New car: depreciation in the first year
The first year after the new registration is always a year with the greatest loss of value. Strictly speaking, the car already loses a large part of its value on the day it is registered. Even a few kilometers mean a great loss.
First year and its cost for new cars
On average one loses New car in the first year approx. 24.2% of its value. You should always expect amounts of a quarter to a third of the original price when it comes to determining what a first year of the car will cost. Keep the following in mind:
- A car that has been registered once is no longer a new car because the new owner is then no longer the first owner. This means that if you sell a car in your name immediately after it has been registered, you will definitely no longer receive the new price.
- Even a few kilometers mean that the car is no longer new, even if you drive it with a provisional registration, i.e. the next owner is the first owner. Turning the odometer for the first time will cost you thousands.
- This high loss of value at the beginning of the year is primarily responsible for the rapid drop in prices in the first year. As an indicator, you can use the difference between a new car and a demonstration car.
In the case of financed vehicles, the dilemma arises that at the beginning of the term you pay little, but the residual value of the car drops rapidly. Many comprehensive insurers therefore offer special rates for financed cars so that you do not have to pay for a total loss at the beginning of the term Lose a car and have to pay extra because the residual value of the car is less than the amount you are still paying for the loan have to.
If you want to buy a new car, it can be much cheaper ...
Determination of the depreciation
- You won't find a formula to calculate this depreciation in the first year. If you have a car that has a bad image, an exotic car that is hardly in demand or there have been changes to the model, you should calculate with a loss of over 30%.
- Brands with a high image are not so prone to this sharp drop in value. Be sure to keep an eye on the usual discount on a demonstration car. If you double this, you often have a realistic yardstick.
- A good way of determining the residual value after one year is to research the prices for annual cars in used car exchanges. Unless there has been a model change, this is a very good guide. If this has happened, the previous model has lost more of its value than is likely to be the case with your car.
- If you want to know exactly, you can only consult the wobble list or hire an expert. But that makes little sense if you want to make a prognosis for the future.
