Online used-car pricing: Is this a good way to go?

If you're selling or buying a used car, the Internet can be a true blessing.
With a few strokes of the keyboard, you can find out what a 2001 Mustang might be worth if you were trading it in, selling it yourself or buying it from a neighbor or from the corner-used car lot.

But be forewarned: The operative word in the last sentence is "might" -- when it comes to determining a specific dollar amount value for a used vehicle, the Web can also be a jungle of conflicting numbers. Depending on which site you use, values can vary by thousands of dollars for seemingly identical cars, in identical condition.
We found this out by taking a test spin on three of the more popular automotive Web sites -- Kelley Blue Book, Edmunds.com and CarsDirect.com.

Let's say you are shopping for a 2002 Ford Explorer XLT with two-wheel-drive, V6, automatic transmission, AM/FM cassette and leather seats with 50,000 miles on the odometer.
Run through the calculator on Edmunds, and the result says the retail price of that Explorer should be $10,774. But surf over to Kelley's site, and the same vehicle comes up with a retail value of $15,040.

So it is good to get an idea of what your car is worth online, but unfortunately it will not be completely accurate. The best method is to go to your local used car dealership and have them appraise it for you.