Does It Matter if the Appraiser Sees My Vehicle In Person?

Why should I insist on having my vehicle appraised in person? Does it matter? Can’t I just get the value from KBB.com? Doesn’t it just take a minute like I see on TV?

The combination of technology and Reality TV shows make it appear that the art and skill of appraising, anything including cars, is a simple 5-minute process. Just look at an item, and voila, “it’s worth $XX! Online sites like KBB.com and JDPower.com/NADA will tell you the value of your car, by just the license plate or VIN, make it appear that the vehicle doesn’t even need to be seen by an actual human being to determine an accurate value! And, certainly if you fill out the “condition” honestly (who wouldn’t?) it’s even more accurate, right?

Aside from the online offerings, there are a number of human appraisers who offer appraisal services remotely. It seems faster and easier to do it this way. While the client would be responsible for taking pictures of the vehicle and sending them in, that seems convenient enough. So, this further leads to the belief that 

Even CarMax will give you an offer for your car sight unseen. Just put in your license plate. Just bring the car in and they’ll “verify” your offer. 

So, can I really get a good value on my car without someone seeing it. The short answer is No.

What those TV shows don’t tell you is that a lot of research went into that 5-minute process, much more than 5-minutes. And, what KBB doesn’t tell you is that you can take their value to a car dealer, but you’ll never get that amount for it. And, what CarMax doesn’t tell you is that when you show up to “verify” your offer, you start negotiating at that point. They’ll deduct for any ding, scratch or upholstery marking.

The thing about appraising any item, especially vehicles, is that a lot of the value is determined by its condition. We’ve all seen rusty cars in fields. We’ve probably also seen similar cars going down the street or maybe even at car shows. The two cars are clearly not comparable, nor do they have a similar value, and a large part of the reason is condition. Condition can only be assessed by physically inspecting an item. Not by the VIN number.

I’m sure you’ve heard the expression that a picture paints a thousand words. Well, pictures can also hide a thousand words. Meaning that pictures of cars and trucks can hide a lot of flaws which only the naked eye can see. We’ve all seen that car that looks good from 50 feet away, but upon closer inspection realize it’s not what it appeared to be. 

Very often blemishes, chips and even some dents can be too small for a camera to pick up. Many times, the lighting needs to be right to see flaws and it’s very difficult to get the camera in the right position. Assuming a person is even trying to capture the flaws. In most cases, the person taking the photo is trying to hide or minimize the flaws.

The fact is that only a person who has been trained to be an appraiser and has experience with the type of item being appraised can be a good judge of its condition. If an appraisal comes without an appraiser personally inspecting the item, such as a vehicle, then it’s not likely worth the paper its printed on. 

For a accurate and thorough, in-person appraisal for your vehicle you can trust Auto Appraisal Network. Whether the appraisal is for a classic or late model, or insurance coverage or insurance battle, you can count on the appraisers at Auto Appraisal Network to inspect your vehicle in person and give a fair and accurate value.

Auto Appraisal Network of Allen is part of a national group of professional auto appraisers. Our appraisals are the most comprehensive and complete reports available in the industry.  Our appraisers are certified and have the experience and knowledge to fairly and accurately asses the value of your vehicle. 

For more information on any of the services we offer, call us today at (469)804-5201.