evo is working in partnership with our parent company, Carwow, to bring you this valuation tool. An accurate valuation of any car is free, and just a few clicks away. The tool collates live market data on the prices and specs of recently sold cars to give valuation estimates. Extra information you can provide on the car’s mileage and condition will help to make the valuation more accurate.

Whether you’re buying or selling a car, having a good idea of its market value can be hugely useful. Negotiations with car dealers and sellers become much more straightforward, while setting the price for a car you want to sell is easier once you’ve that clear idea of its current value.

Car values are ultimately determined by market forces of supply and demand, any car only being worth what someone is willing to pay for it. Rare or desirable performance models will command a premium while plentiful supply or a lack of willing buyers will push values down. 

The best way to future-proof your car investment, is to make the right choices when buying a car. Choose the right model, in the right specification with the right colour scheme and you’ll give yourself a chance of getting a good return when sale time comes. From that point, it’s all about caring for your car. Some modifications or improvements can add value but be careful with your selections, dealers and the market generally can be put-off by heavily modified cars.

The valuation tool gives prices based on cars being in ‘good condition’ for their age and mileage but examples that are above average in this regard will potentially be worth more.  

Once you’ve received your car valuation, there’s the option of selling your car through Carwow. The Carwow Sell My Car service operates on an auction based model where dealers bid on your car so the prices offered are generally very competitive. If yours is a particularly desirable model, you could even be offered more than the valuation.

Anything that reduces the desirability of a car is likely to lower its market value. From poor reviews or a bad reputation for reliability to wild colour schemes or missing equipment that buyers would expect to find on a model of that type, there are all kinds of potential negatives that could apply. 

Cars will also be worth less if their condition is below average, key maintenance has been missed or the mileage is high. Changing tax and emissions legislation can also have a big impact on values of particular models that end up with costing more to run as a result. 

These factors can, of course, present an opportunity to bargain hunters looking to snap-up cars that have depreciated heavily on the cheap, but it’s always crucial to research any purchase properly and know what you’re getting into in advance.

The valuations on the valuation tool are estimates of the value of the car in particular buying and selling scenarios based on live market data.

All valuations are based on the assumption that the car being valued is in ‘good condition’ for its age and mileage. With a low mileage, nearly new car, the expected ‘good condition’ would be very close to that of a brand new model. Older, higher mileage cars, however, have an average amount of wear and tear factored in. So they can still be in ‘good condition’ compared to other cars of similar age on the market, and that is reflected in the valuations. 

The pricing data itself is supplied by CAP HPI a leading source of car market data with experts monitoring thousands of sales across the UK car market. This data is updated live in response to changing market conditions. All valuations from the tool should be seen as guides, the car’s precise condition and specification will make it worth more or less than the quoted value but the tool will give you an accurate idea of current market value.

It’s possible to enhance the value of the car you’ve got by making sure it looks its best before sale. This basically means giving it a good clean but there is also the option of fixing any cosmetic damage. 

There’s a fine balance at play when it comes to fixing scratches, dents or damage to alloy wheels because there’s no guarantee that the cost of the repair will be mirrored in any rise in value. Getting a fresh service and MoT is more likely to be cost-effective but if expensive replacement parts are needed this could also see you spending more than you ultimately make back through increased value. Just be aware that leaving major advisories unsolved will probably lead to a lower price being offered for your car. It’s also important to make sure your service history is in order as this, too, can impact the car’s value.

The valuation tool, power by Carwow, is a good and accurate guide to a car’s value but it’s easy enough to verify that is the case for yourself. If you have the time, it’s always worth getting a second opinion and by going to a car sales website with classified ads for cars, you should be able to get a picture of what cars of similar specification, age and mileage are going for. 

With older cars or low volume performance models, this process becomes especially useful as few may have been sold recently to inform the market data and the gap in terms of condition between an excellent example and a bad one can be much wider than for newer cars.

You have a number of options if you’re looking to sell your car. An online car buying service or part-exchange are your best routes to a fast, hassle free sale. You’ll probably get a better price through a good car-buying website but part-exchange bundles the whole sale up into your deal for a new car so it can be more convenient. If you’re looking to get the maximum for your car, selling it privately is probably the best option but you have to have the time to advertise it and deal with enquiries – then handle the transaction itself.

Yes. The valuation tool’s valuations are useful for cars you’re thinking of buying, selling or insuring. Insurance prices will need to be agreed between you and your car insurer but the accurate valuations you’ll get from the tool are a good starting point and, as always, the more information you can provide on the car, the more accurate the valuation will be.