Pricing & valuations for dealers
Used car stock turn: how to calculate it, and what is a good stock turn?
Stock turn is the number of used cars you sold in the last 12 months divided by the average number you held in stock. Divide 365 by it for your average days in stock. As a benchmark, the typical used car type priced by UK dealers on DealerPricing sold in a median of 28 days from being advertised in September 2026.
Stock turn = cars sold in a year divided by average cars in stock; days in stock = 365 divided by stock turn. For comparison, the typical used car type priced by UK dealers on DealerPricing sold in a median of 28 days from being advertised in September 2026, about 13 turns a year (your days in stock also include buying and prep time).
UK used car days to sell by asking price, September 2026
| Typical asking price | Median days to sell | About this many turns a year | Car types |
|---|---|---|---|
| Under £5,000 | 24 days | 15.2 | 54 |
| £5,000 to £9,999 | 26 days | 14 | 111 |
| £10,000 to £14,999 | 30 days | 12.2 | 55 |
| £15,000 to £19,999 | 28 days | 13 | 32 |
| £20,000 to £29,999 | 28 days | 13 | 21 |
From the DealerPricing used car days to sell report: 83,171 adverts marked sold on UK dealer websites, 344 car types. Days to sell run from advert to sale, so your own days in stock will be longer by the time it takes to buy and prepare a car.
Step by step
Count the cars you sold in the last 12 months
Use retail sales only. Cars you sent to auction or traded out count separately, because they tell you about buying mistakes rather than how fast your forecourt sells.
Work out your average stock
Count the cars in stock on the same day each month for 12 months, add the counts up and divide by 12. A single count can be misleading if you just bought or sold a batch.
Divide sales by average stock
That is your stock turn: how many times a year your stock sells and is replaced. Divide 365 by it for your average days in stock. Use the calculator on this page, which also shows the money tied up and what each car costs you to hold.
Compare with how fast the market sells
A dealer average hides the cars that sit. Check the days to sell for each model you stock, and for any car before you buy it, so slow sellers are bought cheaper or not at all.
UK used car days to sell, September 2026 →
Insights tab showing market rating, active supply, recently sold, average days to sell, demand, competition and turnover Deal with aged stock every week
List every car past your stock policy (for example 45, 60 or 90 days), check its price against identical cars for sale and sold, and decide: reprice, promote, or move it to the trade. A car sold at a smaller margin frees the cash for one that sells faster.
What you’ll see
- Stock turn and average days in stock from your own figures
- The money tied up in stock and the holding cost per car sold
- Days to sell, active supply and a market rating for any model on DealerPricing
- Days listed for every car on your own website with My Stock (Pro plans)
Stock turn terms explained
- Stock turn
- Cars sold in a year divided by the average number of cars in stock. Ten turns means your stock sold and was replaced ten times.
- Days in stock
- How long a car is in your stock, from purchase to sale. On average it is 365 divided by your stock turn.
- Days to sell
- How long similar cars take to sell from being advertised. It shows how fast the market moves for a model.
- Aged stock
- Cars past your stock policy, often 60 or 90 days. They cost money every day and usually need a price change or a trade exit.
- Holding cost
- What a car costs you each day it is unsold: stocking finance interest, falling value, insurance, site costs and advertising.
- Stock policy
- The number of days after which a car is repriced or moved on. Writing it down stops cars drifting past it.
Ready to try it?
Basic 100 £70 a month, Pro 100 £99. First month half price, no contract, no VAT added.
Frequently asked questions
How do you calculate used car stock turn?
Divide the number of used cars you retailed in the last 12 months by your average number of cars in stock over the same period. Selling 120 cars a year from an average of 20 in stock is a stock turn of 6, or about 61 days in stock on average.
What is a good stock turn for a used car dealer?
It depends on your price band and how long you take to buy and prepare cars, but faster is almost always better for cash. For comparison, the typical used car type on DealerPricing sold in a median of 28 days from being advertised in September 2026, which is about 13 turns a year before preparation time. Measure yourself against the models you stock, not a single rule.
What is the difference between stock turn and days in stock?
They are the same measure seen two ways. Stock turn is how many times a year your stock sells and is replaced; days in stock is 365 divided by stock turn. Six turns a year is about 61 days; twelve turns is about 30 days.
How long should a used car be in stock?
Long enough to prepare and sell it at the right price, and no longer. Set a stock policy, review every car at about two weeks after it is advertised, and act on any car that passes the days to sell for its model.
What is aged stock?
Cars that have been in stock longer than your stock policy, often 60 or 90 days. They tie up money, keep losing value and usually need a price change or a move to the trade.
How much does it cost to keep a used car in stock?
Work out your own daily figure: add stocking finance interest, the value the car loses each month, insurance, site costs and advertising, then divide by the cars you hold and the days in a month. Put that number into the calculator to see what slow stock really costs you.
How can I improve my stock turn?
Buy models that sell quickly in your area, check the days to sell before you buy, price to the market from the first day, review prices at two weeks, and move aged stock on rather than waiting for full margin.
Does stock turn matter more than margin?
They work together. A smaller margin earned six times a year usually beats a bigger margin earned three times, because the same money is reused. The return on the cash tied up in stock is what pays the bills.
Which used cars sell fastest in the UK?
In September 2026, electric car types sold fastest by fuel (median 21 days) and diesel slowest (29 days). The full report breaks it down by age, price, body, make and model.
How do dealer groups compare stock turn across sites?
Use the same calculation at every site, by price band and age band, and review an aged stock list weekly. Comparing each site with the market days to sell for the models it stocks shows whether a slow site has a buying problem or a pricing problem.
How does DealerPricing help with stock turn?
It shows the days to sell, active supply and market rating for any car before you buy it, so you can avoid slow sellers or pay less for them. On Pro plans (from £99 a month), My Stock lists the cars on your own website with how many days each has been listed.