When trying to estimate the value of a used car in New York, the make and model may give a benchmark for buyers, but it is often how the car has been driven that can drive prices into or out of a potential owner’s price range.

A survey of prospective buyers and sellers found that many looked at mileage as the chief factor in determining a car’s selling price, according to research conducted by Ipsos Public Affairs.

That may not tell the whole story, according to car researchers at Carmax.com. They say that an appraisal of the car may offer buyers of used cars in New York a better understanding of how the car was driven. For example, a delivery vehicle may have been operated much differently from a car used to attend church on Sundays.

However, other conditions that affect the price a buyer may be willing to pay noted by the survey respondents receive equal weight from the experts, including verifiable reports of regular maintenance and limited structural damage.