Which value terms apply, when an expert appraisal is needed and how the BGH's 10 per cent threshold works: truck valuation from the financier's view.
What is the repossessed truck worth today? For leasing companies and banks, this is not an academic question. The value decides whether a sale offer meets the standard of best possible realisation, what you have to tell the lessee and how large the remaining claim turns out to be. This guide explains which value terms apply, when you need an expert appraisal and how to establish the market value reliably. It is based on German law.
After termination, Germany's Federal Court of Justice (Bundesgerichtshof, BGH) requires the lessor to realise the vehicle at the best possible price (order of 22.07.2014, case no. VIII ZR 15/14). Two values play the main role:
A worked example of the 10 per cent threshold: if the dealer's selling price is 60,000 euros, a dealer purchase price of 54,000 euros is just within the limit. If a dealer offers only 50,000 euros, the gap is around 16.7 per cent. You then have to pursue other options or notify the lessee with a deadline.
How the proceeds affect the final account is covered in our guide to remarketing a leased truck after termination.
In remarketing, what counts is the gap between HEK and HVK. The calculated residual value from the contract, on the other hand, feeds into the final account with the lessee.
If you want to tell the lessee the values before the sale, the BGH requires values determined by an expert. A free online valuation is not enough for that. It provides a market-based price range, but no inspection and nobody who is liable for the result.
Appraisals are carried out by the officially recognised inspection organisations such as DEKRA, the TÜV companies, GTÜ and KÜS, and by independent vehicle experts. The term "expert" (Sachverständiger) is not protected in Germany. Only the title of a publicly appointed and sworn expert under section 36 of the Trade Regulation Code (Gewerbeordnung, GewO) is protected. Ask in advance whether the appraiser regularly values commercial vehicles with bodywork.
The cost is small relative to the value of the vehicle. The price list of TÜV SÜD Auto Service (as of 01.07.2021) shows 193.97 euros gross for a valuation of a truck over 12.0 t permissible gross weight, or 241.57 euros with accessories and conversions.
An appraisal describes the value on a valuation date. With commercial vehicles, the market can move quickly: DEKRA reported market value increases of up to 50 per cent in two and a half years for used tractor units. So do not let too much time pass between the valuation, the notice to the lessee and the sale.
With repossessed vehicles there are often gaps as well: missing service records, an unknown state of maintenance, sometimes missing keys. A careful handover report with photos closes some of these gaps and makes bids more reliable.
An appraisal says what a vehicle should be worth. What it actually fetches is shown only by the market. Several independent bids at a fixed point in time are therefore a good complement to the estimate, especially if you later have to justify the sale to the lessee.
A first price range is available from the free truck valuation. For the sale itself, truckoo puts every vehicle into a blind auction with sealed bids, with 1,500+ vetted dealers and exporters from 35+ countries. You see every bid and decide whether to accept or decline. Find out more on our repossession and remarketing page.
The gap between dealer purchase value and dealer selling value. According to the BGH (case no. VIII ZR 15/14), a sale to a dealer is unobjectionable if the dealer's purchase price is no more than 10 per cent below the dealer's selling price.
No. The BGH refers to values determined by an expert. An online valuation provides a price range but does not replace an appraisal.
At TÜV SÜD Auto Service, according to its 2021 price list, 193.97 euros gross for trucks over 12.0 t, or 241.57 euros with accessories and conversions.
No. It is a calculation figure for the final account. The market value can be higher or lower and is established through valuation and sale.
This guide provides an overview and is not a substitute for legal advice on an individual case.
Repossession and remarketing · Remarketing after termination · Repossession: process and costs · free truck valuation
Gabriel Böhm is Managing Director of truckoo GmbH, the digital platform that is redefining commercial vehicle trade in Europe. With a passion for innovation and efficiency, he shapes the strategic direction and drives operational excellence to connect sellers and buyers smarter, faster and more transparently.
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The registration certificate, mileage and photos are all you need. Verified dealers bid bindingly and you decide – free of charge and with truckoo as your contractual partner.
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