Is This Car a Good Deal? How to Score Any Used Car Price
Most buyers have no objective reference for whether a price is fair. This guide explains how UK car depreciation works, what affects price, and gives you an instant deal score on any car using its make, year, mileage and asking price.
Deal
Score
Enter the car's details and get an instant score on whether the asking price is fair for the year and mileage.
Based on UK depreciation curves and segment averages. Run a scrape for an exact market comparison.
Deal tiers
How UK car depreciation works
Every car loses value from the moment it leaves the showroom. The steepest drop happens in the first 1–3 years: a new car can lose 15–35% of its value in year one alone. By years 3–5, depreciation slows significantly - which is why 3–5 year old used cars offer the best value: you get a nearly-new car at a fraction of the original price, and the remaining depreciation is manageable.
| Car age | Typical remaining value | Annual loss rate |
|---|---|---|
| 1 year old | 68–78% of new price | 22–32% |
| 2 years old | 54–64% of new price | 15–20% |
| 3 years old | 44–54% of new price | 12–16% |
| 5 years old | 30–42% of new price | 9–12% |
| 7 years old | 20–30% of new price | 7–10% |
What affects whether a price is fair
The Deal Score compares the asking price to an estimated fair market value derived from: the car's make (which determines the segment and new price benchmark), the year (which determines age-related depreciation), and the mileage (high or low mileage relative to age shifts the value up or down). It gives you a fast signal - but it's a model estimate, not a live market check.
For the most accurate price check: run an AutoAlpha scrape for the exact make, model, year and mileage you're looking at. The Deal Score is a fast first filter; live market data gives you the definitive answer.
How to use the deal score in a negotiation
If the tool shows "Slightly Overpriced" or "Overpriced," you have objective grounds to negotiate. Come back to the seller with: "I've looked at the market for similar cars - similar year and mileage are sitting at around £X. Would you consider £Y?"
A score of "Great Deal" doesn't mean you should skip the inspection - it means either the seller is motivated or there's something about the car that warrants scrutiny. Run the vehicle history check and inspect carefully before proceeding.
Deal score tiers explained
- Great Deal (>20% below market): Significantly underpriced. Act quickly - a car priced this far below market will sell fast, or there's a problem with it worth investigating.
- Good Value (8–20% below market): Attractively priced. This is the sweet spot - worth pursuing.
- Fair Price (within ±8%): Market rate. Normal pricing - negotiate on condition or extras, not price.
- Slightly Overpriced (8–20% above market): Room to negotiate. Don't walk away - come in with a lower offer.
- Overpriced (>20% above market): Well above market. Either the seller is uninformed, the car has something special justifying the premium (extremely low mileage, full dealer history), or you should keep looking.
Get exact pricing from live market data
The Deal Score uses a depreciation model. For an exact comparison, AutoAlpha scrapes real listings - same make, model, year and mileage - in real time.
Run a live market check →No account needed · Live the UK's leading car marketplace data