Vehicle lift and alignment equipment appraisals.
A lift and alignment appraisal from Lukes & Lukes is an independent, USPAP-compliant opinion of value for the hoists and alignment systems that anchor a shop. We value two-post, four-post, scissor, in-ground and mobile-column lifts, alignment racks and aligners, and heavy-duty truck lifts by capacity, certification, brand and the cost to recover them. Built to withstand lender, SBA, IRS, audit and legal review.
What we appraise
Every lift in the building, and the alignment bay too.
Lifts are the backbone asset of a service operation, and they are not interchangeable. A two-post lift trades readily on the used market. An in-ground lift is effectively part of the building. We appraise each lift and alignment system on its own market, with its installation and recovery cost in the analysis, not as a line on a depreciation schedule.
- Two-post lifts: the workhorse of the bay, valued by capacity, brand tier and condition.
- Four-post and scissor lifts: drive-on, runway and mid-rise units, including storage and parking configurations.
- In-ground lifts: single and multi-piston, cassette and side-by-side, with the recovery and environmental analysis they require.
- Mobile-column lifts: portable column sets by count, capacity and battery or wired configuration.
- Alignment systems: alignment racks and the aligners that pair with them, valued as the two distinct assets they are.
- Heavy-duty truck lifts: parallelogram, platform and high-capacity column systems for fleet and truck shops.
What drives the number
Capacity, certification and whether it comes out of the floor.
Capacity and certification come first: an ALI-certified lift with a documented inspection history carries more value, and more credibility with a lender, than an uncertified import of the same age. Then comes recoverability. A two-post lift unbolts and sells; an in-ground lift is effectively unrecoverable at liquidation and can carry environmental considerations of its own. Alignment systems split in the middle: the rack is durable steel that holds value, while the aligner is technology that depreciates faster and depends on current targets and software support. Anchoring, concrete condition and removal cost decide how much of the installed value survives a sale, and brand tier sets the ceiling throughout.
Read the full breakdown: what dealership equipment is worth →
Which value applies
The right premise for the situation.
The same lift carries a different number installed in a running shop than it does on a rigger's truck. We determine and defend the premise your situation requires.
Common questions
Answers, up front.
Does ALI certification affect a lift's value?
Yes. An ALI-certified lift with a documented annual inspection history supports a stronger value and a cleaner lending file. Certification confirms the lift was built and tested to the ANSI/ALI standard, and the inspection record shows it has been maintained. Uncertified lifts still carry value, but they trade at a discount and draw harder questions from lenders and insurers.
Are in-ground lifts worth less than two-post lifts?
In a liquidation, usually yes, even when they cost far more new. An in-ground lift is effectively unrecoverable: extraction costs more than the lift would bring, and older hydraulic units can carry environmental considerations in the pit. A two-post lift of the same capacity unbolts and sells on an active used market. Installed in a going concern, the in-ground lift contributes real value; the premise decides which number applies.
Why do you value the alignment rack and the aligner separately?
Because they depreciate on different curves. The rack is heavy steel that lasts decades and holds value. The aligner is a technology product: cameras, targets and software that lose value quickly once the manufacturer stops issuing target and software updates for current vehicles. A current-generation aligner on an older rack is a common and perfectly sound pairing, and the appraisal reflects each component's own market.
Are these appraisals accepted by lenders, the SBA and the courts?
Yes. Reports are USPAP-compliant, prepared by a NEBB-certified Machinery & Equipment Appraiser (CMEA), and built to withstand lender, SBA, IRS, audit and legal review.