- Used car prices have been remarkably stable through most of 2025, but may rise early next year
- The wholesale prices dealers pay for used cars at auction rose last month
The prices car dealers pay for used cars at auction rose by 1.3% in November, after adjustments for normal seasonal fluctuation.
Retail prices tend to rise about six to eight weeks after wholesale prices do.
The numbers come from auction giant Manheim. Its Manheim Used Vehicle Value Index tracks the prices car dealers pay to restock their lot at used car auctions. Manheim and Kelley Blue Book share a parent company, Cox Automotive.
Related: Is Now the Time to Buy, Sell, or Trade in a Car?
Used car prices rose modestly last month, increasing by just $56 on average. Supply and demand govern used car prices, and supply has stayed stable through much of an economically chaotic year.
Dealers started 2025 with about a 48-day supply of used cars to sell. They ended October with about a 48-day supply of used cars to sell.
But Cox Automotive Interim Chief Economist Jeremy Robb says sales could pick up as 2026 begins. In January, he explains, “lower tax withholding rates will boost take-home pay. Once consumers feel that in their paychecks and realize their tax refunds could be substantially higher this year, we are expecting some tailwinds to hit the auto market.”
