When buying a used car, you’ll want to know the car’s actual worth to avoid overpayment or to negotiate favorable terms. While the market value and pricing for a used car are often hard to calculate manually, you can check J.D. Power for trusted values of any vehicle by VIN.

What is J.D. Power?

J.D. Power, a reputable marketing research company, specializes in delivering accurate and unbiased vehicle valuation data. With a 90-year legacy, J.D. Power analyzes over 20 million vehicle transactions annually, providing reliable pricing for customers to make informed car-buying decisions. 

How to check car value on J.D. Power

It’s simple to research the values of a new or used car on J.D. Power. Here’s how:

1) Visit the J.D. Power search page.

2) Select the vehicle type, and you can start a search by Make or Body Style. 

3) Select the vehicle year and model, and locate the matched one. For example, I’ll search for a 2012 Toyota Prius.

4) Select a vehicle trim.

5) Enter your zip code, as the vehicle pricing and value may vary by location.

6) Enter the vehicle’s mileage (recommended) and choose if additional equipment is included.

7) It will show the average price of the vehicle when you buy from or trade-in with a dealer.

The price is calculated based on the transactions of similar cars (same vehicle year, model, mileage, and equipment options). It only serves as a general reference, as the actual value of a specific vehicle also depends largely on its condition.  

3 best ways to check used car value by VIN easily

To determine what a car is truly worth, you may need a detailed vehicle history report for more insights. It not only reveals a car’s retail price and trade-in price but also the real listing price (if it has been listed previously). Moreover, it provides a car’s accident history, title records, ownership, and any events that impact its value.

Option 1 – BeenVerified

When it comes to researching a vehicle, you’ll want to make BeenVerified your first stop. Featuring a variety of effective search tools, it’s dedicated to making public data accessible and affordable in everyone’s lives. By entering a VIN or license plate number, you’ll get an in-depth vehicle history report instantly.

1) Go to the BeenVerified VIN search page.

2) Enter a VIN or license plate number and click Search.

3) Wait a few minutes for the results to get ready. Take a look at the car’s listing history and price. If the vehicle has a damage or accident history, its price may be far lower than the average price you find on J.D. Power.

From the Market Value section, you can see the average retail value and trade-in value as in J.D. Power. You can adjust the mileage and state to get a more accurate number that might fit your vehicle.

Option 2 – Bumper 

Bumper is a leading online marketplace for used cars. Apart from offering basic insights into the vehicle, such as specifications, owners, and vital records, it includes the vehicle market value data from J.D. Power, giving you a fuller picture of what to expect when buying from dealerships or from a private seller.

1) Visit the Bumper homepage.

2) Type in a car’s VIN and click Search.

3) Open the report once done. You’ll find out the car’s market value, sales history, and other pertinent information needed to evaluate your desirable vehicle thoroughly. 

Option 3 – EpicVIN

EpicVIN is another well-known NMVTIS-approved data provider for vehicle history reports. It employs analytics based on the price of similar cars sold across the United States in recent months. Apart from the dealer sales (trade-in value), it uncovers private party sales, which is the potential price you’ll get for selling your car to anyone other than a dealer.

1) Go to the EpicVIN search page.

2) Plug in a VIN and check. Or you can do it by entering a license plate number + state.

3) Get the report and check ownership history, odometer readings, title check, safety recalls, as well as junk and salvage information.

You’ll also see the car price and how it changes by year and mileage via a visualized diagram. If the vehicle was ever listed for sales or auctions, you’re able to view the relevant details along with photos.

Conclusion

A VIN check is necessary for used-car deals, by which sellers can have a better understanding of the cars they’re selling and buyers will make sure the car is worth every penny spent. Never risk relying solely on the salesman’s words or the car’s looks, as those can be deceptive. 

J.D. Power is a trustworthy source to check a car’s true value. But if you hope to obtain more comprehensive insights into a used car, we recommend you try a dedicated VIN search tool, which aggregates up-to-date J.D. Power data and collects abundant vehicle records from verified agencies and authorities.

If you have any questions or suggestions regarding this post, please feel free to leave a comment below.

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