A used-car lot at dusk under sodium lights, one person crouched at a front wheel shining a flashlight along the underside of a sedan.

Where the Price Actually Comes From

An asking price is a position, not a value. Four forces set what a used item is really worth, and only one of them is the item's condition.

Module 1 of 74 lessonsWritten in full1 worksheet

Read lesson 1 free The whole course

The lessons

All 4, in the order they are read.

1. An asking price is a position
The number in the listing was chosen for reasons that have nothing to do with the item, and knowing which reason is most of the negotiation.
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2. Sold, not listed
Completed-sale data exists in every category and is a different, smaller number than the asking prices you have been reading.
3. Condition versus evidence
The market pays for documentation more reliably than for cosmetics, which is why an undocumented clean example is the better buy.
4. The all-in number
Tax, title, transport, inspection, immediate deferred maintenance and the insurance delta belong in the price before you compare anything.

The worksheet

Comparables sheet

Five completed sales, not five asking prices. Source and date every row — a comparable you cannot cite is a feeling. The range at the bottom is what you carry to every conversation, and your target sits inside it before you speak to anyone.

Comparables sheet
Item / spec	Sold price	Date sold	Source	Condition notes	Documented history?
EXAMPLE — replace with your own five	—	—	Auction site sold filter / trade guide / dealer invoice	—	Yes / No
—	—	—	—	—	—
—	—	—	—	—	—
—	—	—	—	—	—
—	—	—	—	—	—
RANGE — low / median / high	—	—	—	—	—

1 further rows in the downloadable sheet.

Module 2: Reading a Listing →