When I turned eighteen years old in May of (none of your business year ha, ha), right before I was about to graduate high school, I received a slightly used Ford Escort GT as a gift. It was the newest car that I had ever had. Against my better judgment and my mom’s forebodings, I took it out for a joyride before it was fully insured. I’m sure you can guess what happened next.
You guessed it – another car hit me while I was turning left at an intersection. My car was totaled during the accident. After my vehicle appraisal, even though that company determined it was totaled, because I only had PLPD insurance (personal liability and personal damage), the insurance company was not going to provide enough money to repair it. Unfortunately, I did not have full coverage insurance. I was crushed, although a serious lesson was learned.
Besides learning that I should never drive any vehicle without proper insurance, I also learned that vehicle appraisers do more than just appraise vehicles after accidents for insurance purposes.
In fact, whether you’re seeking a fair market value assessment for insurance purposes, pre-purchase evaluations, post-accident diminished value reports, or classic and collector car appraisals, certified appraisers deliver accurate, unbiased, and thoroughly documented reports.
Some of those services include:
- Total Loss Appraisals
- Insurance Appraisals
- Commercial Vehicle Appraisals
- Diminished Value Appraisals
- Fire & Theft Appraisals
- Classic Car Appraisals
- Lease Turn-In Appraisals
- Finance Appraisals
- Expert Witness Appraisals
- Estate Appraisals
- Divorce Appraisals
- Motorcycle Appraisals
- Bankruptcy Appraisals
- Bank Loan Appraisals
- Fleet Vehicle Appraisals
- RV Appraisals
What do they look for in a car appraisal?
Other than checking the condition of the interior, everything under the hood, HVAC systems, and any computer-controlled systems, some of the key aspects one might look for in a car appraisal are evidence of:
- Flood
- Salvage
- Frame damage
When I got into that wreck with my Escort GT, the frame was completely bent, which is why it was determined to be totaled and unsalvageable. Since then, I have been extremely careful when making a left turn at an intersection! I have had many vehicles over the years I have been driving, and I have been in a few accidents, but none of them were totaled like that GT. The vehicles I have had include:
- Pontiac Sunbird
- Escort GT
- Escort Wagon hatchback
- Chevy Camero
- Mercury Tracer
- Ford Ranger
- Ford Explorer
- Jeep Commander
- Saturn Vue
- Cadillac Escalade
- Buick Envision
- GMC Acadia
To date, my favorite vehicles I’ve driven are the Escalade and my current vehicle, the Acadia. I am a GM (General Motors) girl for sure!
Recently, my youngest son earned his driving license after taking driver’s training for over a year and finally passed his driving test after three attempts. Needless to say, I have been a wee bit worried about him when he heads out on the road. When his older brother started driving, I was not as worried about him, as he loved to drive and passed the driver’s test with flying colors.
So far, in the short two months my youngest has driven the vehicle his dad got him on his own, he has had three separate mishaps on the road. First, on his way home from school in a snowstorm, he rear-ended another student.
Thankfully, no one was hurt, and the police did not issue my son a ticket, since the other student slid uncontrollably and my son was unable to stop in time. He learned that he must give other vehicles plenty of room when the road is slippery.
About a week later, he was driving to the gym with a buddy (again during a snowstorm). The person in front of him stopped suddenly, and instead of crashing into the car, he veered into a business parking lot, only to hit a snow pile. I brought him two shovels and two pairs of gloves, and told him to slow down.
Just last week, while he was trying to leave our neighborhood, his vehicle slid backward down the incline, and he was rear-ended by a delivery truck. This time, there was some damage to his vehicle: his rear tail light cover was broken, his bumper is slightly cracked, and there were some paint scratches. He was really bummed because his vehicle was in great condition, with no bumps or scratches, when he first got it.
Safe vehicles for teen drivers
My ex-husband did a good job in finding our son a solid first vehicle, one that runs well and has some good safety features. However, as my son is learning, driving in the winter in Michigan is no easy feat, no matter what vehicle you are driving.
According to the experts at Kelly Blue Book, they recommend considering the following safety features when choosing a vehicle for teen drivers:
- “Antilock brakes (ABS)
- Automatic emergency braking slows or brings a car to a stop autonomously.
- Blind-spot monitoring uses sensors, and sometimes cameras, to detect vehicles in adjacent lanes that may not appear in your side mirrors.
- Electronic stability control
- Forward collision warning with front automatic emergency braking
- Lane-departure warning, or lane-keeping assist, alerts drivers when shifting out of a lane.
- Traction control
Although this shortlist of advanced safety/driver-assist technologies is the foundation for the ideal best car for a young driver, several other common features help every driver more safely operate a vehicle.
Other Features to Consider
- 360-degree cameras
- Adaptive cruise control
- Airbags, at least six
- Auto on/off headlights
- Automatic climate control
- Automatic high beams
- Autonomous driving
- Head-up display
- Hill-start assist
- Infotainment system with voice recognition
- LED headlights and taillights
- Outboard mirrors with turn-signal indicators
- Power-adjustable driver’s seat
- Tilt-and-telescopic steering wheel
- Tire pressure monitoring system,”.
My older son is an excellent driver, and I did not worry too much when he initially hit the road. He has driven the following vehicles in the first four years of driving:
- Volkswagen CC
- Jeep Wrangler
- BMW X5
- Jeep Grand Cherokee Summit
He loves his Jeeps!
What happens during a car appraisal?
In conclusion, whether you’re a seasoned driver or a nervous parent watching a new teen hit the road, understanding car appraisals helps you protect your investment — and ensures you’re never caught off guard when the unexpected happens.