💯 All Things Used Car’s 100th Episode 🎉

Congratulations to All Things Used Cars which celebrated its 100th episode on Friday! It’s a great accomplishment, and we’re proud to be a part of it. 🌋

The centennial session focused on the value and importance of appraisal accuracy. Here were some key dos and don’ts that we took away:

✅ DO include the customer and the salesperson in the walk-through. Allowing the salesperson to be involved in the appraisal process along with the customer shows transparency in the dealership. It helps build rapport and provides the customer a better understanding of their appraisal value.

❌ DON’T skimp on the pictures. Take a bunch, especially of cosmetic defects and the odometer.

✅ DO keep track. Closely monitor your appraisers’ estimated reconditioning evaluation versus the actual reconditioning costs. If you aren’t keeping track, you can’t know if you’re providing accurate appraisals, or where you could be improving.

❌ DON’T skip detailed inspections. Examine the mechanical, electrical, and technological functionality of each vehicle and consider things like: 

• How many keys does it have?
• What kind of navigation and infotainment systems does it have? Will it require subscriptions?
• What is the status of the tires and rims?

✅ DO test drive the car. At least a few miles and get it up to 65MPH if possible to evaluate things like brakes, alignment, dash alerts, gears, AC/heat, adaptive cruise control, and lane-assist functions. 

❌ DON’T forget about your market. When evaluating a car, understand what you have and how it fits into your specific market. For example, if your dealership typically sells a lot of white cars with tan interiors, a blue car with a grey interior is likely going to be less profitable or take longer to move.

Catch the full replay here for lots more A+ appraisal advice.