Vehicle Remarketing Logo

Wholesale Vehicle Prices Soften in November

Overall average wholesale prices softened in November from a year ago mostly due to 2017 prices that were elevated due to increased demand from hurricanes Harvey and Irma, even though values of former fleet vehicles increased, according to Tom Kontos, KAR Auction Services' chief economist.

Paul Clinton
Paul ClintonFormer Senior Web Editor
December 14, 2018
Wholesale Vehicle Prices Soften in November

While overall wholesale prices weakened in November, fleet vehicle values increase 4.6%.

Photo courtesy of ADESA.

1 min to read


Overall average wholesale prices softened in November from a year ago mostly due to 2017 prices that were elevated due to increased demand from hurricanes Harvey and Irma, even though values of former fleet vehicles increased, according to Tom Kontos, KAR Auction Services' chief economist.

Kontos explained the weaker values for used vehicles in his monthly Kontos Kommentary, where he mentioned values were even weaker that lower seasonal levels. Used vehicle prices typically dip toward the end of the year due to more inclement weather on the East Coast and other regions that can chill buying activity at physical auctions.

Ad Loading...

Overall values fell 4.2% from October and 1.8% from a year ago to an average of $10,599, Kontos said. While truck values showed relative strength to cars, "virtually all model classes" declined. In segments reflective of fleet remarketing efforts, midsize cars increased 6.1% to $11,309, while midsize SUVs increased 9.8% to $19,374.

Prices for fleet consignors fell 3.8% from October, but increased 4.6% from a year ago. Vehicles from manufacturers fell 3% from October and 2.8% from a year ago. Prices for dealer consignors fell 3.7% from October and 1.9% from a year ago.

Originally posted on Automotive Fleet

More Used Vehicle Values

Blue bar graphs showing wholesale used vehicle price shifts according to vehicle segment.

Wholesale Used Vehicle Prices Slightly Up In April

The Iranian conflict and rising gas prices inject much uncertainty into the future wholesale used vehicle markets, as higher gas prices soak up spendable income from vehicle buyers.

Read More →
collage of conference speakers
Operationsby Chris BrownApril 30, 2026

CAR 2026 Recap Part 2: Closing the Gap Between Data & Remarketing Value

The second half of CAR 2026 examined how fleets can translate lifecycle strategy, vehicle data, and market shifts into higher real-world results.

Read More →
Collage of CAR speakers
Used Vehicle Valuesby Chris BrownApril 27, 2026

CAR2026 in Two Words: Velocity, Value (Part 1)

The 2026 Conference of Automotive Remarketing convened with a mandate to involve a new constituency — fleet managers — and an updated mission to demonstrate unrealized value in de-fleeted vehicles.

Read More →
Ad Loading...
Line comparisons of used vehicle inventory set in different colors.
Fleetby News/Media ReleaseApril 20, 2026

March Used Vehicle Inventory Falls To Lowest Since 2019

Franchised and independent dealers had a total of 1.95 million used vehicles in stock in March, the lowest on record in the current data set.

Read More →
 A white Polestar 3 with all doors and trunk lid open while on display at an EV sales event.

Spring Bounce Pushes Q1 Used Vehicle Values Higher

Demand signals remain strong at auctions, with sales conversions, a clear sign of demand, reaching 68.2% in the most recent measure.

Read More →
Graphic promoting CAR 2026 roundtables featuring headshots of five speakers and topics including Wall Street trends, fleet data, upfits, fair market value, and AI in remarketing.
Operationsby Chris BrownMarch 31, 2026

CAR 2026: Get the Wall Street Update on the Key Players in Remarketing

From a Wall Street analyst's take on remarketing's key players to whether fleets need their own version of Carfax, CAR 2026's afternoon roundtables will answer key operational and industry questions.

Read More →
Ad Loading...
Promotional graphic for CAR 2026 panel on data-driven value in commercial vehicles, featuring five industry experts and session details for April 16 in Cleveland.
Fleetby Chris BrownMarch 31, 2026

CAR 2026 Session to Uncover the Missing Data That's Costing Fleets at Disposal

Work trucks lose value at remarketing, not because they aren't worth more, but because the data to prove it rarely makes it to the auction.

Read More →
Chart highlighting February EV sales trends, showing a decline in new EV sales and growth in used EV sales based on Cox Automotive market data.
Fleetby News/Media ReleaseMarch 19, 2026

EV Market Feeling The New Reality Of Steep Losses

New EV sales declined year over year in February while used EV demand rose, as prices fell and inventory tightened across both segments.

Read More →
Graphic promoting a CAR 2026 conference session showing four speaker headshots above the title “What Really Moves Vehicle Value Now — And What Doesn’t” with automotive conference branding
Operationsby Chris BrownMarch 11, 2026

CAR 2026: What Really Moves Vehicle Value Now — And What Doesn’t

A panel at the 2026 Conference of Automotive Remarketing will examine how resale value is created across the vehicle lifecycle and which traditional remarketing practices still deliver ROI.

Read More →
Ad Loading...
Blue bar graphs showing a rise in used vehicle categories across the board.

Wholesale Used Vehicle Prices Up In February

Solid demand at Manheim auctions with higher sales conversion rates indicate an appetite from dealers to buy.

Read More →