Have a question? Ask an IPL Librarian!

(Use our Contact Us form for questions/suggestions about our site.)

The Automobile Blue Book

Examples of Questions That Can Be Answered Using This FAQ

• What is my 1983 Ford Fiesta worth now?
• I’m trying to buy a used car. How can I find out what a fair price is?

Patrons are interested in getting car and truck prices from the Automobile Blue Book online. Here are some of the standard sources for getting information about car and truck prices.

• The NADA Appraisal Guides site is the "World’s largest source of used vehicle values and information for cars, trucks, SUVs, classic cars, motorcycles, snowmobiles, personal watercraft, ATVs, RVs, boats, aircraft and manufactured housing. Also get new car price quotes, read car reviews, look up rebates and dealer incentives, or download DMV forms online. NADAguides.com is the consumer’s destination for vehicle information."
• The Kelley Blue Book has a similar system that allows you to input information about your used car via a form and get a report back that includes the likely dealer trade-in value or the retail value. It will calculate prices on vehicles made in the last 20 years. To find information about new cars, you must first enter your zip code for statistical purposes. Then you can get a pricing report about various makes and models of vehicle. You can also search for car dealers on the Web,of both used and new cars.
• Edmund’s Automobile Buyer’s Guides provides the same type of information, though they do not offer as complete a report for used cars. They provide a base price, and you must figure out the differences in price based on added equipment and the deductions for mileage. Unlike the other guides, it only calculates values on cars made in 1990 or later. However, they do offer more advice about car-buying and about automobile safety than Kelley.