Vortrag bei der Klassikwelt Bodensee
Heinz Erhardt, the famous German actor from the sixties, once said in his inimitable way: "Life always comes from a cell, but sometimes - in the case of rascals - it ends in one."
The fact is that life ends at some point, whether we like it or not. What remains of us, apart from the human memories and the grief of the bereaved, is a more or less large legacy that needs to be managed and distributed.
Part of this legacy could be classic and vintage cars, cars, motorbikes, tractors, but also workshop equipment and automobilia, i.e. signs, petrol pumps - perhaps converted into a beer filling station - and lots of associated literature and vehicle documents.
I know this is an unusual and perhaps unpleasant topic for a lecture for some of you, but death is as much a part of life as a puncture with 20-year-old tires on a fast bend.
At this point, I would like to add that I am not using gender speech in order to make it easier for myself to speak and to create a flow of language that you can all understand. Of course, ladies, gentlemen and others are addressed.
In my work as a Car Concierge, I am increasingly confronted with the topic of "classic cars from estates" and experience things that are absolutely hair-raising. That's why it's important to me to give the subject space so that both the testator and the heirs are protected.
The realisation of estates is somewhat different in Germany and Austria, where I come from. As we are here at a trade fair in Germany, I will leave out the Austrian subtleties. Our Swiss guests will also forgive me for focussing on them.
I'm starting here at the point where personal memories have found their place and the heirs are dealing with the utilisation of a classic car collection.
As classic car owners, have we ever asked ourselves what kind of relationship our descendants have with our hobby? Do they lack understanding, do they not care or do they share the joy of the old metal? In the latter case, there is a good chance that the collection or parts of it will live on and that the legacy will be properly valued. If the heirs sell the material, they usually know how to help themselves. Nevertheless, as the testator you should take precautions if, for example, several heirs are entitled but only one or two are interested in the vehicles. Arrange the inheritance in your will as you see fit or in consultation with the family. Make it an issue!
If the family doesn't care about your hobby, there is a risk that your treasures will be sold off. This applies even more if there is a lack of understanding. My tip: Leave a copy of current appraisals with the will, not just in the vehicle documents! I had a case where the testator's best friend tried to buy the car from the widow for far less than the asking price because it was "worth nothing anyway" or "practically unsaleable". Please protect your family!
Another issue here in Germany is the term or competence of the motor vehicle expert. There are several providers of valuation tools or platforms where you can print out a form and have a vehicle valued. In the course of an inheritance settlement, I have seen such appraisals in which the self-appointed motor vehicle expert has wildly mixed up terms such as "market value" and "replacement value". Anyone who knows the difference, as you do as a competent audience, knows the damage that can arise here if the co-heirs want their share of the replacement value from the valuer!
So if you are an heir and there are no appraisals available, look for a trained and ideally ISO-certified appraiser in accordance with German industry standards. The DGuSV: Deutscher Gutachter und Sachverständigen Verband can help you here.
As an heir, don't rush into anything, even if you have no idea about the old cars in the barn. Seek neutral support as soon as possible (i.e. not the best friend of the deceased, as mentioned earlier) and have the vehicles looked after so that they retain their value.
For expensive, high-quality collections, solutions are being developed in the area of foundations, as the need is becoming ever greater. A fortnight ago at the Concorso d'Eleganza Villa d'Este, I discussed this with an absolute professional from Switzerland who, with his network, is close to finalising a clean international solution that can be used worldwide.
If you have any questions about this, or about your specific current challenge, please do not hesitate to contact me.
Thank you for your interest and I wish you a pleasant visit to the fair.
The training to become a motor vehicle expert is an eligible qualification measure for a separate application procedure for personal certification in accordance with DIN EN ISO/IEC 17024:2012.
