used car valuation guide

Valuing a used car in Australia is part detective work, part tea-leaf reading, and mostly maths you can do with a coffee.

Start with national guides like RedBook, then sanity-check with real listings on Tradingpost filtered by year, kilometres, trim and location.

Adjust for condition (panel, interior, tyres), service history, options, accident/repair records (PPSR), and whether it’s dealer or private—dealers usually add a warranty and a margin.

Compare at least 5–10 true comps within a similar kilometre band (±20%) and age (±1–2 years), then nudge the price for colour, demand, and seasonality.

Remember regional pricing quirks, fleet-spec poverty packs, and the “modified tax” (almost always a discount unless it’s OEM or documented).

If buying, budget for a pre-purchase inspection and rego/transfer; if selling, price slightly above your target to allow for the inevitable “cash today?” haggle.