What your used car is actually worth in West Bengal

The valuation is a starting point, not a price

An instant online valuation knows the model, the year and the odometer. It does not know your car. The gap between that number and what somebody pays is made up of things a form cannot see.

What moves the price here

• Owner count. The single biggest factor after the odometer. First owner to second is a real drop; second to third is a smaller one.
• Service history. A folder of bills is worth thousands. "It has been serviced regularly" without paper is worth nothing.
• Where it is registered. A WB-registered car sells faster in West Bengal. An out-of-state registration means the buyer faces Form 28 and a re-registration.
• Fuel. Diesel resale is weaker than it was, and the age limits on older diesels in some cities have made buyers cautious.
• Colour and condition of the paint. Unfashionable colours sit longer.
• Whether it is ready to drive away. Insurance about to lapse, PUC expired and two bald tyres is three jobs the buyer prices in, generously, against you.

The cheapest thing you can do before listing

Clean it properly, inside and underneath, get the service book together, and photograph it in daylight without clutter in the frame. A well-presented car does not just sell higher; it sells sooner, and the second week of a listing is where sellers lose money.