Compare Vehicle Depreciation
Put up to three vehicles side by side and see which one really costs you less as it loses value. Vehicles you save from any calculator appear here.
- Value in 5 yrs
- $13,187
- Total lost
- $18,813
- Per month
- $314
- Value in 5 yrs
- $11,454
- Total lost
- $9,546
- Per month
- $159
Loses the fewest dollars
- Value in 5 yrs
- $25,863
- Total lost
- $22,137
- Per month
- $369
- New sedan
- 3-year-old sedan
- New pickup
| Year | New sedan | 3-year-old sedan | New pickup |
|---|---|---|---|
| Today | $32,000 | $21,000 | $48,000 |
| Year 1 | $25,280 (21%) | $18,060 (14%) | $40,320 (16%) |
| Year 2 | $20,982 (34%) | $15,712 (25%) | $35,482 (26%) |
| Year 3 | $17,625 (45%) | $14,141 (33%) | $31,579 (34%) |
| Year 4 | $15,158 (53%) | $12,727 (39%) | $28,421 (41%) |
| Year 5 | $13,187 (59%) | $11,454 (45%) | $25,863 (46%) |
Get a plain-English read of your numbers, or ask anything about depreciation, when to sell or lease vs buy. Nothing is sent until you press Ask.
How to read the comparison
Compare dollars, not percentages. A $60,000 truck that keeps 55% still loses $27,000 over five years; a $25,000 hatchback that keeps 40% loses $15,000. The monthly figure is the cleanest number to weigh against a payment or a lease.
The default set shows the classic lesson: the 3-year-old sedan loses a fraction of what the new one does over the same period, because the steepest part of the curve is already behind it.
Questions people ask
How do I compare depreciation between two cars?
Enter each vehicle's price, age and type, keep the same ownership period, and compare the value left and the monthly cost of depreciation. A cheaper car can still lose more dollars if it belongs to a fast-depreciating segment.
Is it better to buy new or a few years old?
Compare a new car with the same model at 3 years old. The used one usually loses far fewer dollars over the next five years because the first owner absorbed the steep early drop.
Where are my saved vehicles stored?
Only in your browser (localStorage). Nothing is sent to a server. Use "Clear all" here or on the privacy page to remove them.