"Blue Book value" is a phrase you'll hear often in used car deals. For assessing the value of an auto, Blue Book estimates are considered the "Bible" in the United States and to a large extent, around the world.

(Although often misspelled as "Kelly" Blue Book value the figure you want is the "Kelley" Blue Book value.) Since the guide was first published in 1926, the Kelley Company has evolved into the largest appraiser of automobiles in the United States, an expansion fueled in large part by the post-World War II explosion of the used car market.

The Blue Book added new car appraisals in 1966 and now offers assessments of motorcycles, mobile homes and recreational vehicles. Originally a trade publication, it became available to consumers in 1993. Today the Blue Book can be found in book stores and auto supply outlets and covers more than 10,000 models of cars, trucks and vans. A low book value on any of these items will automatically reduce the potential for a sale. That is the degree of influence the Kelley guide has on the American used car market.

Kelley Blue Book Goes Online

In 1995 the Blue Book went online and in the first month attracted 20,000 visitors. Now kbb.com draws seven million visitors a day. It is estimated that one in every three automotive consumers makes use of the site. Though the online Blue Book value was initially offered for a nominal fee of $3.95 the service is now free and the site is supported by advertisments and partner entities.

The site tackles the immense job of presenting the information online on a basis of car per car. Bluebook webmasters are helped in this endeavor by auto dealers who photograph vehicles and upload detailed information. In addition to offering automobile Blue Book values, the site offers groups of "shopping lists" under the Reviews & Ratings section. These target cars that get especially good gas mileage or break down automobiles into genres like compact, convertibles, luxury sedans, pickups, SUVs, and minivans. The site offers previews of new and future models and displays cars searched for most frequently.

Continue to: How the Car Bluebook Works

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How to Use the Kelley Blue Book to Buy Used Cars

Kelley Blue Book Goes Online

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