Car Depreciation Calculator
Estimate realized vehicle depreciation, retained value, annualized loss rate, cost per mile, and future value.
Last updated: 2026-03-26
Measure vehicle value loss
Enter your values
Enter purchase price, current value, ownership length, and mileage to quantify depreciation.
Estimated value loss
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Enter your vehicle numbers to estimate total depreciation, annualized loss, and cost per mile.
Calculation History(0)
Example calculations
Tap an example to prefill the calculator with sample values.
Typical commuter car
$38k down to $22k after four years
A practical ownership snapshot showing how much value disappeared while the car was used as a daily driver.
Result: Depreciation tends to dominate ownership cost long before fuel, tires, or repairs enter the picture.
Heavy-mileage SUV
$52k down to $27k after five years
High annual mileage usually pushes the annual loss and per-mile cost up fast.
Result: Higher use spreads ownership over more miles, but the value loss still piles up quickly.
Low-mileage retained-value case
Moderate depreciation with a stronger retained-value percentage
Useful when a vehicle is holding value better than the average mainstream commuter car.
Result: Retained value matters because a slower drop changes both annual loss and future replacement timing.
How depreciation is estimated
The calculator compares the original purchase price with the current value to estimate how much value has already disappeared. It then turns that drop into an annualized rate so you can compare ownership periods more cleanly.
That same realized annualized rate is projected forward to estimate a future resale value. It is a practical baseline for planning, but market conditions, mileage, accident history, trim, and local demand can move the actual resale price higher or lower.
Car depreciation FAQs
Use the estimate to see how value loss changes the true cost of owning a vehicle.
Why show both retained value and annualized depreciation?
Retained value shows how much of the original purchase price is still left. Annualized depreciation smooths that change into a yearly rate so you can compare different ownership periods more consistently.
Is depreciation really part of cost per mile?
Yes. Value loss is one of the biggest ownership costs for many vehicles, especially newer ones. Fuel and maintenance matter, but depreciation often dominates the total picture.
How is the projected future value calculated?
The projection extends your realized annualized depreciation rate forward. It is a planning shortcut, not a market-price guarantee, because used-car prices can move around for reasons your own ownership history does not capture.
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