Car Depreciation Calculator
Project a car's value over time using a realistic year-1-then-flattening depreciation curve.
🔒 Runs entirely in your browser — nothing here is ever uploaded
About the Car Depreciation Calculator
Projects a vehicle's resale value over time using a widely-cited two-stage depreciation curve — a steep drop in year one, then a flatter, steady decline in each year after.
- Enter the vehicle's purchase price (new).
- Enter how many years to project.
- Adjust the year-1 and later-year depreciation rates if you have a specific figure.
- Read the projected value and total value lost.
A $35,000 new car projected over 5 years at the default 20% year-1 / 15%-later rates: value drops to about $14,616 — a total loss of about 58%.
Depreciation is modeled as two flat rates — a widely-cited simplification, not a per-model curve. Real depreciation varies enormously by make, model, mileage, condition, and market demand.
- • The steepest depreciation happens in years 1-2 — buying a 2-3-year-old used car means someone else absorbed the worst of the value loss.
- • If you know your specific make/model's actual depreciation rate, override the default rates.
- • This models depreciation only — financing is a separate expense.
- LendingTree — Car Depreciation: How Much Is My Car Worth? — accessed 2026-08-30
Illustrative estimate only, not financial or tax advice. Verify figures with a licensed adviser or your local tax authority.