Diminished value is a term that is relatively new to consumers. Few people are aware of the actual meaning but many are effected by it. Diminished value occurs when a motor vehicle is involved in a severe collision and was repaired. Despite the repairs by a reputable shop, the collision still causes inherent diminished value. This remains true even if the vehicle is functional after repairs. Often times, the repairs are documented and can be found by using a reporting services such as Carfax.com®.  Most individuals are not aware that the insurance company representing the responsible party of the accident can be responsible for additional compensation. For example, the insurance company could be instructed to compensate the difference between the value of your now sub-standard vehicle and an identical vehicle in pristine condition.  Many insurance policies do not contain information regarding this type of diminution of value . Nevertheless, you may be entitled to compensation.

We accept donation vehicles on behalf of the Global Helping Hands organization. The cars are reconditioned once donated and sold to benefit causes such as The Breast Cancer and Multiple Sclerosis Foundations.

When a vehicle is returned early before the lease period has expired, it becomes known as an early lease return. We monitor both wholesale and regional auctions to find the highest and most appropriate sale price for a comparable vehicle. Leasing companies do not provide this service. Instead, they usually find the vehicle’s value from a print publication and bill you the difference between the scheduled pay off and the low wholesale value.

When hired as your appraiser in the event of an insurance dispute or for a total loss claim, we will find the exact vehicle comparable in condition with comparable miles and in essence be your appraiser working for your benefit, not the insurance companies. We do a great deal of this type of work and are successful in obtaining a substantially higher offer amount 97% of the time. Insurance companies will normally tell you that your car is totaled and make a ridiculously low offer. It is possible that they make a higher offer but now the adjusters are told to instruct the claimant to hire an appraiser.

The S-TYPE marries breathtaking power and innovative technology to sensuous styling and contemporary proportions. A new weight-efficient aluminum hood, revised front and rear styling, and a larger selection of trim options are new for 2005.

Regardless of the service you are interested in having performed, we are trained experts that will inspect the overall condition of the vehicle you would like inspected. Most of the time vehicle inspections are performed to ascertain the condition of a vehicle prior to purchase. The inspection process includes drivability testing, condition of fluids check, inspection for evidence of prior damage/repair and research into the fair market value of the vehicle derived from documented sales. We monitor the local auctions, interview car dealers and obtain documented sales of comparable vehicles so that you can remain informed with accurate and verified information. We hope that with this knowledge you can make a fair and reasonable offer for the vehicle you would like to purchase.

We have appraisers in three key geographic locations across the United States to serve you. Ft. Lauderdale Florida, Denver Colorado and Chicago Illinois. We can travel to any location throughout the United States to appraise the vehicle of your choice. Commonly we are dispatched to inspect vehicles related to pre-purchases from E-Bay Motors®. Buyers contact us to inspect the vehicle with their best interest in mind. This is a more informative approach because some seller’s indicate that the vehicle has been appraised prior to being listed. Often times the appraisal was done by an insurance representative. The report that they generate usually does not focus on key details such as verifying engine serial numbers and other critical information. Without this key information, the car may not be worth the value that the seller wants for it and you could be a making an expensive mistake.

We do not offer appraisals via mail. We believe that it is essential for the appraiser to see the vehicle to inspect it. Photographs, even professional grade quality, rarely can provide critical information such as undercarriage condition. The inspector also cannot ascertain drivability or performance through photographs. Usually, owners of vehicles who obtain an appraisal via mail do not photograph problem areas on their automobile. This vastly influences the appraiser’s ability to render an unbiased value in relation to the vehicle. Inspection, in our opinion, is a hands on job and should be performed as such.

Stated value is used to insure a vehicle for the actual cost that was invested into it. The best use of the stated value technique relates to restoration. Restoration work on vintage automobiles can be expensive sometimes topping $60 or $70 thousand dollars. This price excludes new parts and the vehicle itself. Usually, those involved with restoration projects aim to keep the vehicle they have restored forever because it is a rarity that a vehicle that has been restored is going to sell for the entire investment value. As a result, the owner can recover some revenue but likely will never recover all monetary losses invested.

Disputes between vehicle owners and insurance companies are common. In the event of an accident the insurance companies often make a settlement offer that normally is less than the fair market value of the vehicle involved in the accident. This low settlement figure usually is obtained from a comparative market survey. The survey consists of a variety of vehicles registered in your geographic area. It also shows the value of a majority of those vehicles. It is likely that they will choose the lowest possible value and present it to you. Unfortunately, the settlement price offered never could cover the cost of an identical vehicle that you lost. In a situation such as this, we can inspect your damaged vehicle, if it is available, and report the condition of the automobile prior to loss. We will research maintenance records, check tires, inspect interior and report on the overall condition of the vehicle. With this information, we can determine the vehicle’s value at the time of the accident. We can represent you and help you receive the compensation you are entitled to from the insurance company. It is best to obtain the service of an appraiser when filing an automotive insurance claim to help recover your losses. As a service to you, we will dispute any offer from the insurance company that is less than fair market value with data and facts related to the vehicle involved in the accident. We have a very high success rate and often receive precisely what was asked for.  

Rotisserie restoration is used commonly when restoring vintage automobiles. Many vehicles of the muscle era were unibody structured automobiles. In other words they did not have full frames underneath the body of the vehicle. Instead, sub-frames and rear differentials attached to the unibody replacing the full frame. When restoring the vehicle, the restorer will remove the front sub-frame and rear differential. All glass and body panels are also removed. The restorer will then mount the unibody onto a rotisserie device. The device is much like the kitchen style rotisserie unit used for cooking but on a far larger scale. Once mounted on the rotisserie, the restorer can then rotate the body around as work is being done on each section of the vehicle. Once work is completed, the fully restored section is removed from the rotisserie and the vehicle is re-assembled. The finished product is a rotisserie restored automobile.

Frame off restoration consists of replacing various parts or reconditioning current ones. Typically, every nut and bolt attached to the vehicle is either restored or replaced depending on condition. The body is physically removed from the frame so every crack and crevice of the automobile can be cleaned and repaired. The vehicle is scrutinized from top to bottom including the undercarriage. Suspension parts usually are painted or powder coated. Exhaust systems will be all new and either aluminized or stainless steel. All body mounts and suspension bushings will be either new rubber or polyurethane. The engine, interior and trunk area are also meticulously re-engineered to original quality. The finished product from the frame off restoration method is a fully reconditioned vehicle with new or like new parts. Vehicles restored using this method are common in showcase auto shows and typically win prizes.

This approach is usually most appropriate when you have
a vehicle that you have done a complete restoration, either a frame off or
rotisserie restoration, or if you have modified or enhanced the vehicle options or drive train, we do a comprehensive inspection of the vehicle, photograph the car, research and verify all of the receipts provided in reference to the vehicle, and inspect and verify that the condition and modifications are consistent with the car and documentation. This is normally done when some one has a vehicle that is restored to like new condition, the cost today to achieve that goal is normally tens of thousands over the original cost new, and they need to be updated regularly as the costs to reproduce or replicate the vehicle change depending on market conditions.

This is the most common usually used for insurance scheduling and documented values are available readily in the National, Regional auction results, or we will research the private party sales.