Car Depreciation Forecast
Project your car's resale value using the typical depreciation curve: a steep first-year drop (around 20%) followed by a steadier annual decline (around 15%).
Inputs explained
- Purchase price — What you paid for the vehicle new (or its current value).
- Years of ownership — How many years ahead to forecast.
- First-year depreciation — Percentage lost in the first year — 20% is typical for new cars.
- Depreciation per year after — Annual percentage decline from year two onward — 15% is typical.
How to use it
- Fill in the fields above — each input has a hint describing exactly what to enter
- Press Calculate to get your result instantly, right on this page
- Copy the result, save the tool to favorites, or share and embed it anywhere
Understanding the result
Example: A $30,000 car losing 20% in year one and 15% yearly after is worth about $12,528.15 after 5 years — 41.76% of its price.
Frequently asked questions
Why is the first-year depreciation rate different from later years? New cars typically lose value fastest in the first year (often around 20%) due to the immediate drop from 'new' to 'used' status, then depreciate more slowly and steadily (often around 15%) in subsequent years.
Is this depreciation curve accurate for all vehicles? No, actual depreciation varies by make, model, mileage, and market demand; this calculator uses typical industry-average rates as a planning estimate, not a guarantee for any specific vehicle.
Is the Car Depreciation Forecast free to use? Yes — it is completely free, with no sign-up, no download and no usage limits. You can use it as often as you need.
Is my data private? Yes. The calculation runs entirely in your browser — the values you enter are never sent to our servers, stored or shared with anyone.
What information do I need? Just the following: Purchase price, Years of ownership, First-year depreciation, Depreciation per year after. Each field includes a hint explaining exactly what to enter.
Can I use it on my phone? Yes — the tool is fully responsive and works on any device, and the same calculator is available in the EasyWorkCalcs mobile app.
Privacy
Everything you enter into the Car Depreciation Forecast is processed entirely in your browser. Nothing is uploaded, stored or shared — your data stays on your device.