Step-by-Step

🔎 Quick Start — How to Use This Tool

1. Copy the prompt below
2. Paste it into your favorite AI tool (ChatGPT, Gemini, Grok, Claude, etc.)
3. Replace the “Vehicle Description” section with details about your car or motorcycle and photos, if available

📸 Tip: Include clear photos of the exterior, interior or controls, engine area, badges, identification plates, VIN/chassis/frame numbers when appropriate, wheels, and any unusual or original features.

📊 Best practice: Run the same prompt in 2–3 AI tools and compare the results for consistency.

⚠️ Important: AI is a research assistant, not a final authority. Photographs, badges, VIN decoding, paperwork, visual similarity, or agreement between multiple AI tools do not by themselves prove originality, factory configuration, matching numbers, provenance, or authenticity.

Always confirm important findings with reputable specialists before buying, selling, restoring, modifying, transporting, or insuring a potentially valuable vehicle.

🔒 Privacy tip: VINs and chassis numbers are often useful for identification, but titles, registrations, service records, ownership documents, addresses, license plates, exact storage locations, signatures, and personal information may contain sensitive details. Redact information that is not needed for research and review the privacy terms of the AI tool before uploading documents.

You are assisting with research into a potentially collectible car or motorcycle using methods similar to marque specialists, auction experts, collectors, appraisers, restorers, registries, museums, and vehicle historians.

Follow a structured, evidence-based approach. Prioritize correct identification and specification before estimating value. Clearly separate verified facts, visual observations, decoded information, seller or owner claims, assumptions, uncertainties, and recommended next steps.

IMPORTANT GUIDELINES:

- Do not identify an exact model, trim, special edition, factory configuration, or production variant from appearance or badges alone
- Treat VIN, chassis, frame, engine, transmission, casting, and other identification-number interpretations as research leads until verified against reliable factory, registry, marque, or specialist sources
- Do not claim “matching numbers,” factory-original configuration, special-edition status, provenance, or authenticity unless the evidence supports it
- Do not assume paperwork, badges, plaques, build sheets, window stickers, titles, old appraisals, or seller descriptions are automatically authentic or complete
- Do not rely on asking prices when reliable sold prices are available
- Use comparable SOLD results whenever possible
- Distinguish hammer price, buyer’s premium, reported sale total, seller fees, and asking price whenever the source makes those differences clear
- Provide source links when possible
- Clearly say when a claim or result could not be verified
- Do not invent auction records, prices, production numbers, option codes, VIN decodes, citations, provenance, factory records, or source links
- Some auction archives, VIN databases, registries, factory records, valuation guides, marketplace histories, and subscription resources may require login, paid access, membership, or manual searching
- If reliable records are inaccessible, identify the sources that should be searched manually
- If I provide copied sold-result details, screenshots, VIN-decoder results, registry information, or vehicle documents, compare them carefully and explain which appear most relevant
- Explain why each comparison may or may not be appropriate
- Identify missing details that could affect identification, originality, rarity, desirability, or value
- Avoid overstating certainty
- Suggest specialist inspection or verification before any important buying, selling, restoration, modification, transportation, or insurance decision

For car- and motorcycle-specific research tools, begin with WhatSellsBest.com and use the MAP > TOOLS section for cars and motorcycles. Then broaden the search across trusted auction houses, collector-car and motorcycle marketplaces, marque clubs, registries, museums, factory or manufacturer resources, valuation guides, specialist dealers, library archives, period publications, and the open web.

Please organize your response into the following sections:

1. Possible Identification & Specification
Suggest the most likely:
- Vehicle type: car or motorcycle
- Year or year range
- Make and model
- Trim, series, body style, generation, or market specification
- Engine and displacement
- Transmission
- Drivetrain, when applicable
- Factory options or package, when reasonably supported
- Special edition, homologation model, competition version, or limited-production variant, when applicable

For cars, pay particular attention to body style, trim, engine, transmission, drivetrain, factory option packages, market specification, and production changes.

For motorcycles, pay particular attention to frame and engine numbers, engine configuration, displacement, tank and side-cover details, forks, wheels, exhaust, controls, market specification, and model-year changes.

Clearly distinguish visual observations from conclusions.

List the specific details that need verification, such as VIN, chassis or frame number, engine number, transmission number, identification plate, casting date, option code, trim tag, factory paperwork, or registry records.

Provide alternative possibilities when the evidence supports more than one interpretation.

2. Key Search Keywords
Provide optimized search phrases for:
- Auction databases
- Search engines
- Collector-car or motorcycle marketplaces
- Marque clubs and registries
- Manufacturer or factory archives
- Museums and historical collections
- Valuation guides
- Specialist dealer inventories and archives
- Library, magazine, brochure, and newspaper archives
- Marketplace sold listings
- Parts books, service manuals, and period catalogs
- Collector or specialist resources

Include variations of model names, chassis codes, trim names, engine codes, option packages, production years, markets, body styles, displacement, and other identifying terminology.

3. Comparable Sales — SOLD DATA ONLY
List similar sold vehicles when reliable sold-price information is available.

For each comparable sale, include:

- Year, make, model, and trim or specification
- Body style or motorcycle variant
- Engine, transmission, and drivetrain when relevant
- Mileage, if known
- Originality, restoration, modification, or restomod status when known
- Important options, matching-numbers claims, documentation, or provenance when reported
- Condition or mechanical status
- Sale price
- Whether the figure is hammer price, includes buyer’s premium, or is otherwise reported by the source
- Auction house, marketplace, dealer, or selling venue
- Sale date, if known
- Lot number or listing reference, if available
- Source link, if available

Explain why each result may or may not be comparable.

Discuss important differences involving model year, trim, engine, transmission, drivetrain, market specification, factory options, mileage, originality, restoration quality, modifications, rust, accident history, mechanical condition, provenance, rarity, documentation, and selling venue.

Prioritize recent sales, ideally within about 24 months, when enough strong comparable examples exist. For rare vehicles, special configurations, or models that sell infrequently, include older sales when they provide useful context and clearly label their dates.

If reliable sold-price information is not accessible, say so clearly and suggest the specific auction archives, marketplaces, registries, valuation resources, or specialist databases that should be searched manually.

4. Ballpark Value Range
Provide:
- Low: Conservative scenario based on lower comparable sales, uncertain specification, non-running or project condition, common configuration, significant needs, missing parts, weak documentation, or substantial modifications
- Mid: Typical comparable range for a vehicle with reasonably supported identification and similar condition, mileage, specification, and originality
- High: Exceptional comparable range for a rare or desirable specification, strong originality, high-quality restoration, matching numbers where verified, rare factory options, low documented mileage, important provenance, or strong collector demand

Clearly state the assumptions behind each range.

Explain whether the estimate depends on inspection, mechanical evaluation, documentation review, factory or registry confirmation, matching-numbers verification, restoration-quality review, provenance research, or specialist examination in person.

Distinguish market value estimates from asking prices, auction estimates, insured values, formal appraisals, and guaranteed sale prices.

Do not present a ballpark estimate as a formal appraisal or guaranteed sale price.

5. Rarity & Demand Assessment
Indicate whether the vehicle or configuration appears:
- Common
- Uncommon
- Scarce
- Rare
- Potentially exceptional

Explain collector demand and identify factors that could increase or reduce interest, such as production numbers, generation, model year, engine, transmission, drivetrain, factory options, special-edition status, originality, restoration quality, modifications, color, mileage, condition, documentation, provenance, competition history, cultural significance, market region, and current collector demand.

If production numbers or rarity claims cannot be verified from reliable sources, say so clearly rather than repeating an unsupported figure.

6. Originality, Documentation & Verification Considerations
Suggest:
- How the year, model, trim, engine, transmission, drivetrain, or factory configuration might be verified
- Which VIN, chassis, frame, engine, transmission, casting, trim-tag, option-code, or identification details should be checked next
- What parts of the vehicle should be photographed or examined next
- Whether factory records, build sheets, window stickers, production records, service history, marque registries, club records, or period documentation may be relevant
- How matching-numbers claims might be verified for this specific marque or model
- Whether an in-person mechanical, body, chassis, rust, paint, accident, or restoration-quality inspection is advisable
- Whether a pre-purchase inspection is appropriate if a purchase is being considered
- What documentation should be preserved
- Red flags to watch for
- When specialist examination in person is necessary

Explain that VIN decoding, identification plates, paperwork, badges, seller statements, photographs, and agreement between AI tools may be helpful but are not automatic proof of originality, matching numbers, provenance, factory configuration, or authenticity.

7. Reputable Specialists & Resources
Suggest appropriate resources, such as:
- Major collector-vehicle auction houses
- Specialty or regional car and motorcycle auction houses
- Marque clubs and registries
- Manufacturer or factory archives
- Vehicle museums and historical collections
- Collector-car or motorcycle valuation guides
- Independent appraisers
- Pre-purchase inspection specialists
- Restoration shops or marque specialists
- Specialist dealers or brokers
- Professional appraisal organizations, when relevant

Where the needs differ, identify separate resources for cars and motorcycles rather than treating them as interchangeable.

Explain why each resource may be suitable.

Do not imply that a museum, auction house, registry, club, manufacturer, appraiser, dealer, or specialist will authenticate, inspect, decode, appraise, or verify the vehicle unless its stated services confirm that.

8. Best Selling Venues
Recommend appropriate selling channels based on the vehicle type, specification, value tier, condition, originality, rarity, documentation, geographic market, and verification status.

Possible options may include:

- Local dealers or consignment specialists
- Regional auction houses
- Specialty collector-car auction houses
- Specialty motorcycle auction houses
- Major international collector-vehicle auction houses
- Online collector-vehicle auction platforms
- Enthusiast or marque-specific marketplaces
- General online marketplaces
- Specialist brokers
- Private sale, when appropriate

Explain the advantages, limitations, fees, buyer audience, reserve policies, seller protections, transportation requirements, payment timing, and risks of each suitable option.

Where possible, distinguish seller fees from buyer’s premiums and explain that the headline sale figure may not equal the seller’s net proceeds.

Do not recommend selling before important identification, originality, documentation, title, mechanical, condition, provenance, or authenticity questions have been addressed.

9. Red Flags & Common Mistakes
List risks specific to this vehicle or category.

Consider warnings involving:

- Cleaning, polishing, repainting, refinishing, or altering an unfamiliar vehicle before research
- Replacing original parts before documenting them
- Discarding old parts, tags, labels, manuals, tools, service records, titles, registrations, receipts, or factory paperwork
- Assuming a badge, decal, VIN decode, title description, or seller claim proves exact specification
- Assuming a reproduced build sheet, window sticker, plate, stamp, or document proves factory originality
- Calling a vehicle “matching numbers” without marque-specific verification
- Confusing period modifications with factory options
- Assuming a restoration is correct because it appears visually attractive
- Overlooking rust, structural repairs, prior accident damage, hidden corrosion, mechanical problems, or deferred maintenance
- Treating low displayed mileage as documented mileage without supporting history
- Comparing restomods, modified vehicles, concours restorations, projects, and preserved originals as if they were equivalent
- Relying on asking prices instead of sold prices
- Ignoring whether a reported auction figure includes buyer’s premium
- Comparing different market specifications, engines, transmissions, trims, or generations
- Selling before identification and documentation are adequately researched
- Uploading unredacted titles, registrations, ownership documents, exact storage locations, or unnecessary personal information to AI tools

10. Research Gaps & Next Steps

Identify missing information and provide the next actions in order of importance.

Separate the recommendations into:

1. Actions that can be completed at home without altering the vehicle
2. Manual database, auction-archive, registry, factory, or marque-club searches
3. Documentation, title, service-history, production, or provenance research
4. Specialist review and identification-number verification
5. Mechanical, body, chassis, rust, paint, restoration-quality, or pre-purchase inspection, if appropriate
6. Selling, transportation, or insurance steps after identification and condition are better supported

Vehicle Description:

[Insert a detailed description, including car or motorcycle, year, make, model, trim, body style or variant, generation, market, engine, transmission, drivetrain, mileage, condition, originality, restoration or modifications, identification numbers where appropriate, documentation, where it was found or acquired, and any known history.]

Photos:

[Attach or describe clear images of the exterior from multiple angles, interior or controls, engine area, VIN/chassis/frame plates or numbers when appropriate, engine numbers, badges, wheels, underbody or frame areas if safely accessible, condition issues, documentation, and other relevant features.]

Helpful Reminder

Use this as a starting point — then verify with trusted sources.