Methodology.

What the index tracks

carpriceindex tracks median asking prices for enthusiast cars — one figure per model generation and region, describing a good-condition car with average mileage for its age. Alongside the median, each car carries a market range (rough/high-km cars at the bottom, the best low-km examples at the top), a 12-month trend, a five-year EU price history, and a liquidity grade for how quickly the model sells.

Markets & currencies

The index covers two price regions with separate, real data: prices are researched per market, never just converted:

• EU: baseline Germany, Europe's largest and most liquid enthusiast-car market; other EU markets typically sit within ±10%. Native currency EUR.
• North America: baseline United States. Native currency USD. Cars never officially sold new there are marked EU only rather than given invented figures.

Canada: Canadian asking prices track the US market closely, so we do not pretend to a third dataset. Choosing C$ shows the North-America figures converted at the posted rate. Currency display (€ / $ / C$, switch in the header) converts at the rates stored with the dataset (currently 1 € = 1.08 $ = 1.48 C$, stamped with their date); the "EU vs North America" comparison on every car page is FX-adjusted the same way. Display conversion never changes the underlying per-market data.

Where prices come from — and the status labels

There is no live feed behind this site, and we don't pretend otherwise. Every figure carries one of three statuses, shown on its car page:

• Editorial estimate: a curated baseline, cross-checked against classified listings and auction results at the stated date.
• Verified: confirmed against live listings on the stated date.
• Stale: flagged for re-check; treat with extra caution.

The dataset is open by design: anyone can inspect or correct it in the Data Studio, and the whole file ships with the site. If a number looks wrong to you, it is one edit and one export away from being fixed.

Deal ratings

• Strong buy ≥ 8% under market value
• Good deal at or below market value
• Fair price up to 8% over market
• Above market more than 8% over

Market value for a specific car starts at the generation's median, tilted by model year within the market spread, then adjusted for mileage against ~12,000 km (7,500 mi) per year, with expected mileage capped at 150,000 km / 93,000 mi, because older cars plateau rather than accumulating forever. The deal checker reads and shows mileage in your region's unit. The result is clamped near the observed market range. It is guidance, not a valuation: condition, history, spec and colour move real prices, sometimes by more than any formula.

Value score (0–100)

55% annualised value retention — current price versus original list price, normalised per year of age. 30% market momentum — the 12-month trend. 15% liquidity — how quickly the model finds a buyer. A high score means the car holds money well and is easy to exit. It does not mean the car is cheap, and it is not investment advice.

The honest limits

• One figure per generation hides spec differences (PDK vs manual, packages, colours) that genuinely move prices.
• Small markets and rare cars have thin data; ranges there are wider and softer.
• Updates ship monthly. Between updates, fast-moving cars can drift off the figure; check the status label and its date.

Updates

The index is refreshed monthly from the Data Studio workflow: check current listings, update medians and trends, flip statuses to verified, export, redeploy. The updated stamp in the header of every page tells you which cycle you are looking at.

Disclaimer

carpriceindex is market guidance for enthusiasts, not financial, investment or purchase advice. Always inspect the car, check the documented history, and verify current listings before buying or selling anything.