On a sports car it is the construction that determines the size of the loss: an aluminum spaceframe made of extruded sections and cast nodes, carbon fiber components, joints that are bonded and riveted rather than welded. Anyone calculating here on the basis of experience from ordinary sheet metal work will be off by a wide margin. We appraise sports cars, coupés in the upper classes, limited-series cars and collector vehicles, and hand you a signed appraisal report that quantifies the manufacturer-compliant repair route, the shop that is actually qualified to carry it out, and the loss in value at a level that genuinely matches the class of the vehicle.
✓Your right to choose your own expert – guaranteed by law
✓A personal contact, no waiting on hold
✓On site across Europe
✓Report usually within 24 hours of the inspection
What the appraisal report covers
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Materials and joining technology: for every affected component we establish whether it is steel, aluminum or fiber composite, and how it is attached. A bonded and riveted joint cannot be touched up locally; it can only be separated and rejoined to the manufacturer's specification – a different time allowance, different tooling, different costs.
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Carbon fiber components: exposed carbon, structural parts and monocoque attachments are checked for delamination, fiber fracture and cracking beneath the clear coat. A damaged carbon component is, as a rule, not repaired but replaced. That is exactly where the calculation jumps, and exactly where insurers most often apply their cuts.
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Approved repair facility: not every shop is permitted to work on aluminum structures and fiber composites. We state which certification the shop carrying out the work needs and why a manufacturer-affiliated facility is mandatory for this vehicle – the basis on which that shop's labor rates can actually be enforced.
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Paint and color match: recording of special paint finishes from the manufacturers' individualization programs and of multi-layer and effect paints. Such colors are difficult to match when a panel is repainted; any remaining deviation is assessed as an item in its own right rather than quietly accepted.
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Market-based diminished value: diminished value is measured against the value of the vehicle and is therefore considerably higher in absolute terms than on an everyday car. On a collector vehicle it can exceed the repair figure, because the market draws a sharp line between accident-free and repaired.
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History and originality: service record book, invoices, second key, original wheels, factory-ordered optional equipment and documented previous owners all feed into the assessment. A gap in the documentation costs more at resale than a scratch, which is why we record what is present before the repair begins.
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Downtime and values: parts availability for limited-series cars, realistic waiting times for body and carbon parts, and the workload of the few approved facilities. The result is a downtime well above the usual – together with the replacement value and the salvage value in the event of a constructive total loss.
How it works
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Appointment: you report the damage. We come to the vehicle – to the garage, the collection storage or the shop that has taken it in. A car that is not driveable or is lowered is not moved to us.
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Inspection: examination under suitable light, checking of structural and bonded joints, paint thickness measurement compared against the paint code, reading out the control units, and review of the document folder, keys and equipment records.
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Calculation: the repair route strictly to the manufacturer's specification, using the approved procedures for aluminum and fiber composite, the labor rates of the approved facility, the paint work required for the special color, diminished value and downtime.
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Delivery: you receive the appraisal report digitally, as a rule on the same business day once it is complete. On request, a copy goes directly to the insurer, your attorney and the repair facility.
On the cost:
After a not-at-fault accident, the cost of the appraisal report is
generally borne by the liability insurer of the other party. On request
we bill that insurer directly, so that you do not have to pay up front.
Frequently asked questions
Why is a carbon part replaced rather than repaired?
Because fiber composite draws its strength from an uninterrupted fiber path. Once the fiber is broken or the layer delaminated, no amount of filler or laminate build-up restores the original structure. Manufacturers therefore specify replacement for structural and exposed carbon parts almost without exception.
The insurer is directing me to an independent shop. Do I have to accept that?
That depends on the individual case and is a legal question. On the technical side, we set out in the appraisal report which certification is required for aluminum structures and fiber composites. If the shop named does not hold it, it is simply not suited to this repair – a solid basis for your attorney.
Why is the diminished value on my vehicle so high?
Because it is based on the value of the vehicle, not on the sheet metal damage. Buyers in this segment pay a marked premium for an accident-free history. On a collector or limited-series car, the market-based diminished value can therefore exceed the repair costs alone.
The car has a special paint finish. Does that matter in the appraisal report?
Yes, in two ways. The paint work is more involved, because multi-layer and effect finishes have to be built up in more stages. And if the color cannot be matched exactly despite careful work, we assess the remaining deviation separately rather than dismissing it as a detail.
More on this in our guide:
Diminished value after an accident
