THE BASIS BEHIND THE NUMBER
Independent estimates. Clear assumptions.
Car Trend Hub models an indicative sale value. It does not promise what an individual buyer will pay, and its curves are not a comprehensive historical sales database.
The standard car
Each tracked model has an authored benchmark in each supported market’s native currency. The common assumption is stock, good condition and 80,000 km, using the model’s benchmark year and first supported engine and gearbox. The evaluator applies authored adjustments for supported year, engine, transmission, kilometres, condition and modifications.
Lifetime histories
Earlier values are reconstructed from authored lifecycle milestones and interpolation, rather than verified transactions for every date. An individual-car history applies the selected specifications to that model. Earlier periods have wider uncertainty. The range is indicative model uncertainty, not a statistically measured confidence interval.
Public observations are separate
Reported sales, asks, bids and unsold bids remain distinct. We retain source country, original amount and currency, event or observation date, source URL and fee context. Source points are not automatically weighted into the authored estimates. Disappearing adverts are not treated as confirmed sales; cached source pages are not fresh live quotes.
Dates and daily refreshes
Valuation calendar dates follow Australia/Sydney, including daylight saving. Source asks and bids use their UTC observation date; reported auction outcomes use the source’s exact event date. A daily model refresh updates saved values and dated FX. It may retain unchanged native prices and must not advance an authored review date solely because a refresh ran.
Countries and currencies
Country benchmarks are independent local estimates. Dashboard conversions use the displayed dated exchange rates, including for older observations; they do not reconstruct historical daily FX. Cross-border price differences exclude transport, duties, taxes, compliance and transaction costs, and are not a calculation of import profit.
Percentage movements and portfolios
Period changes compare the first and last available modelled values within the chosen period. They are cumulative, not annualised. Category baskets use eligible models with an equal starting weight. Garage values and gains depend on the saved specifications and recorded purchase costs; running costs, fees, taxes and inflation are excluded.
Using an estimate responsibly
Use the tool to organise questions and compare like-for-like specifications. Independently verify a car’s identity, condition, mileage, mechanical history and paperwork. The model does not inspect a vehicle, authenticate a variant or price every conversion or special edition.