Protect Your Investment

You have a great deal of time and money invested into your prized collector car or your collection.  The best way to be sure that your assets are sufficiently protected is to have a current professional appraisal in your vehicle records and on file with your insurance company.  The collector car market is changing rapidly, and many cars have increased in value by 25% or more in the past two years!  A certified professional appraisal will provide up-to-date documentation of the condition and value of your collector vehicle in a detailed report that conforms to the national Uniform Standards of Professional Appraisal Practice.

Don’t leave the determination of your vehicle’s value up to a claims adjuster.  A Certified Appraisal and an Agreed Value insurance policy are your best protection.

You do not want the court or the opposition’s attorney to determine what your vehicle is worth.  Have a Certified Value Appraisal done on your vehicle to determine the fair market value now and avoid problems later.  This type of appraisal can be done during or prior to the divorce proceedings.  If challenged in court, we are an expert witness and will stand behind our work.  Every appraisal we have done has been upheld when questioned in court.

If you are arguing with an insurance company over the value of your vehicle after a loss, our Pre-Accident Value Appraisal can be a big help to provide the evidence needed to settle the claim in your favor.  Your vehicle may also have suffered a loss in long-term value as a result of the damage.  You may be able to file a claim for this Diminished Value.  Call us to discuss this option.

Selling a Collector Vehicle?  A Pre-Sales or Pre-Auction Appraisal can be a tremendous help when selling a collector vehicle.  An appraisal will eliminate a lot of the haggling or “negotiating” because the vehicle’s fair market value and condition has been established by a neutral professional party.  For cars going to auction, it can help you determine the proper “reserve” value.  If a qualified buyer will be looking for financing to cover the purchase, they can use the appraisal to get a loan from his/her lending institution.  (Many financial institutions will loan up to 80% of our appraised value).

Buying a Collector Vehicle?

A Certified Pre-Purchase Inspection and Value Appraisal protects you by having the vehicle inspected and appraised BEFORE you buy.  We perform a detailed 140 point visual and operational inspection that includes a comprehensive road test.  We also check the body for filler, paint thickness and evidence of previous damage.  We can determine the fair market value BEFORE you pay out any cash.  This will protect you from buying a vehicle where its description has not been represented accurately or fully disclosed as well as to protect you from overpaying for a vehicle.  The report includes extensive photo documentation and a report suitable for use in establishing insurance and/or loan value.  A PPI Report from Classic Wheels is an excellent negotiating tool.  We have saved many buyers from making major mistakes and also helped other buyers negotiate a fair deal on their new collector vehicle.

Did you buy a vehicle “sight unseen” or by viewing photos on the internet?   When you received it, did you believe that you were cheated?  A Certified Value Appraisal can help build your case.  Was the vehicle advertised as having never been in an accident, and you have discovered otherwise?  Did you discover flood damage?  Our appraisals can help you in your objective to recover your investment.

Did you pay for a prize winning restoration only to find out that the final result is inferior or incorrect?  We are experts in the restoration field, and are knowledgeable in the details that make for accurate and high quality restoration work.  A Certified Value Appraisal from Classic Wheels can help you with your claim for substandard work.

The IRS requires an appraisal for any vehicle donated to an eligible charity or museum. Further, a qualified appraiser must complete and sign the appropriate IRS forms before you can take a tax deduction for your donation.  We have helped many museums and charities receive vehicle donations and ensured that the donors receive their proper tax deduction by assisting with the correct documents.