Virginia man warns US drivers after county values 3.5-year-old van at $42,200, far above its real worth

If you’ve ever opened a car tax bill and wondered how your aging vehicle somehow gained value like fine wine, Stephen Martin knows the feeling.

The Amherst County driver says his 2022 Toyota Sienna and a 2016 Ford F-250 are worth far less than what he’s being taxed on, and he’s not convinced the county sees it the same way.

He might have a point. Used car prices have spiked in recent years. iSeeCars reviewed pricing data on more than 2.6 million three-year-old vehicles and found the typical used car now sits at about $32,635, roughly $9,500 higher than it was in 2019 (1).

Martin says his county is taxing his vehicles as if the market were at its peak. As a result, he says he’s facing assessments that are far higher than what he could sell his cars for.

“This is garbage, something is not right here. Something is messed up,” Martin told ABC 13 (2).

He worries he isn’t the only one. Across Virginia, many drivers may be facing the same sticker shock.

When Martin compared his Amherst County assessment with online pricing guides, the difference was hard to ignore. The county valued his minivan at $42,200, only a few thousand less than what he paid new three and a half years ago.

Edmunds, TrueCar and Kelley Blue Book all placed the van’s current value much lower, landing between $30,000 and $35,000. His truck showed a similar discrepancy.

“I entered all the information as if it were a perfect vehicle. If you go out there, I have a dented tailgate and a dented side,” he said. “So it’s further proof that this evaluation system is flawed.”

The depreciation math backs him up. Cars typically lose about 20% of their value in the first year, 15% in the second and 12% in the third, according to BrokerLink (3). By that measure, a $45,000 vehicle like Martin’s should be worth about:

Year 1: $36,000

Year 2: $30,600

Year 3: $26,928

And depreciation today may be even steeper. Americans are keeping their vehicles longer, with the average car age now 12.8 years, the highest on record, according to S&P Global Mobility (4). Age, mileage, condition and market trends all shape resale value, and for most drivers, prices trend downward over time, not back toward the original sticker price.

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ABC 13 compared Amherst County’s tax rate of $3.45 per $100 of assessed value with fair market estimates and found Martin may be paying $450 to $700 more than he should. His appeal didn’t get far. The county offered a mileage deduction worth about $30.

He’s not alone. The Virginia DMV says more than 8.4 million registered vehicles are subject to personal-property tax each year (5). Each locality sets its own rate; some hover near $3.00 per $100 of assessed value, while others push closer to $3.70. Most counties use the J.D. Power value guides (formerly NADA) to determine taxable worth.

Amherst County Commissioner of Revenue Jane Irby told ABC 13 the county uses J.D. Power’s January 1 valuations for every VIN on record. She couldn’t explain why those numbers sometimes come in higher than consumer tools like Kelley Blue Book or Edmunds, but said mileage deductions are currently the only tax relief offered. Neighboring counties confirmed they also use J.D. Power as the industry standard for tax assessments.

Martin’s experience is echoed across the state. In Chesterfield County, Alesha Moore told WTVR-TV her 2018 Nissan Murano, valued at about $16,000 the previous year, was reassessed at $22,350, a $6,350 jump (6).

“Counties send you 15 bills for three different things. They think they’re just going to overload you with information, and you’re just going to pay it,” Moore said.

Some lawmakers say the broader system needs an overhaul. Del. Tim Griffin told ABC 13 he plans to revive a bill to repeal Virginia’s car tax when the General Assembly returns. For now, Martin says nothing about the current valuation resembles real-world pricing.

“How many other people, retired people, older people, people who have lost their jobs, are paying more in taxes because of over-evaluations,” he said.

If your bill looks high, consumer experts recommend your car’s value across multiple pricing guides, saving screenshots and contacting your local tax office to ask about appeals or available deductions.

We rely only on vetted sources and credible third-party reporting. For details, see our editorial ethics and guidelines.

iSeeCars (1); WSET (2); Brokerlink (3); S&P Global (4); DMV (5); WTVR-TV (6).

This article provides information only and should not be construed as advice. It is provided without warranty of any kind.