There is nothing that can be done to stop the devaluation of a car. Whether new or used, every vehicle loses value over time. But knowing how much and how much a car depreciates can help you profit when selling your car or buying a second-hand vehicle. But at what age do they lose their value the most?
The value of a car depends on its general condition
The depreciation or loss of value of a car is understood as its loss over time, which also depends on its general condition . This devaluation, which above all takes into account the aging of the vehicle, is equal to the result of the subtraction between the original price and the replacement price on the second-hand market.
With the exception of a short series of unique and exclusive models, it is almost impossible to sell a car for the same or more money than was initially paid for it, when it was new. This is for no other reason than that when it goes out into the street, it automatically loses 10% of its value.
Likewise, one of the things you should know before putting a car up for sale or when buying a vehicle on the second-hand market is the value of the car in question. Therefore, the first thing you have to take into account is how much value a car loses per year since its first registration.
The first year the car will have lost 20% of the value
In this sense, we must bear in mind that knowing how much value a car loses per year in relation to its first registration can serve as a starting point, since the market will have to be studied. In those, the value of a car on the second-hand market is something that varies depending on supply and demand .
Thus, and as something that can help us completely well, it is to compare the prices of similar cars in terms of brand, model, kilometers, years, condition and other issues. That’s when the question arises: how much value does a car lose per year since it leaves the dealership?
As we mentioned, the moment it is put on the street it loses 10%, but that does not stop there. In that first year, the car will have lost an extra 10% of its value. So we could say that during the first year, you get to lose 20% . This percentage will vary depending on the type of car. There are some brands that are devalued more than others. If it is a vehicle of a brand that is not well known, its devaluation during the first year could even be 50%.
At 10-15 years the car will have reached its highest depreciation
From there, the car will continue to depreciate as the years go by. It is estimated that it will lose 60% of its total value when it reaches its first 5 years of useful life . But, with what years do second-hand cars reach their greatest depreciation? As the Carvertical portal establishes, the car will have reached its greatest depreciation at 10-15 years , so if you are looking to sell yours, it would be better to do it before that age.
Although it is also true that this is not the same for all models and brands. Thus, the segments and vehicles that are sold the most are depreciated less: in Spain, compacts and SUVs , while high-capacity saloons and SUVs also do (even more so if they have a gasoline engine), whose value decreases 1/3 more than average.
But there is also the opposite case. While an ordinary car will probably end up in a landfill in 20-30 years, a Porsche or Jaguar with a documented maintenance book and a spotless history can become even more valuable over time.
Or what is the same; The second-hand cars that depreciate the least today are compact, versatile, with moderate power (between 100 and 150 hp), cylinder capacity equal to or less than two liters, low consumption and an affordable maintenance cost. In addition, the good condition of the vehicle is valued, or aspects such as the fact that it has only belonged to one person, that it has been used little and that it is original.