Reference our "Used Car Wholesale Values Guide" to see if we have the Car, Truck, Van, Minivan or SUV listed that you are thinking of buying, selling or trading in.
Welcome to the usedcarprice.ca website. We feature a used car values database with both wholesale and retail pricing information. Direct from the Canadian Black Book ®, we update monthly and have complete coverage including OPTIONS pricing on all domestic cars, light duty trucks, vans, minivans and suvs sold in Canada. Complete coverage on all Canadian models from 1998 thru to 2010.
Did You Know?
The Canadian Blue Book unlike the Kelly Blue Book, which is one of the most popular used car value pricing guides in the United States, the Canadian Blue Book does not contain auto values at all but is an all seasons publication that publishes values for powersport vehicles such as motorcycles, snowmobiles, atvs, boats etc,.
So Whats It All Mean?
Trade In values, wholesale values, Retail pricing, Dealer invoice pricing, black book, red book, blue book, gold book, mileage factoring? With so many terms floating around it's hard for the everyday Canadian consumer to know what is what? As we mentioned above, the Canadian version of the Blue Book is an all seasons publication for powersport vehicles such as boats, motorcycles, ATVs, snowmobiles etc. With that fact known, lets review explanations of the Canadian pricing publications and other common automotive terms.
Canadian Black Book
Publishes values based on information gathered by Canadian Black Book ® reporters from the major dealer only auto auctions from across Canada each week. The condition of the used vehicle and total kilometers will determine its value. They take into consideration such items as interior and exterior appearance, mechanical condition and tires when determining prices. Published bi-monthly.
Canadian Red Book
Their car value pricing is projected from thorough ongoing studies of the used car market in the greater Toronto area where a large volume of sales data is available. Published monthly.
The Stanford Evan's Gold Book
Their value guide provides estimated current average wholesale and retail values for Eastern Canada, Western Canada, and British Columbia in addition to original MSRP. This guide is published on a yearly basis.
Retail Price: The average value of a used car if sold by a dealership. Retail car prices are based on the accepted price of the sellers. In most cases refers to an average vehicle reconditioned to meet both the safety and visual standards to satisfy a retail sale.
Wholesale Value: The average price that a dealership will pay to purchase a used vehicle. Based on information gathered at the major dealer only auctions across Canada each week. Car dealer's cost at dealer only auctions or from one another.
Trade In Value: The amount that the dealership will credit you for the vehicle you provide as partial or full payment for another vehicle. Certain auto manufactures provide a Canadian Black Book trade-in estimating tool. You can find a list of these manufactures on the Canadian Black Book site. Know however, the results display a value range that is reflective of a vehicle that has been unseen. The condition and mileage of your vehicle plus local market conditions at the time you trade, will determine the final value. It is nearly always worth giving your new car supplying dealer an opportunity to purchase your trade-in. He is interested in supplying you with your new car so he will be motivated to give you a good price. The trade-in value will usually be approximately equal to the wholesale black book value, (The amount credited is typically five percent below the wholesale value of the vehicle).
Dealer Invoice: The manufacturer's initial charge to the dealer, always including freight (destination or delivery) charges. The invoice price may not reflect the dealer's final cost due to rebates, allowances, discounts, and incentive awards the dealer may receive.
Mileage Factoring: The industry standard is 24,000 kilometers per model year, thus kilometers above or below the industry standard may well influence the overall classification of the vehicle. Mileage adjustments should never exceed 50% of the published value.
Understanding the need for a legitimate online resource for wholesale and retail pricing information for the Canadian used car marketplace, we researched possible sources. We determined that a relationship with the more renowned Canadian Black Book ® would give us the opportunity to present the best possible information to our Canada wide Membership base.
In addition to our exclusive used auto values database we provide a number of automotive articles related to selling or buying a new or used vehicle. Included is a handy printable used car buying checklist, articles on how to prep your vehicle for sale and tips on negotiating a sale with car dealerships. We have informative car care and maintenence literature that is a must read for anyone wanting to keep their vehicle in tip top visual and mechanical condition.
Buy with confidence knowing that you are not paying too much for a used car, truck, van, minivan or suv vehicle in Canada! As an AutoClub Member you will have unlimited access to look up wholesale and retail pricing information on as many vehicles as you wish during your 30 day membership period!
Remember: If it's not wholesale pricing information from the Canadian Black Book ® you could be relying on information that is literally hundreds of dollars off current Canadian market values... Join AutoClub Canada ..only $13.79 CAD (Taxes Incl.)!
Used Car Marketplace Information
Fact: 60 per cent of the cars Canadians bought last year were used vehicles.
Fact: The average mark-up on a used car is $1,500 to $3,000.
Fact: Typically, offering $2,000 below the display price is a good spot to begin negotiations.
Fact: Offering to pay cash for a vehicle limits your ability to negotiate with the dealer. Instead, if you tell the dealer you'd like to arrange a way to finance your purchase, they may be willing to knock of the price a little bit, because they make some money on the financing side.
Fact: To get a top dollar value for your trade-in, you should spend some time cleaning and polishing your car to look its best!
Fact: According to estimates by AutoCheck, there are more than 89,000 vehicles with rolled back odometers on the used car market in Canada.
Check Before You Buy! - Check the VIN number on the car. For about $15.00 you can check the vehicle's true history by purchasing a Vehicle History Report.
Fact: Your offer to the dealer should always be conditional on getting an independent mechanical inspection.
Fact: A new car experiences significant depreciation in it first year because, you have paid retail price and yet can only recover the wholesale value of your car once you have left the lot.
Fact: A car loses between 15 and 20% of its value each year.
A 2 year old car is worth 80 to 85% of what its value was after its first year.
A 3 year old car is worth 80 to 85% of what its value was after its second year.
