Schwacke | Catalog

Schwacke prices are usually listed as Netto (excluding 19% VAT). Dealers work net; consumers work gross. If a dealer offers you €10,000 net, you actually get €11,900 gross.

For anyone buying or selling a used car in Germany, understanding the Schwackae value is not optional. It is the number the bank uses to approve your loan, the insurer uses to write your check, and the dealer uses to lowball your trade-in. Love it or hate it, the Schwacke Catalog remains the quiet accountant of the German used car market. schwacke catalog

If a private buyer and seller disagree on price, or if a dealer is accused of overcharging, a judge will typically default to the Schwacke price. It serves as the "neutral expert." Schwacke prices are usually listed as Netto (excluding

The Schwacke Catalog traces its roots back to 1931 when Otto Schwacke began collecting vehicle data. For decades, it was a simple bound book used by German tax authorities. In the 1980s, it became the mandatory reference for German insurance claims regarding "total loss" or "accident damage." For anyone buying or selling a used car

If you live in Germany and are negotiating a car’s price, always ask: “Was sagt der Schwacke?” (What does the Schwacke say?) The answer may not make you happy, but it will tell you the truth—as defined by decades of cold, hard sales data.

In 1991, the DAT Group acquired the rights to Schwacke, merging the valuation expertise with DAT’s technical data. Today, Schwacke is synonymous with the DAT, and the catalog is often referred to as the "DAT Schwacke."