertibles are cheaper to buy in winter, and demand for expensive cars drops in the fall.
4️⃣ Documents and history – a car after an accident or with a loan is sold at a significant discount.
5️⃣ Competition – if there are many similar cars on the market, the buyer will choose the most profitable option.
🧠 How not to underestimate the cost
To sell a car profitably, you need to calculate its price correctly. Here are some tips:
🔍 1. Research the market
Look at 20-30 ads with similar characteristics.
Pay attention to the year of manufacture, mileage, equipment, and body condition.
Take the average value - this will be the starting market price.
🛠 2. Prepare the car for sale
Laundry and dry cleaning 🧽 – a clean car looks more expensive.
Minor repairs 🔧 – replace light bulbs, polish headlights, touch up chips.
Technical inspection – provide the buyer with a checklist of the condition of the car.
📌 Tip: an investment of even 200–300 $ can raise the price by 500–700 $.
🖼 3. Correct photos and description
Take pictures from different angles, in good weather ☀️.
Avoid blurry or dark photos.
Provide an honest description: equipment, mileage, repairs.
Honesty = trust, and trust = easier sales.
💬 4. Be prepared to bargain, but don't give up right away
Specify a price with a small margin (+5–7%).
This will allow you to give the buyer a "discount" and still get the amount you wanted.
🧾 5. Make an independent assessment
Use the services expert appraiser or a company that deals with car repurchases.
They will say real market value, which will help avoid both overpricing and underpricing.
🚀 Alternative option - car buyout
If you don't want to waste time on ads and bidding, you can use the service car buyout.
Advantages:
car valuation in 15–30 minutes;
transparent price, close to market price;
money on the same day 💵;
no problems with documents.
This is especially important if you need to urgently sell a car after an accident, a loan car, or a car with mileage that is difficult to sell through websites.
✅ Conclusion
The market price is just a guideline. To avoid underestimating the value of your car:
research the market,
prepare the car,
take quality photos,
leave room for bargaining.
And if you don't have time at all, use a car buyback and get a fair price without unnecessary stress.
🚗💰 Your car is worth more than it seems - the main thing is to know how to properly value it!
