A listing is an ask, not a price

What stands behind this price?

Someone has named a number — in an advertisement, or face to face. Before you treat it as evidence of anything, work through what is actually established about that car and that figure. Tick only what you know for certain.

There are four things a listing can never show you. Each one is a section below.

Where did this price come from?

14 things about this price are still unestablished

01 · The number

Has anyone actually paid it?

You know whether this figure has ever been agreed by a buyer.

I know what similar cars have actually sold for — not what they were advertised at
I know how long this car has been advertisedMost advertisements carry a posted date. Watch for relisting — taking one down and putting it straight back up resets that clock, and a car you have been seeing for weeks can look brand new.
The figure has been given as firm, not as a starting point"Negotiable" or "best offer" is the seller telling you it is an opening line.

02 · The car

Is it the variant you think it is?

You know you are comparing the same car, not the same badge.

I have confirmed the exact variant, not just the model nameSame model, different variant, genuinely different car.
I have checked the year of manufacture, not only the year of registration
I have confirmed the fuel type and the transmission

03 · The condition

What is behind the photographs?

You know the car's real condition and history, not its best three angles.

I have seen the car in person, not only in pictures
I have seen the service records
I have the owner count from the RC, not from the advertisement
I have checked the odometer reading against the service history
I have looked for accident repair and for water damagePaint depth and panel gaps tell you more than photographs can.
I have checked the insurance claim history

04 · The other side

Who is standing behind the number?

You know what is inside this price besides the car itself.

I know whether this is a dealer or a private sellerA dealer's price carries reconditioning, assurance and overheads. A private sale carries none of them.
I know there are no dues left on the car — loan hypothecation, pending challans

Where you stand

Almost nothing stands behind this number yet.

Right now it is a figure somebody typed. Work down the list — every box you can honestly tick moves it from a claim towards a fact.

Facts are not the same as value

Establish every one of these and you will know exactly what the car is. You still will not know what it is worth — that is a different question, and it is the one we answer.

Get the fair value →

How we price a car