A collection held in an estate or trust needs an accurate inventory, a defensible value for each vehicle, and a plan for what happens to each one. We deliver all three in a single engagement.
How a collection engagement works
- We walk the property first to map access, storage, and lighting.
- Each vehicle is inspected and photographed against a standard checklist: identification, documents, exterior, interior, mechanical and underbody condition, and any items of concern.
- We research the market for each vehicle, with extra time for rare and pre-war cars.
- You receive a consolidated report with a summary schedule and an individual valuation for each vehicle.
- We discuss the options for each vehicle and coordinate whatever happens next.
What collections commonly include
Postwar sports cars, air-cooled Porsches, Ferraris, pre-war classics, trucks, custom builds, motorcycles, trailers, and parts collections. Items that do not fit a normal market comparison, such as a home-built machine or a car reduced to components, are documented and flagged for your attorney or CPA rather than given a forced number.
Why independent valuation matters
Trustees and executors answer to beneficiaries. A value based on dated comparable sales, with the reasoning written down, protects the fiduciary and gives families a basis for fair division.
To discuss a collection, request a proposal.