Vehicle Inspections & Appraisals

You will receive a full detailed inspection checklist that is easy to read and understand (no handwritten inspections). The report includes 100 to 150 photos (sometimes more) and video covering the body, features, options, and the engine running through the RPM ranges. For modern vehicles, a FULL factory-level diagnostic scan of the onboard electronics is also included. The inspection results are delivered through Dropbox via a private link that only the client receives, requiring no account or messy login.

The required appraisal type depends on the purpose of the valuation:
• Fair Market Value (FMV) Appraisals are used to determine what a vehicle would sell for in the open marketplace under normal conditions. They are often requested by banks, courts (bankruptcy/divorce), insurance companies, and consumers buying a vehicle.
• Replacement Value Appraisals determine the highest amount required to replace a property with one of similar age and quality. They are needed after a catastrophic event like a fire or total loss and may be requested by an insurance company or court.
• Diminished Value (DV) Appraisals reflect the loss of value after a vehicle has been in a major accident or after major repairs. These are often required by insurance companies and courts to prove loss of value, especially if a standard formula (like 17c) is inadequate.

Steven Paul’s qualifications cover distinct vehicle markets through specialized experience:
• Semi Trucks and HD Equipment: His expertise comes from six years in the U.S. Army as a heavy equipment technician, where he inspected, repaired, and valued equipment ranging from cars to 77-ton battle tanks. He has over 20 years of repair and pre-purchase truck inspection services.
• Used and Luxury Cars: He gained experience by inspecting and valuing lease return vehicles for Adesa Auto Auctions for five years, assessing damage and residual value.
• Classic Cars: His classic car background began in childhood, growing up around classic cars and helping in a body shop performing restorations.
• RVs and Motorhomes: His knowledge is rooted in personal experience owning many campers, coupled with his heavy equipment background, and he is NRVIA Level II certified.

All appraisal services follow USPAP guidelines and use IRS, court, and insurance approved methodology. The specific methodology used involves gathering data from the open market:
• Appraisals use current market data from trusted sources.
• They also use comparables from the open market for sold and listed values.
• Fair Market Value appraisals typically take 8 hours to inspect, research, and write.
• Diminished Value appraisals typically take 12 hours to inspect, research, and write.
• Replacement Value appraisals require the appraiser to assess the damage and then assess the cost to replace that vehicle in the open market at the highest similar value. This process usually takes 12 hours to research and write.

TDT Vehicle Inspection & Appraisal Services, provided by Steven Paul, offers thorough, independent pre-purchase inspections and vehicle appraisal services for a wide variety of clients, serving regions including St. Louis, Springfield, and Kansas City, Missouri, as well as Southern and Northern Illinois, Indianapolis, and Memphis areas. The inspection services cover used cars, classic cars, luxury vehicles, RVs (motorhomes, campers, 5th wheels), and commercial vehicles (semi-trucks, HD equipment), all performed personally by Steven Paul, who explicitly DOES NOT utilize contractors. Additionally, TDT provides three primary types of vehicle appraisal services—Fair Market Value, Replacement Value, and Diminished Value—which follow IRS, court, and insurance approved methodology.

Steven Paul only provides inspection services. No repairs are made unless it’s something simple like tightening a drain pipe or fitting by hand.