KELLEY BLUE BOOK® VS BLACK BOOK: HOW DO THEY DIFFER?
Data is a high priority when it comes to figuring out what exactly a car should be worth. The Kelley Blue Book® and Black Book obtain their data from a variety of sources to get accurate values. They look into trends within the market and analyze those trends to come up with prices.
They also both take into account various regional and seasonal differences that could affect the price of certain vehicles. They help users figure out where and when a vehicle may be the most valuable.
Of course, vehicle condition is also important when determining a value. The Kelley Blue Book® and Black Book evaluate prices for used vehicles based on how old they are, how many miles they have tallied, and what features they come equipped with.
These two sources do differ with other data, though. For example, the Black Book uses auction prices, vehicle transactions, and vehicle history reports to inform its numbers. The Kelley Blue Book®, on the other hand, uses its own proprietary set of information—over three trillion data points to be exact—to offer an incredibly comprehensive amount of data. It includes info from auctions, dealer sales, and private sales along with lease information.