Kelley Blue Book – The Les Kelley Story

Kelley Blue Book

The Kelley Blue Book has been a trusted source for vehicle pricing since 1926. Below is the story of how Les Kelley the founder, became and still is the go to place for used car valuation.

Les Kelley

Les Kelley saw the opportunity to buy and sell used cars, and he kept a detailed log of what he bought them for and what he would like to get for them, this is the basis of the existing site today, and is visited by over 22 million unique visitors each year.

“More than 50% of car buyers visit the KBB site before purchasing or selling a car,” Karl Brauer (Executive Publisher)

In our first ever Guest publication, Michael from Consumer Advocates introduces the story for us. Enjoy.

There’s a connection many older American car owners have which is rarely noted. For the majority of us, our first car was a used one. Outside of having a mechanically inclined friend or relative, many of us had to research our first purchases as best we could. Prior to the internet, there was a single universal and dependable source to garner used car knowledge – to discover what you should (and shouldn’t) be paying for a car, the important questions to ask the previous owner, and the longevity of the car in question. We all researched, discussed, even pined over… our Kelley Blue Books.

Read the History of the Kelley Blue Book in this article: Kelley Blue Book – 90 Years of Trust

Many thanks to Michael for reaching out to us here at Car Air Bike Museums. We are always open to suggestions, and guest publications. Also thanks to Bridget Cassidy the author of the Kelley Blue Book article.

Image from Classic Motor Hub.