Everyone knows about the negative impact smoking cigarettes can do to your health. Numerous studies have been published showing how tobacco is related to a number of illnesses including cancer, emphysema, and more. Smoking can also have a negative affect on your wallet, as a pack of cigarettes has gotten more and more expensive over the past years. But did you know that cigarette smoke can actually lower the value of your car?

If you’re without auto insurance and looking to sell your car (or putting your car on the market for any other reason), then you want to know how much you can realistically aim to get for the vehicle. Due to a variety of reasons, cigarette smoke can reduce your car’s worth by over $1,000.

The interior condition of your car is one of the most important factors when it comes to determining its value. If someone has smoked in your car, then the following things can lead to the value decreasing drastically:

• Cigarette smoke leaves a harsh smell that can be impossible to completely remove from your car’s interior, particularly if it’s cloth. Cars that reek of cigarette smoke are a lot less desirable than those that don’t, so people are sure to offer you less money for the vehicle.
• The market for autos that have been smoked in is significantly smaller than that for cars that have never been smoked in. The truth is that many people won’t even consider purchasing a car that’s been smoked in. This smaller market results in less competition, leading to you selling your car for a lower price.
• If you’ve had your car for a long time and have smoked in it for the majority of that time, chances are that you’ve burned or stained your vehicle’s interior at one point or another. Unsightly burns or smoke stains can make your car appear older than it really is, which will decrease its value.

So think before you light up inside your car—you’re diminishing its value, making it harder for you to sell it down the road.

Katrina Robinson is a freelance writer who covers a wide variety of topics ranging from finances and car insurance to lifestyle and diet.