Go to Hammer Certified
An honest record of the car, on the day we handed it back.
A Go to Hammer Certified statement is an inspection and work record at a point in time, reviewed before release, with a public code any bidder can check. It says what we found, what we did, and what we did not touch. It is not a warranty.
Verify one
The code is printed on the statement and in the listing.
What it contains
Six parts, every time.
The order and the headings never change, so a bidder who has read one Go to Hammer statement can read them all.
- 1
Vehicle identity
Year, make, model, trim, VIN, and the mileage at release.
- 2
Inspection findings
Faults, wear, prior repairs and non-original items we observed, and which procedures we used.
- 3
Work performed
Every approved line, with before-and-after photographs where taken, and who did it.
- 4
Condition grade
One to five on the published scale below, with a plain-language summary.
- 5
Not addressed
Items we identified but did not fix: declined, out of scope, or not worth the money. Always listed.
- 6
Release and verification
Release date, reviewer sign-off, and the ten-character verification code.
Condition grade
Read the findings, not just the number.
The grade weighs cosmetic and mechanical condition, originality, documentation and presentation against reasonable expectations for a car of that age, type and mileage. Two cars with the same grade can differ in ways the findings describe.
- 5
- Exceptional
- Concours-level or as-new; faults limited to what the findings list.
- 4
- Excellent
- Very well kept, presents strongly; minor cosmetic or age-related items.
- 3
- Good driver
- Honest, usable, sorted mechanically; visible wear that a bidder would expect.
- 2
- Fair
- Needs work beyond what was approved; drives, but the not-addressed list is long.
- 1
- Project
- Significant faults; certified as a documented starting point, nothing more.
What it is
A point-in-time inspection and work record.
- ■What a competent enthusiast shop observed on the lift and on the road, on the date shown, at the mileage shown.
- ■A list of the work we did, with photographs, and the work we did not do.
- ■An opinion on condition, graded on a scale we publish and keep versioned.
- ■Reviewed by a designated reviewer before release, and revocable if we learn it is wrong or the car has changed.
- ■Public. The verification page is the authoritative copy; a document that does not match it is not ours.
What it is not
Not a warranty. Not a promise.
- ■Not a warranty or guarantee of condition, reliability, roadworthiness or value, and not insurance against any repair or loss.
- ■Not an appraisal. It states no value and is not for insurance, lending, tax or estate use.
- ■Not a title, lien or theft search. We record the title status we were shown; we do not run history checks unless that line was approved and is listed.
- ■Not a safety or emissions inspection under any state law, and not a substitute for a buyer's own pre-purchase inspection.
- ■Not a venue endorsement. Bring a Trailer, Cars & Bids and Mecum are independent of us.
The full text: Certification Terms.
Public verification
Check the code. Trust the page.
Every released statement lives at gotohammer.com/verify/<code>. The page shows the current status (released, or revoked with the reason), the release date, and all six parts. Sellers may quote the statement in full and unaltered, link to the page, and call the car Go to Hammer Certified while the status is released. They may not edit it, crop it, drop the not-addressed items, or use it on another car.
No code? Ask the seller for it, or tell us at /contact if a listing claims a certification it cannot show.
Sellers
Get your car certified.
It starts with a valuation. If the plan makes sense, send the car to us and we take it from there.