What determines a car's condition?
The condition your car is in will have a large influence on its value. We’ve assumed your car is in Good condition. There are generally 3 types of condition:
Fair:
- Bodywork needs minor repair, with some significant chips and scratches
- Minor or cosmetic damage to wheels
- Minor or cosmetic damage to lights, glass and mirrors
- Interior has wear and tear, with some damage or staining
- Some interior equipment does not work
- Tyres are safe and legal, but tread depth may be close to legal limit
- Documentation and keys present
- Large gaps in service history
- Current MOT
- No outstanding finance
- The car has never been written off
Good:
- Minor or cosmetic damage to bodywork, wheels, tyres and interior
- Minor or cosmetic damage to lights, glass and mirrors
- All tyres are safe and legal
- Documentation and keys present
- Partial, documented service history
- Current MOT
- No outstanding finance
- It is not a write-off (category C, D, S or N vehicle)
Excellent:
- No damage to bodywork, wheels, tyres and interior
- No damage to lights, glass and mirrors
- All tyres are safe and legal
- Documentation and keys present
- Full, documented service history
- Current MOT with at least six months to run
- No outstanding finance
- It is not a write-off (category C, D, S or N vehicle)
What affects a car's value?
The guide prices we provide give you a good idea what the car might be worth, depending on how you’re buying or selling it. However, many factors can influence the price, including:
Overall condition
- Cars of similar ages can have vastly different levels of wear and damage.
Number of owners
- Typically, cars with more previous owners are worth less, especially if they lack documentation too.
Optional extras
- Features like sat navs, leather seats and panoramic sunroofs can bump up the value.
Colour
- Certain colours can be more desirable, depending on current trends and fashions.
Service history
- Cars are worth more with a fully-documented service history.
MOT
- Buyers often pay more for a long MOT.
Modifications
- Additions like body kits, spoilers and so on can increase or decrease the value.
Rarity of model
- Some cars are desirable because there aren’t so many of them around.
Extras included in the deal
- Such as extended warranties
How are Auto Trader valuations calculated?
Every day we combine and analyse data from a number of sources, including:
- Over 500,000 ads on Auto Trader and dealer websites
- Price data from major car auctions
- Information on fleet and leasing disposal prices
Our valuations play back what’s in the market, and because the used-car market changes quickly, we update our valuations every day.
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