The UK recorded 7.64 million used car transactions in 2024, up 5.5 per cent. Useful news for the wider trade, but try using that figure to put a price on an Elise with a rebuilt suspension and a patchy history file. You’ll get further by finding three properly comparable cars.
Compare the same generation and engine first. Separate dealer asking prices from confirmed sales, and note whether the same car appears on more than one site. Then adjust for the expensive things you can see: tyres, overdue work, condition and the strength of the paperwork.
Keep a dated shortlist. If an advert disappears, mark it as gone rather than assuming someone paid the full asking price.