Buying a car is a big decision. The price is a very important aspect since it is a big investment that has to last for some years. The car should also have a good value when resold after a few years.

There are many sources for buying used cars: directly from the owner, from dealers, from used car superstores, or from auctions. Prices also vary depending on this factor. Car prices depend upon the distance the car has traveled and other factors such as the condition of the car, place of purchase, the model, the make, and the year of manufacture.

The Blue Book is an information database containing exhaustive information from the automobile industry. It is a very reliable source of information for both buyers as well as sellers. Blue Book prices are used for a variety of transactions: trading in the automobile to a dealer, buying a used car from a dealer, buying a used car from a private party, or selling a used car to a private party. The information is unbiased and generally used as a guideline for the entire automobile industry since it is obtained from a gamut of sources comprised of wholesale auctions, independent dealers, franchised dealers, original equipment manufacturers, rental and fleet agencies, and private-party transactions. All this data, along with other factors like historical trends, current economic conditions, industry developments, seasonality, and location are combined and analyzed to arrive at the final figures. Trade- in-value, suggested retail value, and private party values are determined by the Blue Book.

Blue Book used car prices are set by considering several factors such as the car's mileage, its condition, the equipment in the car, the geographic area where the car was driven, and other options on the car. The Blue Book also gives other services such as a payment calculator, ability to compare the cars, free CARFAX record check, free extended warranty quote, as well as financing and insurance advice. Used car Blue Book prices can also be accessed online via the Internet at some sites such as the Kelly Blue Book. These sites contain several options to view and select used cars, as well as apply for any of the other services.