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Our motto is….

“Hobbyists Helping Hobbyists”

Now you can have your antique, classic, or special interest vehicle appraised by a friend…not a stranger!

Jeff Locke has been a Professional Appraiser since 1988 and has a unique combination of experience, skills, and abilities that makes him an obvious choice to provide vehicle appraisals.  

Jeff has been a dedicated hobbyist for over 30 years and currently serves the hobby in many varied capacities: Tour Director for the Lincoln Owners Club's (LOC) Annual Meet, Chief Judge at the statewide Annual Old Dominion Meet in Virginia, President of the Old Dominion Meet
Association (ODMA) of Virginia, and Eastern Division Chairman of Regions for the Antique Automobile Club of America (AACA).

His geographical area of coverage is primarily the state of Virginia, Eastern Maryland, and Eastern North Carolina.  However, he has done extensive appraisal work in Pennsylvania, the Mid-Atlantic, DC, and other areas.  He is available anywhere in the country and Canada.

Vehicles Currently Owned

Club Memberships

Find out more!  Email us at jlocke@i-van.org or call (757) 421-9028.

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Credentials and Qualifications

Qualified in Courts as Expert Witness

Circuit Courts: Chesterfield County, Henrico County, Newport News, Norfolk, Richmond, Suffolk, Virginia Beach, and Winchester,VA

General District:  Hampton, Newport News, Norfolk, and Virginia Beach, VA  

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I am a Senior Certified Appraiser with I-VAN – International Vehicle Appraiser Network.  Our motto at I-VAN is ”Hobbyists Helping Hobbyists”.  Our nationwide association of appraisers is made up of very experienced automotive hobbyists who also are automobile appraisers.  As a group we specialize in appraising antique/classic/collectable vehicles.  Some of our Certified Appraisers (like myself) also do Diminished Value, Fraud, and Lemon Law appraisals.  All of I-VAN’s Certified Appraisers  guarantee no conflict of interest because we do not: restore, buy/sell, paint, fix, transport, export, or insure, etc any old cars for a living…we are hobbyists first and foremost - we own the types of cars we appraise.

Our motto is….

“Hobbyists Helping Hobbyists”

Now you can have your antique, classic, or special interest vehicle appraised by a friend…not a stranger!

1)   Insurance:  Protect your investment of Time and Money.  There are a great many insurance companies that will cover your collector car with Comprehensive and Collision coverage.  However, many will tell you that your vehicle will be covered for “actual cash value” or “book value” (ie: they decide what your vehicle is “worth” at the time of a claim) unless you provide an appraisal.  The best way to be sure that your car is protected properly is to have a professional appraisal on file with your insurance company and have an endorsement to your policy indicating the type and/or amount of coverage your vehicle has.  Not all companies offer this coverage; however, my appraisals are accepted by all insurance companies that do offer this coverage.  My appraisal will also be of immense help if you’re hit by the driver of some other insurance company or if that driver is uninsured.  Without an appraisal an unqualified person who is unfamiliar with your vehicle may be determining how much you’re going to collect at the time of a loss.  Important: did you know that during restoration in your own garage your vehicle is NOT covered for fire/theft under your homeowners policy? (only your automobile policy protects your car) Protect your investment!

2)   Selling a Collector Vehicle:  An appraisal can be a tremendous help when selling a collector vehicle.  First, it eliminates a lot of haggling or “negotiating” because the vehicle’s market value has been established.  Secondly, offering the vehicle for sale at 5-10% below the appraised value makes a prospective buyer think he’s getting quite a bargain.  Third, a qualified buyer can use the appraisal to get a loan from his bank, and other lending institutions, to assist in buying your vehicle (many financial institutions in Virginia and the surrounding areas will loan up to 80% of my appraised value).

3)   Collateral:  The value of your collector vehicle helps to increase your “net worth”.  We used our 1935 Lincoln V-12 seven passenger sedan as partial collateral to build our house.

4)   Donation/Gift:  The IRS requires an appraisal for any gift to a charity or eligible museum, etc.  Further, the appraiser must complete and sign the appropriate IRS forms before you can take a tax deduction for your donation.  I have helped many museums and charities receive vehicle donations and helped the donors receive their proper tax deduction with the correct paperwork.

5)   Estate:  Because your collector vehicle has value it is part of your estate.  My appraisal helps prevent your heirs from being “ripped off” when they try to sell your vehicles).  It will also help your heirs determine how to divide your estate fairly.  Larger estates facing estate taxes can protect against overpayment of taxes.

6)   Divorce:  Yes, the “D word”.  Don’t ever let a court or some attorney determine what your vehicle is worth.

7)   Buying a Collector Vehicle:  A pre-purchase appraisal could protect you against overpaying for a vehicle.  It can also make a seller more reasonable in the asking price.  My appraisal establishes the loan value if you’re going to finance part of this purchase.

8)   Claim Settlement:  If you’re arguing with an insurance company over the value of your vehicle after a loss then my appraisal NOW can be a big help.  It’s not as easy to appraise a vehicle after an accident, fire, etc but it can be done if not too much time has gone by.

9)   Fraud:  Did you buy a vehicle “sight unseen” or over the internet and, when you received it, believe that you have been cheated?  My appraisal can help build your case.  Did you buy a vehicle because the owner said “matching numbers” and find out later that it’s not?  Was the vehicle advertised as having never been in an accident and you’ve discovered otherwise.  Did you discover flood damage?

10) Substandard Restoration:   Did you pay for a prize winning restoration only to find out that the only prize you will win is the “booby prize”?  Does the paint come off in the rain?  Is the chrome peeling three months later?

Collector Vehicles  Appraised Last Month

Other Recent Collector Vehicle Appraisals

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Back to International Vehicle Appraiser's Network

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I am a Senior Certified Appraiser with I-VAN – International Vehicle Appraiser Network.  Our motto at I-VAN is ”Hobbyists Helping Hobbyists”.  Our nationwide association of appraisers is made up of very experienced automotive hobbyists who also are automobile appraisers.  As a group we specialize in appraising antique/classic/collectable vehicles.  Some of our Certified Appraisers (like myself) also do Diminished Value, Fraud, and Lemon Law appraisals.  All of I-VAN’s Certified Appraisers  guarantee no conflict of interest because we do not: restore, buy/sell, paint, fix, transport, export, or insure, etc any old cars for a living…we are hobbyists first and foremost - we own the types of cars we appraise.

Our motto is….

“Hobbyists Helping Hobbyists”

Now you can have your rod or custom appraised by a friend…not a stranger!

1)    Insurance:  Protect your investment of Time and Money.  There are a great many insurance companies that will cover your collector car with Comprehensive and Collision coverage.  However, many will tell you that your vehicle will be covered for “actual cash value” or “book value” (ie: they decide what your vehicle is “worth” at the time of a claim) unless you provide an appraisal.  The best way to be sure that your car is protected properly is to have a professional appraisal on file with your insurance company and have an endorsement to your policy indicating the type and/or amount of coverage your vehicle has.  Not all companies offer this coverage; however, my appraisals are accepted by all insurance companies that do offer this coverage.  My appraisal will also be of immense help if you’re hit by the driver of some other insurance company or if that driver is uninsured.  Without an appraisal an unqualified person who is unfamiliar with your vehicle may be determining how much you’re going to collect at the time of a loss.  Important: did you know that during restoration in your own garage your vehicle is NOT covered for fire/theft under your homeowners policy? (only your automobile policy protects your car) Protect your investment!

2)    Selling a Collector Vehicle:  An appraisal can be a tremendous help when selling a collector vehicle.  First, it eliminates a lot of haggling or “negotiating” because the vehicle’s market value has been established.  Secondly, offering the vehicle for sale at 5-10% below the appraised value makes a prospective buyer think he’s getting quite a bargain.  Third, a qualified buyer can use the appraisal to get a loan from his bank, and other lending institutions, to assist in buying your vehicle (many financial institutions in Virginia and the surrounding areas will loan up to 80% of my appraised value).

3)   Collateral:  The value of your collector vehicle helps to increase your “net worth”.  We used our 1935 Lincoln V-12 seven passenger sedan as partial collateral to build our house.

4)   Donation/Gift:  The IRS requires an appraisal for any gift to a charity or eligible museum, etc.  Further, the appraiser must complete and sign the appropriate IRS forms before you can take a tax deduction for your donation.  I have helped many museums and charities receive vehicle donations and helped the donors receive their proper tax deduction with the correct paperwork.

5)    Estate:  Because your collector vehicle has value it is part of your estate.  My appraisal helps prevent your heirs from being “ripped off” when they try to sell your vehicles).  It will also help your heirs determine how to divide your estate fairly.  Larger estates facing estate taxes can protect against overpayment of taxes.

6)   Divorce:  Yes, the “D word”.  Don’t ever let a court or some attorney determine what your vehicle is worth.

7)   Buying a Collector Vehicle:  A pre-purchase appraisal could protect you against overpaying for a vehicle.  It can also make a seller more reasonable in the asking price.  My appraisal establishes the loan value if you’re going to finance part of this purchase.

8)   Claim Settlement:  If you’re arguing with an insurance company over the value of your vehicle after a loss then my appraisal NOW can be a big help.  It’s not as easy to appraise a vehicle after an accident, fire, etc but it can be done if not too much time has gone by.

9)   Fraud:  Did you buy a vehicle “sight unseen” or over the internet and, when you received it, believe that you have been cheated?  My appraisal can help build your case.  Did you buy a vehicle because the owner said “matching numbers” and find out later that it’s not?  Was the vehicle advertised as having never been in an accident and you’ve discovered otherwise.  Did you discover flood damage?

10)  Substandard Restoration:   Did you pay for a prize winning restoration only to find out that the only prize you will win is the “booby prize”?  Does the paint come off in the rain?  Is the chrome peeling three months later?

Custom/Rod Vehicles Appraised Last Month

Other Custom/Rod Vehicle Appraisals

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If you collect Automobilia then you should consider having some or all of it appraised to get the proper insurance coverage (and for many of the other same reasons that you would have your collector vehicle appraised). 

Automobilia may include, but is not limited to: porcelain signs, automobile toys, art, figurines, books and literature, sheet music, mascots, car parts (ex: brass lamps, horns, hub caps, etc), old auto tools, pedal cars, etc.  Mr. Locke’s experience and connections in the hobby can produce the proper appraisal of your automobilia.

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Did you buy a new car lemon?  What is a lemon?  In Virginia, if a new car dealer tries a couple of times to fix a significant reoccurring problem and the problem continues to exist; you may have a lemon. 

Typical problems that Mr. Locke has inspected and documented as lemon law related have included: excessive wind noise in a passenger van, excessive rough ride in SUVs and Pick-up Trucks,  shimmy or vibration due to suspension and/or drive train, electrical shut off,  numerous types of paint/finish problems,  inoperative neutral control switch, cruise control failure, etc.

You will need Jeff Locke’s Lemon Law Appraisal to document this still-existing problem and documenting the negative effect of this condition on the vehicle’s market value.  Without documenting that the vehicle has suffered a loss of value in the marketplace there is really no basis for a lemon law claim.  Mr. Locke’s experience, appraisals, and expert testimony in this area have helped many people win their lemon law claim against the manufacturers; often resulting in the manufacturer buying back the vehicle, etc.

Lemon Law Credentials

Qualified in Courts as Expert Lemon Law Witness

Circuit Courts:    Henrico County, Newport News, Norfolk, Richmond, Suffolk, Virginia Beach, and Winchester, VA

General District:  Hampton, Newport News, Norfolk, and Virginia Beach, VA

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Diminished Value and Fraud

Diminished Value can occur when a vehicle has been substantially damaged in an accident.  After repair, will this vehicle have the same market value as a vehicle that has never been in an accident?  Maybe not.

When we first began producing and importing unibody vehicles in the 1970’s it was inevitable that they would be involved in accidents.  The repair of substantially damaged unibody vehicles requires the right equipment, the right repair procedures, the right parts, and properly trained technicians.  Leave any of these ingredients out, leave out any of the proper repair procedures, or take unrecommended short cuts and you can easily have a poorly repaired vehicle; one that can even be unsafe.  Far too many vehicles have been and continue to be poorly repaired and this has caused the buying public to perceive that unibody cars can not be, or often are not, repaired properly.  This perception by the buying public is manifested in the marketplace when a prospective buyer is reluctant to even consider buying a previously damaged vehicle (often regardless of the quality of the repair) and a financial incentive becomes necessary to make this vehicle as appealing as a never damaged one in the marketplace.  This financial incentive is a reduction in the asking price and this becomes the definition of “Diminished Value”.

The amount of Diminished Value will be dependent on the nature and extent of the collision damage, the quality of the repair, any residual damage, and/or any existing visible evidence of the repair.  Even well repaired vehicles can have diminished value and, certainly, poorly repaired vehicles can suffer substantial Diminished Value.  There are no formulas for determining Diminished Value and every vehicle must be examined by a qualified appraiser to determine the extent and amount of Diminished Value; if any.

Jeff Locke has extensive experience in Diminished Value.  His expert analysis of collision damage and his Diminished Value Appraisals have helped numerous people recover lost money.  While most cases never go to the courts for settlement it is important to note that Jeff Locke has never lost a court decision; his expert testimony, in support of his appraisal, has ALWAYS resulted in victory. 

Fraud at Purchase

Have you, or someone you know, ever purchased a used car having been assured by the seller that it had never been in an accident; only to find out later that it had been?  If the seller knew that the vehicle had prior accident damage and lied about this in order to sell the vehicle then this is FRAUD!  The courts frown on fraud and you could collect a substantial amount of money if fraud is proven or your claim is settled before a jury trial.  You need Jeff Locke’s expert Diminished Value Appraisal to substantiate the prior damage and determine the amount that you overpaid for the vehicle: the amount that you were defrauded.  Without the appraisal you have no financial basis for your claim.

While more rare, there are even instances where new car dealers have sold vehicles as never having been damaged when, in reality, they had been damaged on a test ride, run into in the dealer’s lot, etc.

Diminished Value Credentials

1)                  Providing Professional Appraisals of automobiles, trucks, and motorcycles since 1989.  Expert on vehicle valuation, Diminished Value, and Lemon Law.

2)                  Appraisals accepted by every insurance company as well as banks, credit unions, IRS, and Courts of Law (expert Witness), etc.

3)                  Former Factory Sales Engineer and Trainer for automotive collision repair equipment, MIG welders, and universal measuring systems for the Blackhawk Division of Applied Power, Inc and Car-O-Liner.  Taught collision repair and body work.

4)                  Guest Speaker on Appraisals before many clubs and organizations.  Guest Speaker on “Diminished Value” for Hampton Roads Claims Adjusters Assoc and Hampton Roads Auto Body Assoc.

5)                  Former Race Car Driver and Time-Speed-Distance Rally Navigator.

6)                  Metallurgical Engineering education and experience.

7)                  Authorized  Inspector for Barrett-Jackson Auction Company.

8)                  Senior Master Judge for the Antique Automobile Club of America (AACA) # 283 with over 70 National Judging Credits.  Chief Judge at AACA National Meets in 1996, 1998, 1999, and 2002.  Taught AACA National and Regional Judging Schools.

9)                  Authorized to do Appraisals for the AACA National Museum, the Automobile Museum of Hampton Roads, America on Wheels Museum, etc.

10)              Served as Curator and General Manager of the Automobile Museum of Hampton Roads.  Elected to the Board of Directors and led the museum to “non-profit” status.   Volunteer on AACA National Museum Capital Fund Campaign.

11)              Published nationally (Old Cars Price Guide, “Old Cars Weekly Newspaper”, etc) and locally as an expert on vehicle appraisals.

12)              Moderator/Presenter for “Antique Automobile Appraisals” at the annual AACA National Meeting in Philadelphia each February.  I created this seminar at the request of AACA.

Qualified in Courts as Expert Diminished Value Witness

Circuit Courts:      Chesterfield County, Henrico County, Newport News, Norfolk, Richmond, Suffolk, Virginia Beach, Winchester

General District:  Hampton, Newport News, Norfolk, Virginia Beach

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This page was last updated on 04/30/03.