If you’re in the market for a used car, good luck. Prices have risen so dramatically over the past year that my beat-down 2004 Toyota Camry, with its dents and chipped paint, could go for more than $6,000. That’s far more than it’s worth — and much more than I bought it for.

Car owners across the country have made similar discoveries. They’re able to ask for more than they ever thought they could get because someone will pay it. Buyers have no other choice. Used car prices shot up across the board by 30% in 2020, according to the consumer price index, with the average price hitting $26,500 (you’d be lucky to find a $6,000 price tag like mine).