A valuation is not an opinion. It is a position built from evidence, and understanding how it is constructed tells you where your own number should sit.
Comparable sales, not asking prices
Advertised prices tell you what sellers hope for. Achieved prices, including wholesale auction results, tell you what the market actually paid.
A credible valuation is anchored to recent sold evidence for the same variant, year and broadly similar kilometres.
Condition grading
The trade grades vehicles on paint, panel, interior, tyres, mechanical condition and history. Each deduction is quantified rather than felt.
This is why two identical cars can be thousands apart, and why preparation before appraisal is worth doing.
Specification, options and colour
Factory options rarely return their original cost, but the desirable ones, panoramic roofs, driver assistance packs, premium audio, do shorten selling time.
Conservative colours hold value more reliably on mainstream vehicles. On performance and prestige models, the right bold colour can do the opposite.
Why online estimators mislead
Instant online valuations work from broad averages and cannot see your car's condition, history or specification. They are a starting point, not an answer.
Our appraisals combine live wholesale data with a physical assessment, which is why the number we quote is one we can stand behind.