Many motorists are still in the dark about the true value of their car, with one in three incorrect about the value of their car, according to CAP.

The findings come from customer feedback on CAP’s free used car valuation tool at www.cap.co.uk/consumer, which was launched earlier this year.

Philip Nothard, consumer valuation expert at CAP Automotive, said: “Setting out to sell or trade-in your car can be a daunting prospect, but knowing its true market value really helps to boost confidence and avoid unexpected disappointments.

“The feedback from people who have been using our free valuation service shows that discovering the real value of your car before you go into negotiations overwhelmingly leads to a better experience.

“Good dealers also welcome well-informed customers who understand the true value of their own car. A confident customer is more likely to be satisfied with the deal than someone who mistakenly believes the dealer is trying to rip them off.”