How to Use Kelly Blue Book
Known as the industry standard for car values, the Kelley Blue Book dates back to the 1960s and a man by the name of Les Kelley. Kelley was an innovator in the automobile industry. One of his earliest vehicle guides exhibited how mileage affected the value of a car. Initially published as a blue bound book, the Kelley Blue Book evolved to add more valuation guides and eventually was introduced to the Internet in 1995. Today, the online version of the Kelley Blue Book makes it easy for anyone to create customized estimations of vehicle values in just minutes.
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Instructions
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Select "Car Values" from the Kelley Blue Book online menu. Select the appropriately field for your task. You are given the option to estimate values for new, used and trade-in vehicles. If you have a used vehicle to sell, you might want to compare the values for trade-in value versus used car value. This tool will help illustrate how much more money you can make, if any, through a private sale.
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Select the make, model and year of the vehicle you wish to inquire about. If the vehicle is used, Kelley Blue Book will also ask for the mileage. Most cars have multiple styles. To obtain your vehicle's value, Kelley Blue Book asks a series of questions about style and options that may make your car unique or different from the factory base model.
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Complete all options and then select whether you wish to see the private party sale value or the dealership trade-in value. Regardless of which selection you choose, the final valuation will have an tab function that will allow you to easily switch back and forth between the two values.
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Indicate the condition of the vehicle. To assist you in determining what kind of condition your vehicle is in, a brief summary is provided for each category. The best way to ensure the most accurate value for your vehicle is to avoid exaggerating the condition of the car. No other valuation factor holds as much weight in the Kelley Blue Book as condition. Mileage is a close second.
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Tips & Warnings
Kelley Blue Book is widely used in the car industry, but it does not guarantee a particular value for your car.
Private-party estimates are always higher than dealership trade-in values.
References
Resources
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