This article describes the differences in used car values. The following chart details how much a vehicle is worth in any given market. The most common misconception is that there is a difference between Fair Market Value and Trade-In Value. Selling a car in an arm’s length private party transaction will result in the same monetary return as a trade-in to a dealer. However, selling the car outright to the dealer will return less because the dealer has no incentive to offer the same amount that they would if you were buying a car.