Buying a used car is a great way to get the most out of your money. According to Edmunds, a new car loses 11 percent of its value the moment you drive it off the lot. Used cars are generally a smarter bet as long as you do your homework. Popular online sites can allow you to browse car prices without ever leaving your house and dealing with that pushy salesman.
Open your favorite web browser and navigate to the Kelly Blue Book website.
Click on "Year, Make & Model" to the right of "Search by:" under the "Used Cars" box. You may also select "En Español" if you prefer Spanish.
Enter the desired Year, Make and Model from the dropdown menus and press "Go."
Enter your Zip Code and press Go.
Select the type of value that you want to check. Trade-In Value is the amount that you should expect a dealer to pay you for a trade-in. Private Party Value is the value you should pay if you are buying the car from a private party. Suggested Retail Value is how much you should expect to pay if you are buying the used car from a dealer. CPO Value is the value you should expect to pay if you are buying the used car from a dealer with a certified pre-owned warranty.
Select the trim package of the vehicle. This will be your model type such as SRT 4 for a Dodge Neon.
Enter the current mileage of the vehicle.
Select all of the options that the vehicle is equipped with. Click "Continue."
Select the condition of the vehicle. Read each of the descriptions under each heading and select the description that most closely matches your vehicle.
Open your favorite web browser and navigate to the AutoTrader website.
Select the "Sell Your Car" tab at the top of the page.
Select "Price your Car" on the left hand side of the screen.
Enter your Zip Code, Year, Make, Model and Mileage of your car.
Record the values listed for the Private, Average and Dealer prices.
Open your favorite web browser and navigate to the Edmunds website.
Navigate to the "Appraise a Used Car" menu and enter your make, model, year and zip code.
Click on "Appraise Your Car."
Select your vehicle style, enter you mileage, select your color and select your vehicle condition.
Press "Get Pricing Report."
