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The old rule of the used-car trade holds: profit is made when you buy. The market sets the selling price in the end; what you control is the price at which you take a car in. That is why experienced buyers calculate backwards – from the realistic selling price, through every cost, to the amount they can offer at most.
- Calculate backwards: from the realistic selling price to the highest buying price you can afford.
- The selling price comes from the market – comparable offers, not the list price or gut feeling.
- Reconditioning, repairs, inspection, transport and days in stock are fixed items in every calculation.
- Set aside a reserve for statutory warranty – selling to consumers in Germany you are liable for at least one year.
- For cars bought from private sellers, VAT on the margin is a separate deduction.
- The longer a car stands, the more it costs: buying fast also protects the margin.
1. The starting point: a realistic selling price
The key figure is the price at which you can sell the car within a reasonable time. The benchmark is comparable offers: same model, similar year, mileage and power, similar equipment. Watch two things:
- Asking prices are not sale prices. Many cars sell with a discount; allow room for negotiation.
- The median says more than the average. Single overpriced or suspiciously cheap offers distort an average.
For every offer, CarFalke works out a market value from the current comparable offers on mobile.de, AutoScout24 and Kleinanzeigen and shows how many comparables it is based on, so you can see how reliable it is. For a quick look at a model there is the public market data with prices by year.
2. The costs until the sale
Between buying and selling there are costs no listing shows. These items belong in every calculation:
- Transport or collection: driver, train ticket, transfer plates or a transporter.
- Reconditioning: interior and exterior cleaning, smart repair, polishing.
- Repairs and servicing: due service, brakes, tyres, visible defects.
- Roadworthiness test (HU/TÜV) if due or wanted as a selling point.
- Photos and listing: portal fees, photography.
- Holding costs: tied-up capital, parking space, insurance – per day the car stands.
- A reserve for statutory warranty or a guarantee.
3. Don’t forget warranty and tax
Selling to consumers, you are liable for defects; for used cars the period may be shortened to one year by contract, but not excluded. So some cars come back to the workshop. A flat reserve per car – staged by age and mileage – makes these costs predictable.
If you buy from private sellers, you usually sell under the margin scheme. Your margin then includes the VAT: at 19 % it is 19/119 of the difference between selling and buying price. Treat this tax as a separate item, or you overestimate your profit by about 16 % of the margin.
4. A worked example
An estate car, 2019, 120,000 km, from a private seller. Comparable offers have a median of €16,900. After negotiation you expect to sell at €16,400.
- Expected selling price: €16,400.
- Reconditioning: −€250. Service and brakes: −€600. Transport: −€150.
- Holding costs: 45 days × €12 = −€540.
- Warranty reserve: −€300. Listing and photos: −€60.
- Target margin before tax: €2,000; VAT included (19/119): −€319.
- Maximum buying price: 16,400 − 1,900 (costs) − 2,000 (margin) = €12,500.
You go into the conversation with €12,500 as your ceiling. Your offer sits below it; if the seller wants more, you know exactly what you give up. After tax about €1,680 remains in this example – that is the figure to judge the deal by.
5. Why speed is margin
Good offers are often gone within hours. If you only see a car in the evening, you compete with dealers who called long ago, and end up paying more – or not getting the car at all. Buying fast is part of the calculation, not just a convenience.
With CarFalke you set up your buying criteria once as a saved search across all three portals. New offers arrive within minutes, with price rating, market value and buying potential – so you have the numbers in your head before you pick up the phone.
