{"id":67244,"date":"2026-10-20T13:06:02","date_gmt":"2026-10-20T10:06:02","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/wpcalc.com\/en\/?p=67244"},"modified":"2026-10-20T13:06:02","modified_gmt":"2026-10-20T10:06:02","slug":"car-depreciation-calculator","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/wpcalc.com\/en\/life\/car-depreciation-calculator\/","title":{"rendered":"Car Depreciation Calculator"},"content":{"rendered":"<section class=\"not-prose calculator-box\" aria-labelledby=\"calculator-title\"><div class=\"flex items-baseline sm:items-center justify-between gap-2 sm:gap-3\"><div class=\"flex flex-col sm:flex-row sm:items-center gap-2\"><span class=\"icon icon-calculator text-primary-700! text-base! dark:text-primary-300!\" aria-hidden=\"true\"><\/span><h2 id=\"calculator-title\" class=\"text-lg font-display font-bold\">Estimate How Your Car&#039;s Value Drops Each Year<\/h2><\/div><div class=\"calcdash-favorite group\">\n  <button type=\"button\" class=\"favorite\" id=\"favorite\" data-favorite-id=\"67244\" data-favorite-title=\"Car Depreciation\" data-favorite-url=\"https:\/\/wpcalc.com\/en\/life\/car-depreciation-calculator\/\" data-favorite-excerpt=\"Estimate how much your car will be worth after a few years of ownership. Enter the purchase price, age, years to own, annual mileage and a depreciation profile to see the year-by-year value drop.\" aria-label=\"Add to Favorites\" data-favorite-icon=\"icon icon-roadways\">\n    <span class=\"icon icon-shape-star-empty\" aria-hidden=\"true\"><\/span>\n  <\/button>\n  <div class=\"calcdash-favorite__tip\" aria-hidden=\"true\">\n   <span class=\"favorite-tooltip\" id=\"favorite-tooltip\"><\/span>\n  <\/div>\n  <span class=\"sr-only\" role=\"status\" id=\"favorite-status\"><\/span>\n<\/div><\/div><form action=\"https:\/\/wpcalc.com\/en\/life\/car-depreciation-calculator\/\" method=\"POST\" class=\"calculator\" id=\"calculator-67244\" data-post=\"67244\"><fieldset class=\"fieldset-input is-2\"><legend class=\"sr-only\">Input Fields<\/legend><div class=\"field\" id=\"input-1\"><label for=\"field-1\">Purchase price<\/label><input type=\"text\" name=\"purchase_price\" id=\"field-1\" aria-describedby=\"calc-unit-1 calc-info-1\" data-number inputmode=\"decimal\" autocomplete=\"off\" spellcheck=\"false\" min=\"0.01\" value=\"30000\"\/><div class=\"unit\" id=\"calc-unit-1\">$<\/div><small id=\"calc-info-1\">The price you paid, including taxes and fees.<\/small><\/div><div class=\"field has-term\" id=\"input-2\"><label for=\"field-2\">Age at purchase<\/label><div class=\"term\">a<\/div>  <div class=\"absolute bottom-0 left-16 top-8 w-2 h-0.5 bg-blue-500\"><\/div><input type=\"text\" name=\"age_at_purchase\" id=\"field-2\" aria-describedby=\"calc-unit-2 calc-info-2\" data-number inputmode=\"decimal\" autocomplete=\"off\" spellcheck=\"false\" min=\"0\" max=\"25\" value=\"0\"\/><div class=\"unit\" id=\"calc-unit-2\">years<\/div><small id=\"calc-info-2\">Enter 0 for a brand-new car. The steep first-year rate applies only to a car&#039;s first year of life.<\/small><\/div><div class=\"field has-term\" id=\"input-3\"><label for=\"field-3\">Years to own<\/label><div class=\"term\">n<\/div>  <div class=\"absolute bottom-0 left-16 top-8 w-2 h-0.5 bg-blue-500\"><\/div><input type=\"text\" name=\"years_to_own\" id=\"field-3\" aria-describedby=\"calc-unit-3\" data-number inputmode=\"decimal\" autocomplete=\"off\" spellcheck=\"false\" min=\"1\" max=\"15\" value=\"5\"\/><div class=\"unit\" id=\"calc-unit-3\">years<\/div><\/div><div class=\"field has-term\" id=\"input-4\"><label for=\"field-4\">Annual mileage<\/label><div class=\"term\">M<\/div>  <div class=\"absolute bottom-0 left-16 top-8 w-2 h-0.5 bg-blue-500\"><\/div><input type=\"text\" name=\"annual_mileage\" id=\"field-4\" aria-describedby=\"calc-unit-4 calc-info-4\" data-number inputmode=\"decimal\" autocomplete=\"off\" spellcheck=\"false\" min=\"0\" value=\"12000\"\/><div class=\"unit\" id=\"calc-unit-4\">mi\/yr<\/div><small id=\"calc-info-4\">Every 1,000 miles above 12,000 per year adds 0.5 percentage points to the yearly depreciation rate.<\/small><\/div><div class=\"field is-single\" id=\"input-5\"><label for=\"field-5\">Depreciation profile<\/label><div class=\"grid grid-cols-1\"><select id=\"field-5\" name=\"depreciation_profile\"><option value=\"avg\" selected>Average car (20% then 15%\/yr)<\/option><option value=\"luxury\">Luxury car (25% then 20%\/yr)<\/option><option value=\"truck_suv\">Truck \/ SUV (15% then 12%\/yr)<\/option><option value=\"custom\">Custom rates<\/option><\/select><svg class=\"pointer-events-none col-start-1 row-start-1 mr-2 size-5 self-center justify-self-end text-gray-500 sm:size-4\" viewBox=\"0 0 16 16\" fill=\"currentColor\" aria-hidden=\"true\" data-slot=\"icon\">\n              <path fill-rule=\"evenodd\" d=\"M4.22 6.22a.75.75 0 0 1 1.06 0L8 8.94l2.72-2.72a.75.75 0 1 1 1.06 1.06l-3.25 3.25a.75.75 0 0 1-1.06 0L4.22 7.28a.75.75 0 0 1 0-1.06Z\" clip-rule=\"evenodd\" \/>\n            <\/svg><\/div><\/div><div class=\"field has-term\" id=\"input-6\" hidden><label for=\"field-6\">First-year depreciation<\/label><div class=\"term\">first yr<\/div>  <div class=\"absolute bottom-0 left-16 top-8 w-2 h-0.5 bg-blue-500\"><\/div><input type=\"text\" name=\"firstyear_depreciation\" id=\"field-6\" aria-describedby=\"calc-unit-6 calc-info-6\" data-number inputmode=\"decimal\" autocomplete=\"off\" spellcheck=\"false\" min=\"0\" max=\"95\" value=\"20\"\/><div class=\"unit\" id=\"calc-unit-6\">%<\/div><small id=\"calc-info-6\">Used only with the Custom rates profile. Applies to year 1 of the car&#039;s life.<\/small><\/div><div class=\"field has-term\" id=\"input-7\" hidden><label for=\"field-7\">Yearly depreciation<\/label><div class=\"term\">per yr<\/div>  <div class=\"absolute bottom-0 left-16 top-8 w-2 h-0.5 bg-blue-500\"><\/div><input type=\"text\" name=\"yearly_depreciation\" id=\"field-7\" aria-describedby=\"calc-unit-7 calc-info-7\" data-number inputmode=\"decimal\" autocomplete=\"off\" spellcheck=\"false\" min=\"0\" max=\"95\" value=\"15\"\/><div class=\"unit\" id=\"calc-unit-7\">%<\/div><small id=\"calc-info-7\">Used only with the Custom rates profile. Applies to every later year.<\/small><\/div><\/fieldset><div class=\"buttons\"><button type=\"submit\" data-text=\"Re-Calculate\" id=\"calculate-button\" data-post=\"67244\">Calculate<\/button><button type=\"reset\">Reset<\/button><\/div><div class=\"field is-checkbox hidden!\" id=\"field-auto-calc\"><input type=\"checkbox\" id=\"auto-calc\"><label for=\"auto-calc\">Calculate automatically<\/label><small>If enabled, the result will update automatically when you change any value.<\/small><\/div><div class=\"fieldset-result is-hidden\" aria-labelledby=\"result-title\" aria-live=\"polite\" role=\"region\"> <h3 class=\"result-title bg-gradient-to-r from-primary-50 to-gray-50 dark:from-primary-900 dark:to-gray-800\" id=\"result-title\"><span class=\"icon icon-s-pulse\" aria-hidden=\"true\"><\/span> Depreciation Estimate<\/h3><div class=\"result-box\"><div class=\"field-result\" id=\"output-1\"><span class=\"field-title\"><span>Value after ownership<\/span><\/span><span class=\"field-value\" id=\"result-1\" data-unit=\"$\"><\/span><button type=\"button\" class=\"copy-result\" data-tooltip=\"Copy Result\" aria-label=\"Copy Result\"><span class=\"copy-icon icon icon-document-copy\" aria-hidden=\"true\"><\/span><\/button><\/div><div class=\"field-result\" id=\"output-2\"><span class=\"field-title\"><span>Total depreciation<\/span><\/span><span class=\"field-value\" id=\"result-2\" data-unit=\"$\"><\/span><button type=\"button\" class=\"copy-result\" data-tooltip=\"Copy Result\" aria-label=\"Copy Result\"><span class=\"copy-icon icon icon-document-copy\" aria-hidden=\"true\"><\/span><\/button><\/div><div class=\"field-result\" id=\"output-3\"><span class=\"field-title\"><span>Total depreciation<\/span><\/span><span class=\"field-value\" id=\"result-3\" data-unit=\"%\"><\/span><button type=\"button\" class=\"copy-result\" data-tooltip=\"Copy Result\" aria-label=\"Copy Result\"><span class=\"copy-icon icon icon-document-copy\" aria-hidden=\"true\"><\/span><\/button><\/div><div class=\"field-result\" id=\"output-4\"><span class=\"field-title\"><span>Average yearly loss<\/span><\/span><span class=\"field-value\" id=\"result-4\" data-unit=\"$\/yr\"><\/span><button type=\"button\" class=\"copy-result\" data-tooltip=\"Copy Result\" aria-label=\"Copy Result\"><span class=\"copy-icon icon icon-document-copy\" aria-hidden=\"true\"><\/span><\/button><\/div><div class=\"field-result\" id=\"output-5\"><span class=\"field-title\"><span>Cost of depreciation per mile<\/span><\/span><span class=\"field-value\" id=\"result-5\" data-unit=\"$\/mi\"><\/span><button type=\"button\" class=\"copy-result\" data-tooltip=\"Copy Result\" aria-label=\"Copy Result\"><span class=\"copy-icon icon icon-document-copy\" aria-hidden=\"true\"><\/span><\/button><\/div><div class=\"field-result is-column\" id=\"output-6\"><span class=\"field-title\"><span>Year-by-year values<\/span><\/span><span class=\"field-value\" id=\"result-6\"><\/span><button type=\"button\" class=\"copy-result\" data-tooltip=\"Copy Result\" aria-label=\"Copy Result\"><span class=\"copy-icon icon icon-document-copy\" aria-hidden=\"true\"><\/span><\/button><\/div><div class=\"field-result is-column\" id=\"output-7\"><span class=\"field-title\"><span>Value by year<\/span><\/span><span class=\"field-value\" id=\"result-7\"><\/span><button type=\"button\" class=\"copy-result\" data-tooltip=\"Copy Result\" aria-label=\"Copy Result\"><span class=\"copy-icon icon icon-document-copy\" aria-hidden=\"true\"><\/span><\/button><\/div><div class=\"field-result is-column\" id=\"output-8\"><span class=\"field-title\"><span>Method and assumptions<\/span><\/span><span class=\"field-value\" id=\"result-8\"><\/span><button type=\"button\" class=\"copy-result\" data-tooltip=\"Copy Result\" aria-label=\"Copy Result\"><span class=\"copy-icon icon icon-document-copy\" aria-hidden=\"true\"><\/span><\/button><\/div><\/div><div class=\"result-actions\"><button type=\"button\" class=\"copy-link\"><svg viewBox=\"0 0 20 20\" fill=\"currentColor\" aria-hidden=\"true\"><path d=\"M12.232 4.232a2.5 2.5 0 0 1 3.536 3.536l-1.225 1.224a.75.75 0 0 0 1.061 1.06l1.224-1.224a4 4 0 0 0-5.656-5.656l-3 3a4 4 0 0 0 .225 5.865.75.75 0 0 0 .977-1.138 2.5 2.5 0 0 1-.142-3.667l3-3Z\"\/><path d=\"M11.603 7.963a.75.75 0 0 0-.977 1.138 2.5 2.5 0 0 1 .142 3.667l-3 3a2.5 2.5 0 0 1-3.536-3.536l1.225-1.224a.75.75 0 0 0-1.061-1.06l-1.224 1.224a4 4 0 1 0 5.656 5.656l3-3a4 4 0 0 0-.225-5.865Z\"\/><\/svg><span class=\"copy-link__text\">Copy link to this calculation<\/span><\/button><span class=\"sr-only\" role=\"status\" id=\"copy-link-status\"><\/span><\/div><\/div><a href=\"#respond\" class=\"hidden transition-opacity duration-300 opacity-0 w-50 text-sm justify-center items-center gap-2 px-4 py-2 rounded bg-gray-200 text-gray-700 hover:bg-gray-300\" id=\"leave-comment\"><span class=\"icon icon-comments\" aria-hidden=\"true\"><\/span>Leave a Comment<\/a><\/form><\/section><section id=\"calc-reactions\" class=\"not-prose hidden my-12 bg-gradient-to-r from-primary-50 to-gray-50 border border-indigo-100 rounded-xl px-6 py-4 shadow-sm\" data-post=\"67244\" aria-live=\"polite\" aria-labelledby=\"calc-reactions-title\"><p id=\"calc-reactions-title\" class=\"text-sm text-gray-500 text-center mb-2\">How did this result make you feel?<\/p><div role=\"group\" aria-labelledby=\"calc-reactions-title\" class=\"grid grid-cols-3 sm:flex sm:flex-row sm:justify-around gap-4 sm:items-center sm:flex-wrap\"><button type=\"button\" aria-pressed=\"false\" class=\"reaction-btn flex flex-col items-center gap-1 text-sm text-gray-700 hover:text-primary-600 cursor-pointer transition-transform hover:scale-105\" data-reaction=\"like\"><span class=\"reaction-count\" data-reaction-count=\"like\">0<\/span><span class=\"reaction text-3xl\" aria-hidden=\"true\">\ud83d\ude00 <\/span><span class=\"reaction-description font-medium\">Like <\/span><\/button><button type=\"button\" aria-pressed=\"false\" class=\"reaction-btn flex flex-col items-center gap-1 text-sm text-gray-700 hover:text-primary-600 cursor-pointer transition-transform hover:scale-105\" data-reaction=\"helpful\"><span class=\"reaction-count\" data-reaction-count=\"helpful\">0<\/span><span class=\"reaction text-3xl\" aria-hidden=\"true\">\ud83d\udca1 <\/span><span class=\"reaction-description font-medium\">Helpful <\/span><\/button><button type=\"button\" aria-pressed=\"false\" class=\"reaction-btn flex flex-col items-center gap-1 text-sm text-gray-700 hover:text-primary-600 cursor-pointer transition-transform hover:scale-105\" data-reaction=\"confused\"><span class=\"reaction-count\" data-reaction-count=\"confused\">0<\/span><span class=\"reaction text-3xl\" aria-hidden=\"true\">\ud83d\ude15 <\/span><span class=\"reaction-description font-medium\">Confused <\/span><\/button><button type=\"button\" aria-pressed=\"false\" class=\"reaction-btn flex flex-col items-center gap-1 text-sm text-gray-700 hover:text-primary-600 cursor-pointer transition-transform hover:scale-105\" data-reaction=\"disappointed\"><span class=\"reaction-count\" data-reaction-count=\"disappointed\">0<\/span><span class=\"reaction text-3xl\" aria-hidden=\"true\">\ud83d\ude1e <\/span><span class=\"reaction-description font-medium\">Disappointed <\/span><\/button><button type=\"button\" aria-pressed=\"false\" class=\"reaction-btn flex flex-col items-center gap-1 text-sm text-gray-700 hover:text-primary-600 cursor-pointer transition-transform hover:scale-105\" data-reaction=\"inaccurate\"><span class=\"reaction-count\" data-reaction-count=\"inaccurate\">0<\/span><span class=\"reaction text-3xl\" aria-hidden=\"true\">\u274c <\/span><span class=\"reaction-description font-medium\">Inaccurate <\/span><\/button><\/div><div id=\"reaction-message\" class=\"hidden mt-8 rounded-md border border-primary-100 bg-white\/50 backdrop-blur-sm px-4 py-2 text-sm text-center shadow-sm\"><\/div><\/section><div class=\"calcdash-ad not-prose calcdash-ad--calc_result calcdash-ad--in-article\"><ins class=\"adsbygoogle\" style=\"display:block\" data-ad-client=\"ca-pub-1721569815777345\" data-ad-slot=\"6317458308\" data-ad-layout=\"in-article\" data-ad-format=\"fluid\"><\/ins><script>(adsbygoogle = window.adsbygoogle || []).push({});<\/script><\/div>\n<style id=\"wpcoderpro-inline-1\">.formula-box {\r\n\tborder-bottom: none !important;\r\n}<\/style><section class=\"formula-box\" aria-labelledby=\"formula-title\">\r\n\t<div id=\"formula-title\" class=\"not-prose font-display mb-4\"><span class=\"icon icon-formula\" aria-hidden=\"true\"><\/span><h2>Car Depreciation Formula<\/h2><\/div>\r\n\t<figure class=\"not-prose formula\">\r\n\t\t<figcaption class=\"formula-title\">Formula<\/figcaption>\r\n\t\t<div class=\"text-base text-gray-800\" id=\"formula\">\n\\[ V_n = P \\left(1 - \\frac{r_1}{100}\\right) \\left(1 - \\frac{r}{100}\\right)^{n-1} \\]\n<\/div>\r\n\t<\/figure>\r\n\t<\/p>\n<p><strong>Where:<\/strong><\/p>\n<ul>\n<li>\\(V_n\\) \u2014 estimated value of the car after \\(n\\) years of ownership<\/li>\n<li>\\(P\\) \u2014 purchase price (with taxes and fees)<\/li>\n<li>\\(r_1\\) \u2014 depreciation rate in the car's first year of life (applies only if it was bought new)<\/li>\n<li>\\(r\\) \u2014 depreciation rate for every later year, adjusted for mileage<\/li>\n<li>\\(n\\) \u2014 number of years of ownership<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p>The mileage adjustment adds penalty points to the yearly rate: every 1,000 miles per year above 12,000 adds 0.5 percentage points, capped at 20 points.<\/p>\n<p>\\[ r = r_{\\text{base}} + 0.5 \\cdot \\min\\left(20, \\max\\left(0, \\frac{M - 12{,}000}{1{,}000}\\right)\\right) \\]<\/p>\n<p>This is a percentage-of-value (declining-balance) model: each year the car loses the same percentage of its remaining value, so the dollar losses shrink over time \u2014 but the first year of a new car's life is steeper than all later years.<\/p>\n<p>\r\n<\/section>\n<style id=\"wpcoderpro-inline-459\">.calculation-box {\r\n\tborder-bottom: none !important;\r\n}<\/style><section id=\"calculation\" class=\"calculation-box\" aria-labelledby=\"calculation-title\">\r\n\t<div id=\"calculation-title\" class=\"not-prose font-display\"><span class=\"icon icon-unordered-list\" aria-hidden=\"true\"><\/span><h2>Car Depreciation \u2013 Calculation Example<\/h2><\/div>\r\n\r\n<\/p>\n<p><strong>Example:<\/strong> you buy a brand-new car for $30,000, drive it 12,000 miles per year (the baseline, so no mileage penalty), and plan to keep it for 5 years. Using the average-car profile: 20% in the first year, then 15% per year.<\/p>\n<p>\\[ V_1 = 30{,}000 \\times (1 - 0.20) = 24{,}000 \\]<\/p>\n<p>\\[ V_5 = 30{,}000 \\times 0.20^{0} \\times 0.85^{4} \\cdot 0.8 = 24{,}000 \\times 0.85^{4} \\approx 12{,}528.15 \\]<\/p>\n<p>\\[ D_{\\text{total}} = 30{,}000 - 12{,}528.15 = 17{,}471.85 \\quad (58.24\\%) \\]<\/p>\n<p><strong>Result:<\/strong> the car is worth about $12,528 after 5 years. Total depreciation is $17,471.85, or 58.24% of the purchase price \u2014 an average loss of $3,494.37 per year, or about $0.29 per mile driven (60,000 miles total).<\/p>\n<p>\n\r\n<\/section>\n<h2>How to use the calculator<\/h2>\n<ol>\n<li>Enter the <strong>Purchase price<\/strong> \u2014 the full amount you paid, including taxes and fees.<\/li>\n<li>Set <strong>Age at purchase<\/strong> to 0 for a brand-new car; enter the vehicle's age in whole years if you bought it used. The steep first-year rate only applies when the car is new.<\/li>\n<li>Enter the number of <strong>Years to own<\/strong> (1\u201315).<\/li>\n<li>Enter your <strong>Annual mileage<\/strong>. Up to 12,000 miles per year changes nothing; above that, 0.5 percentage points are added to each year's depreciation rate per extra 1,000 miles.<\/li>\n<li>Choose a <strong>Depreciation profile<\/strong>: average car, luxury car, truck\/SUV, or custom rates. If you pick custom, two extra fields appear for the first-year and yearly percentages.<\/li>\n<li>Read the results: the value after ownership, total depreciation in dollars and percent, average yearly loss, cost per mile, plus a year-by-year table and a bar chart of the value over time.<\/li>\n<\/ol>\n<h2>What car depreciation is and why it matters<\/h2>\n<p>Depreciation is the decline in a vehicle's market value over time. It is usually the single largest cost of car ownership \u2014 often bigger than fuel, insurance and maintenance combined over the first few years. A car that loses 20% of its value in year one has effectively cost you that money the moment you drive it off the lot, even before you account for anything else.<\/p>\n<p>The loss is not evenly spread. A new car takes its biggest hit in the first year of life, because a used \"one-year-old car\" is worth noticeably less than a new one with the same equipment. After that, values decline more gently: each year the car loses a percentage of what it is still worth, so the dollar amount lost each year shrinks even though the percentage stays the same. In the example above, the car loses $6,000 in year one but only about $2,211 in year five.<\/p>\n<p>Mileage matters too. Odometer reading is one of the first things buyers check, and cars with above-average mileage command lower prices. This calculator adds a penalty of 0.5 percentage points to the yearly rate for every 1,000 miles per year above the 12,000-mile baseline, up to a maximum of 20 points.<\/p>\n<p>When comparing the results, focus on the breakdown, not just the final number. The <strong>year-by-year table<\/strong> shows when the losses happen, which helps you decide whether keeping the car an extra year makes sense \u2014 after the steep early years, each additional year costs less in depreciation. The <strong>cost per mile<\/strong> figure is useful for comparing depreciation with your running costs, such as the results from our <a href=\"https:\/\/wpcalc.com\/en\/life\/fuel-cost-calculator-trip-gas-cost\/\">fuel cost calculator<\/a> or your car's <a href=\"https:\/\/wpcalc.com\/en\/life\/gas-mileage-calculator\/\">gas mileage<\/a>.<\/p>\n<h2>Depreciation profiles<\/h2>\n<table>\n<thead>\n<tr>\n<th>Profile<\/th>\n<th>First year of life<\/th>\n<th>Later years<\/th>\n<\/tr>\n<\/thead>\n<tbody>\n<tr>\n<td>Average car<\/td>\n<td>20%<\/td>\n<td>15% per year<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<tr>\n<td>Luxury car<\/td>\n<td>25%<\/td>\n<td>20% per year<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<tr>\n<td>Truck \/ SUV<\/td>\n<td>15%<\/td>\n<td>12% per year<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<\/tbody>\n<\/table>\n<p>Luxury vehicles tend to depreciate fastest because their new price includes a brand premium that fades in the used market. Trucks and body-on-frame SUVs hold value best, thanks to durable reputations and steady demand. Use the <strong>Custom rates<\/strong> option if you know the historical depreciation of a specific model.<\/p>\n<h2>Assumptions, limitations and tips<\/h2>\n<ul>\n<li><strong>It's an estimate, not a quote.<\/strong> Real resale values depend on brand reputation, trim, options, color, condition, accident history, fuel prices and local demand. Treat the output as a typical pattern for the chosen profile.<\/li>\n<li><strong>Straight percentages, smooth decline.<\/strong> The model assumes a steady percentage loss each year. Real markets have jumps \u2014 a redesign, a spike in used-car demand or a recall can move a car's value suddenly in either direction.<\/li>\n<li><strong>Buying used dodges the biggest hit.<\/strong> Because the steepest rate applies only to a car's first year of life, a one- or two-year-old car has already absorbed the largest single loss. Set \"Age at purchase\" to 1 or 2 to see how much you save.<\/li>\n<li><strong>Low mileage protects value.<\/strong> Keeping annual mileage under 12,000 avoids the mileage penalty entirely, on top of the natural benefit of a lower odometer reading.<\/li>\n<li><strong>Depreciation is only one cost.<\/strong> To judge whether a car fits your budget overall, pair this result with our <a href=\"https:\/\/wpcalc.com\/en\/life\/car-affordability-calculator-how-much-car-can-i-afford\/\">car affordability calculator<\/a> or the <a href=\"https:\/\/wpcalc.com\/en\/life\/car-lease-payment-calculator\/\">car lease payment calculator<\/a>, since lease payments are also driven by predicted depreciation.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Estimate how much your car will be worth after a few years of ownership. Enter the purchase price, age, years to own, annual mileage and a depreciation profile to see the year-by-year value drop.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":3168,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_acf_changed":false,"footnotes":""},"categories":[6],"tags":[99],"class_list":["post-67244","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-life","tag-auto-travel"],"acf":[],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/wpcalc.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/67244","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/wpcalc.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/wpcalc.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/wpcalc.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/3168"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/wpcalc.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=67244"}],"version-history":[{"count":1,"href":"https:\/\/wpcalc.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/67244\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":67263,"href":"https:\/\/wpcalc.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/67244\/revisions\/67263"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/wpcalc.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=67244"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/wpcalc.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=67244"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/wpcalc.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=67244"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}