Assessment of your car
When assessing a car, we take into account many factors:
Mileage, history
When assessing a car, the mileage, history and origins of the car are very important. We assess much higher cars that were bought new in Estonia and have a low mileage for their age. If your car meets these criteria, be sure to mention this to our appraiser.
What is a car’s natural and unnatural wear and tear?
Using a manual for determining natural and unnatural wear and tear, we will explain what factors could affect the price of a car when assessing. The manual contains a list of defects associated with the normal use of a car, as well as those defects that are not caused by normal use.
Since we are dealing with used cars, normal wear and tear does not affect the price of a car. If there is unnatural wear and tear, the car is assessed lower.
Car Body
Natural wear and tear
- superficial scratches, chips from pebbles
- minor rust stains
- evenly discolored paint (paint washed off by brushing)
- individual dents with a diameter of up to 1.5 cm or traces of dents without damaging the paint
Unnatural wear and tear
- dents and traces of dents with a diameter of more than 1.5 cm
- damage to paint, surface scratches through a layer of varnish or paint
- traces left after removing stickers
- the car was not properly restored after an accident, i.e., damaged parts are not replaced or replaced with non-standard parts: the car configuration was not completed or done carelessly
- rust or holes in the body and sills
- cracks and chips in the bumpers, headlights and glass
Interior
Natural wear and tear
- light interior contamination
- uniform fading, tarnishing of textiles and plastics
Unnatural wear and tear
- burnt or torn spots
- damage caused when installing and removing additional equipment
- damage to car interior parts or missing parts
- stubborn stains, unpleasant odor, animal hair, mold
Engine
Natural wear and tear
- starts up well, runs smoothly, does not smoke
- has surface contamination of the engine compartment
Unnatural wear and tear
- starts up cold or hot for a long time
- rough operation, lack of power, heavy smoke
- extraneous sounds in the engine, defects in the exhaust system
- warning lights on the instrument panel are on
Suspension
Natural wear and tear
- no heavy knocking, the car stands level on the road
Unnatural wear and tear
- heavy knocking on the suspension, broken springs
- air suspension deflates when the car is stalled
- crunch in the axle shafts when turning the steering wheel
- tight steering wheel, extraneous sounds in the power steering
- humming of bearings or gearboxes