Car Depreciation Calculator
Estimate your vehicle’s future value over time
Depreciation Schedule
| Year ↓ | Age (yrs) | Cum. Miles | Value ($) | Depreciation ($) | % Remaining |
|---|
What is a Car Depreciation Calculator?
A Car Depreciation Calculator is a helpful tool that estimates how much your vehicle’s value will go down over time. As a car gets older, it naturally becomes less valuable due to wear and tear, mileage, and changes in market demand. This calculator uses key details such as the current value of your car, its age, and how long you plan to keep it to give you a clear picture of how its value might change each year. It’s a smart way to understand what your car might be worth in the future and can be especially useful if you’re thinking about selling it, trading it in, or just planning ahead.
What makes this tool especially useful is that it doesn’t just give you a single estimate. It shows you a full breakdown of your car’s value each year in both a visual chart and a table format. You can even explore how different depreciation methods affect the outcome. The calculator gives you more control and confidence in your financial decisions by showing you how your car’s value could change throughout the years you own it.
How to Calculate Car Depreciation?
Calculating car depreciation sounds tricky, but this tool does all the math for you. Here’s how it works:
- Enter your car’s details
Select the make, current age, and purchase price of your vehicle. You can also enter its estimated salvage value—the minimum value it will retain over time, even when it’s no longer in good shape. - Choose how long you plan to own it
Pick the number of years you plan to keep the car. The tool will calculate depreciation for each of those years. - Select your average annual mileage
Since more miles generally mean faster depreciation, mileage plays a key role in the calculations. - Pick a depreciation method
This is where things get interesting. The calculator offers several ways to calculate depreciation (more on that below). You can select one method or compare all three side by side. - Hit “Calculate”
Once you click the button, the tool creates a chart, a table, and a detailed breakdown of how your car’s value changes each year. - Download your schedule (optional)
Want to save or share the results? Click “Download CSV” to export your depreciation data.
Terms Used in This Calculator
If you’re new to car depreciation or financial tools in general, here’s a quick guide to the terms you’ll see in the calculator:
- Current Vehicle Age: How old your car is right now, in years.
- Current Price ($): The price your car is worth today (or what you paid for it).
- Salvage Value ($): The minimum value your car will retain at the end of its life—often used as a baseline in depreciation models.
- Own It For: The number of years you plan to keep the car.
- Annual Miles: How many miles you typically drive each year.
- Depreciation Method: The formula used to estimate the decline in value over time. The calculator includes:
- Straight-Line – Depreciates the same amount every year.
- Double Declining Balance – Front-loads depreciation so value drops faster in the early years.
- Sum-of-Years-Digits (SYD) – A method that also emphasizes early-year value loss but in a different pattern.
- Compare All – Shows how each method differs so you can see all scenarios.
- Cumulative Miles: Total miles driven over time, based on your annual mileage.
- Value ($): The estimated value of your car for that year.
- Depreciation ($): The amount your car loses in value compared to the previous year.
- % Remaining: The percentage of the original value still left after depreciation.