Semi truck value estimator

How the estimator works

A value worksheet copies how buyers and sellers really price trucks: by comparing them with similar trucks for sale.

1. Your truck. Enter the model year, miles, a condition grade and the class.
2. Comparable listings. Enter the year, miles and asking price of up to three similar trucks you found for sale. Set a price to 0 to skip a slot.
3. Adjust each listing to your truck. For every model year your truck is newer, the listing's price goes up by the year adjustment, and down for every year older. For every 10,000 miles fewer than the listing, the price goes up by the miles adjustment, and down for more miles.
4. Apply condition. Excellent adds 8%, good adds 3%, average adds nothing and rough takes off 12%.
5. Range. The lowest and highest adjusted listings set the range. The middle is their average.

The adjustment amounts are starting assumptions, not market data. Open them and change them if your market values miles or age differently.

A worked example

An owner has a 2019 tractor with 520,000 miles in average condition. They find three listings: a 2019 with 480,000 miles at $62,000, a 2020 with 550,000 miles at $68,000 and a 2018 with 600,000 miles at $54,000.

The range is fairly tight because the listings are close to the owner's truck. Wider gaps between listings mean less certainty, and a sign to look for closer comparisons.

What the result means

The range is an estimate of asking prices for a truck like yours, not a book value, an appraisal or an offer. Expect real sales to land below asking prices. A dealer trade-in usually pays less again, because the dealer has to recondition and resell the truck.

Things the worksheet can't see: engine and transmission model, sleeper size, emissions history, warranty left, tire and brake life, accident history and how much buyers in your region want your spec. Each can move value more than the adjustments do. Our guide to the most reliable semi trucks explains how to judge a truck's track record without brand hype.

Getting a better price

• Gather records. Maintenance invoices, recent repairs and inspection reports show a buyer the truck was cared for.
• Fix the small things. Lights, leaks and worn interior parts cost little to fix and a lot in negotiation.
• Price for your market. Use listings from your region where you can.
• Know your payoff. If the truck is financed, check what you owe before you set a price.

Our guide on how to sell your semi truck walks through pricing, paperwork and timing step by step.

When to get a professional opinion

A worksheet is fine for setting an asking price or deciding whether to sell. Some situations call for more. Lenders, insurers, courts and buyers of whole fleets often want a written appraisal from a qualified equipment appraiser, and a dealer's written trade offer is the only number you can actually take to the bank on a trade.

It's also worth paying for a pre-sale inspection on a high-mileage truck. An inspection report gives buyers confidence, answers questions before they're asked and can stop a deal from falling apart at the last minute over a surprise. If the inspection finds a problem, you can fix it or price it in, instead of losing the buyer.

Selling, trading or keeping?

Before selling, it's worth asking whether the truck could earn more by working steadier. A truck that sits between loads costs the same each month as one that runs. If you came into the truck through a lease, our page on lease-purchase dispatch explains how we help those drivers keep the truck moving. Want to know what dispatch would cost on your gross? Try the dispatcher fee calculator.

Starting a new company with a different truck? The trucking company name generator can help you find a name. Running numbers on the new truck too? The cost per mile calculator shows what it has to earn.