Need an appraisal

Are you looking for someone here to give you their opinion on the cars worth? Because you can always pay someone to appraise it for you (a professional).

I think they charge around $300 but they do tend to give cars a top dollar appraisal (usually for insurance replacement values).

On that note, whenever someone says their car appraised for $$$... I just chuckle as it's usually WAY out of bed.

Three hundred dollars?  Yikes!  The last time I had the Red Man appraised it cost me $10.  It was done by a gentleman who owns a classic car resale / restoration shop in Lenoir city, TN.  He seems to know his business and was quite thorough.  I would suggest that some shopping around be done before laying down that kind of money. 

Appraisal and selling price are usually way different.  I had mine appraised for insurance, about $175 here in Ontario, and it was appraised for probably $10K more than I think I could realistically get in a sale.  That said I'd rather have it appraised higher for insurance purposes any day.

Depends on the route you are going for an appraisal.

A proper appraisal with certificate is quite costly.

For insurance purposes and based on what mine was recently appraised at I'd say in and around $25-$30K.  Be sure you find someone who will know the difference between a kit car and a tube frame IM.  I'm sure any appraiser worth his/her salt will know but its good to point out the differences.  Also be sure to point out the special things about your car as they tend to miss those IMO.  Tell them how much this or that cost you or how much it would cost someone to do.  They will look for comparable sales (usually for sale ads as opposed to actual sales) then add or subtract the estimated value(s) of your upgrades, condition, etc versus the others upgrades, conditions, etc.  Its just math from there.  

If insurance paid for the fire damage repairs - won't it have a salvage title?  Suspect that results in big value hit.

If you pay for a proper appraisal (someone who knows what they are doing) you will pay about $300.

Or pay $10 and hold their hand while they search about your car on Google.  lol

I've got 4 appraisals on my car, all are wrong to certain degrees.  From saying it has a 4 cylinder when it has a 6 to saying the car was built on a Porsche 911 frame.  Most of the guys here deal with muscle cars and don't seem to be able to comprehend our cars, they don't fit the mold.  Insurance accepted it and that's all that matters I guess.  When it comes down to it, in a sale situation it depends on what someone will pay for it and not what its appraised at.

Agree'd

Paying what seems to me to be an exorbitant fee for an appraisal may give someone a high confidence level, but the person doing the job may not know his ass from a whole in the ground in spite of any professional designation that person may have.   My guy was recommended by my insurance agent and they would accept his findings for policy writing purposes.  

Being in the business of reselling, servicing and restoring classic and custom built cars, he has plenty of knowledge and a substantial reference library that he makes good use of during his evaluation.  He examined my car from stem to stern and listened attentively to my description of the build details. I received a written appraisal that detailed by category how the value was determined. 

What he is not is in the business of making money by appraising cars.  He does it because he loves cars, car guys and realizes that what he did for me was damned good public relations. 

BTW, Indetrucks, he did not use Google.  LOL!

$18,5