What actually decides your car's value
Four things set the price: age, mileage, condition, and local demand for that exact model. A five year old car with average mileage and a full service history is worth more than an identical one with a patchy record, even if the mileage reads lower on paper.
| Mileage on a 5 year old car | Typical effect on value |
|---|---|
| Under 40,000 miles | Above average, sells faster |
| 40,000 to 70,000 miles | Average, matches most buyers' expectations |
| 70,000 to 100,000 miles | Below average, expect a real discount |
| Over 100,000 miles | Buyers assume higher running costs, biggest price drop |
Value, compare and close with DriveMe
Exact price, verified sellers and an AI assistant, right in the app.
MOT history is worth more than any online number
Buyers trust a clean MOT history far more than a valuation screenshot. You can pull a car's full MOT history free on gov.uk, no login needed, and it lists every advisory and failure going back to the car's first test. A history with no unresolved advisories and consistent mileage readings between tests is one of the strongest arguments for a higher price.
Private sale, part exchange, or a verified marketplace: the real price gap
Part exchange is the fastest route. It's rarely the best price. Selling privately closes the gap but costs you weeks of viewings, and a verified marketplace sits somewhere in between.
| Route | Typical price | Speed |
|---|---|---|
| Dealer part exchange | Lowest, often 10 to 20% under private sale value | Same day |
| Private sale | Closest to market value | Two to six weeks on average |
| Verified buyer marketplace | Close to market value | Days, not weeks |
Mistakes that quietly knock money off your price
- Outstanding finance on the car: any HPI check will flag it, and buyers walk the moment they see it.
- No V5C logbook in your name, or one that still shows the previous keeper.
- Fewer than three months left on the MOT at the point of sale.
- An unresolved advisory on the last MOT that a quick garage fix would clear.
- Not mentioning a repaired write off, or a Cat S/N marker on the history check.
- Accepting the first offer without comparing at least one other route.
Get your number, then find the buyer who'll actually pay it
A part exchange gets you a number today. A verified buyer, already checked before they message you, usually gets you closer to what the car is actually worth, without weeks of viewings from strangers. Compare that against what you'd get selling privately, then decide with real numbers instead of a guess. See how it works on the CARS4YOU get started page.
Value, compare and close with DriveMe
Exact price, verified sellers and an AI assistant, right in the app.