LAWRENCEVILLE, GA.—As lenders continue to extend terms for used car loans, it’s important to understand the true value of each unique vehicle, according to one company.
To help lenders better evaluate their collateral, Black Book has introduced VIN-specific History-Adjusted Valuations, which it describes as an analytics-driven process for determining the impact a vehicle’s history has on its value.
“Today, when valuing a vehicle, automotive industry professionals check the vehicle’s history report and make an unscientific, educated guess as to its impact on the vehicle’s value. This is subjective and problematic, as it often leads to mistakes in valuation. Making an inaccurate estimation on appraisal values can decrease margins for a dealer, as well as increase losses for auto lenders, Black Book stated.
Black Book said it is leveraging advanced analytics and “deep editorial expertise” to bring insight into precisely how a vehicle’s historical events impact its value.
“This is critical since a recent survey of automotive professionals indicated that 96% of respondents feel a vehicle’s history has a moderate to significant impact on value of a used vehicle,” Black Book stated.
Black Book’s creation of History-Adjusted Valuations analyzes multiple factors and events in a vehicle’s history such as number of owners, vehicle usage, accident and accident severity, title issues, flood/hail/fire damage, CPO history, and other variables that are not obvious when physically inspecting a vehicle.
“On average, History-Adjusted Values are 31% more precise when compared to the auction transaction price than valuations without a history adjustment included,” Black Book said.
“We are providing our customers a competitive advantage by precisely valuing a vehicle based on its VIN-specific history, said Jared Kalfus, executive vice president, revenue at Black Book. “Whether appraising a trade-in, bidding at auction or valuing a vehicle portfolio, precision drives profit, growth and customer satisfaction.”
“The evolution of data and analytics continues to have a profound impact on the overall auto industry, from dealers and remarketers, to manufacturers and lenders,” said Anil Goyal, executive vice president, operations at Black Book. “Our analytics play a significant role in recognizing the patterns in a vehicle’s history and determining their impact on each vehicle’s value, enabling our customers to make better decisions.”