Katalog — Schwacke
Logistics companies, fleet managers, and corporate appraisers. Schwacke in the Digital Age: From Print to Software
The Schwacke-Katalog is a monthly publication (and now a digital database) that lists the current market values of almost all passenger cars and light commercial vehicles in Germany. It is the primary reference used to determine the (current value) of a vehicle.
It is not just a list of prices; it is a legal standard, a negotiation shield, and a transparency tool. For the average car owner, taking five minutes to look up your vehicle’s Schwacke value before any major transaction could save you thousands of euros.
The catalog's origin story is almost legendary in German car culture. In 1957, Hanns W. Schwacke, a car dealer in Frankfurt, was offered a Cadillac by an American soldier. Unsure of its value, the soldier asked Schwacke if he had checked the "Blue Book," the American standard for used car prices. Inspired by this gap in the German market, Schwacke published his first list on November 15, 1957. : First list published with just two vehicles. 1965 : The catalog expanded to over 29 models. schwacke katalog
Along with Schwacke, DAT is one of the most respected and oldest valuation institutions in Germany. They offer a free online evaluation tool for private users to calculate the residual value of their passenger cars. Navigating the Market
Note: Always adjust for condition. Schwacke assumes "average condition" (fahrbereit mit Mängeln). A mint car or one with accident damage will deviate from these figures.
For example, a 2018 VW Golf 1.6 TDI with 120,000 km in "average condition" will have a very specific Schwacke trade-in value. If your car was in "excellent condition" (full service history, no accidents, new tires), you can and should argue for a value at the top of the Schwacke range, not the median. It is not just a list of prices;
The catalog mathematically depreciates the vehicle based on its age (month and year of manufacture) and the odometer reading.
: Ob Benzin, Diesel, Hybrid oder reines Elektrofahrzeug (BEV) spielt aufgrund regionaler Nachfragen und politischer Rahmenbedingungen eine immer größere Rolle.
Standard models lack the nuances of real-world vehicles. The Schwacke catalog allows for precise adjustments based on installed optional extras (e.g., leather seats, panoramic sunroofs, advanced infotainment systems). In 1957, Hanns W
For decades, the Schwacke catalog was also easily accessible to private individuals for a small fee (approx. €7.90). However, this accessibility ended in February 2020. Since then, direct access to the Schwacke database has been exclusively reserved for commercial users, requiring proof of trade.
Da der direkte "Schwacke Katalog" für Einzelabfragen durch Privatkunden nicht mehr zur Verfügung steht, können Sie folgende kostenlose oder preiswertere Alternativen nutzen: