A car doesn't have one value, it has three: what a dealer will pay for it (trade), what a private buyer will pay (private sale) and what it sells for on a forecourt (retail). Most "value my car by reg" tools give you one of these from the registration alone, then adjust for mileage and condition. This guide explains how those valuations are built, what moves the figure up or down, and the one thing the tools don't check: the car's history, which can change the price more than anything else.
The three values of the same car
| Value | Who pays it | Where it sits |
|---|---|---|
| Trade (part-exchange or instant offer) | A dealer or a car-buying website | The lowest: the buyer needs a margin for preparation, warranty and profit |
| Private sale | Another driver, found through an advert | In the middle: more money for you, but you do the selling and carry the risk |
| Retail | You, when you buy from a dealer | The highest: includes preparation, a warranty and your consumer rights |
The gap between trade and retail on an ordinary family car is usually well over a thousand pounds, and it widens on older or unusual cars. So when a tool says your car is "worth" a figure, ask which of the three it means. An instant online offer is a trade price, and it's normally revised downwards when the collection driver inspects the car, so read the condition rules before you accept one.
How to value a car by registration
- Get the facts right first. Enter the registration in the search box above. The free check shows the make, model, engine size, fuel type, colour, year of first registration and the full MOT history with the mileage at every test. These are the inputs every valuation starts from, and a wrong trim level or fuel type throws the price off by hundreds.
- Compare live adverts for the same car. Search the classified sites for your make, model, year, engine and gearbox, then narrow to a similar mileage. The asking prices of the five or six closest matches are the retail band. Private adverts, a little under them, are the private-sale band.
- Get two or three instant offers. Car-buying websites and dealers' part-exchange quotes give you the trade band in minutes. Use them as a floor, not a target.
- Adjust for your car. Mileage, condition, service history, number of owners and the history record (below) move the figure within the band.
- Price for the route you'll take. Selling privately? Start near the top of the private band and leave room to negotiate. Our guide on selling a car privately covers the advert, viewings and getting paid safely. Part-exchanging? Negotiate the price of the car you're buying and the trade-in figure separately.
What makes a car worth more, or less
- Age and depreciation. Cars lose value fastest in their first three years and then more slowly. Our car depreciation calculator shows the curve for a given price and age.
- Mileage. Across the 492,751 vehicles' MOT histories we analysed, UK cars average about 7,500 miles a year. A car well under that for its age is worth more; one well over it is worth less, though a high-mileage car with a full service history is still an easy sale.
- Service history and MOT record. A stamped book or digital record with receipts adds to the price. A string of MOT advisories about rust, tyres or suspension takes from it, because the buyer prices in the repairs. The free check shows every advisory.
- Number of previous owners. Fewer is better. Buyers can check this by reg, so an advert that says "one owner" when the record says four loses them. See how many owners has this car had.
- Specification, colour and gearbox. Automatic gearboxes, popular colours, sat-nav, heated seats and the higher trims hold value; an unusual colour or a base model doesn't.
- Fuel type and emissions zones. Diesels that don't meet Euro 6 are worth less in and around London and other clean air zones. Check with the free ULEZ check.
- Tax band. A car in a high road tax band is harder to sell; the car tax calculator shows the yearly cost.
- Condition. Dents, kerbed wheels, worn tyres, a cracked windscreen and a stale interior all cost more to put right than they knock off a valuation when fixed first.
The history record: the factor the valuation tools miss
A reg-based valuation assumes the car is clean. Many aren't. In the full reports our customers ran between March 2023 and October 2026, 30.1% of 4,403 cars had at least one risk record: outstanding finance on 16.7%, an insurance write-off on 13.4%, a mileage anomaly on 5.4%, and a colour change on 3.3%. Each of these changes what the car is worth:
- A write-off category (Cat S, Cat N, or the older Cat C and D) stays on the record for life and the car sells for substantially less than an equivalent car with a clean record, however good the repair. Of the write-offs we recorded, 45.4% were Cat S and 42.2% Cat N. Our guide explains what the categories mean.
- Outstanding finance doesn't change the car's market value, but it changes what the seller can keep: the finance has to be settled from the sale. If you're selling a car on HP or PCP, see selling a car with outstanding finance.
- A mileage anomaly (a recorded reading lower than an earlier one) makes buyers walk away or offer trade money. Check your own car's readings on the free mileage check before you advertise, so nothing surprises you.
- Colour and plate changes aren't faults, but a buyer will ask why. Having the answer ready (a private plate, a respray after a scrape) keeps the price up.
Whether you're pricing your own car or deciding what to offer for someone else's, run the full car history check first. For a seller it's the proof that supports your asking price; for a buyer it's the difference between paying retail for a clean car and paying retail for a Cat S.
Free check or full report for valuing a car?
| What you need for a valuation | Free check | Full report |
|---|---|---|
| Make, model, engine, fuel, colour, year | Yes | Yes |
| MOT history, advisories and mileage at each test | Yes | Yes |
| Tax and MOT status, ULEZ standard, tax band | Yes | Yes |
| Number of previous keepers and dates | No | Yes |
| Insurance write-off category and date | No | Yes |
| Outstanding finance and the lender | No | Yes |
| Mileage anomaly check across all recorded readings | No | Yes |
| Plate and colour changes, import and export markers | No | Yes |
| A market valuation in pounds | No | No: use adverts and trade offers as above |
We don't sell valuations, and we'd rather say so than give you a number that depends on a condition we haven't seen. What the report gives you is the record the valuation has to be based on.
Valuing a car you want to buy
Turn the steps around. Find the retail band for the exact car, then subtract for anything the seller hasn't mentioned: high mileage, missing service history, advisories, a recent change of keeper, a plate change. A private seller's price should sit below retail because you get no warranty and fewer rights. If the full report shows a write-off or outstanding finance, the price is a different conversation: see your rights if you buy a car with outstanding finance. Our test drive checklist covers what to look for on the car itself.
How much is my car worth FAQs
How do I find out what my car is worth for free?
Get the car's details and MOT history free by registration, compare adverts for the same model, year and mileage, and get a couple of instant online offers for the trade floor. Between the two you have your private-sale price.
Can I value my car by registration number?
Yes. The registration identifies the make, model, engine and year, which is what a valuation tool prices. You then adjust for mileage, condition, history and specification, which the plate alone can't tell anyone.
Why is the instant online offer so much lower than the adverts?
Because it's a trade price: the buyer has to prepare the car, offer a warranty and make a profit. The adverts are retail prices. A private sale lands between the two.
Does a Cat S or Cat N write-off reduce a car's value?
Yes, permanently. The category stays on the car's record, and buyers and dealers price it well below an equivalent car with a clean record. Always check before you buy, and declare it when you sell.
Does outstanding finance affect what my car is worth?
Not the market value, but the finance must be settled when the car is sold. Get a settlement figure from the lender before you price the car.
What is the scrap value of my car?
Scrap value is set by weight and metal prices, not the market, and only makes sense for a car that no longer has a sale value. Our guide to scrapping a car explains how it's worked out.
Does mileage or age matter more?
Both set the band, but mileage against age is what buyers read: a five-year-old car on 90,000 miles is priced as a high-mileage car; the same car on 30,000 is priced at a premium.