Classic Car Sales Not a Walk in the Park

Selling Classic Cars, No Walk in the Park

Not An Easy Task

Have you ever tried to sell a classic car or truck before?  No? Well you are in for a treat.  Imagine all the fun  you will have figuring out what the car is worth, advertising it, dealing with scammers, numerous tire kicking dreamers, and constant harassment from trader websites and phone telemarketers.  This is the modern day classic and collector industry.  It can be one of the most gut wrenching and aggravating experiences of any collector car owners life.  Some owners love the experience of “the chase”. They thrive on battling with perspective buyers over getting the best deal for their car. For the majority it’s nothing but a big pain in the behind.

Marketing Takes A Back Seat

Every day I spend a great deal of time (more than my wife approves of) surfing the net for perspective clients and it amazes me how little effort is put into marketing a classic car. This isn’t Dad’s 87 Buick Le Sabre that has been driven into the ground and needs all kinds of work done.  These are classic cars that are valued anywhere from 25-100k.  If I go to Ebay and look around, I will find a large number of classic cars in this price range with a small 2 sentence description and a handful of pictures. To a perspective buyer, this is going to throw up all kinds of red flags. This gives them the impression that the seller is either hiding things or maybe it’s a scam.  Asking large amounts of money for something but not giving your perspective buyer the information he needs will not turn into a sale.

In this day and age considering the world wide attention that the internet has opened, the perspective buyer market is spread throughout the globe.  Marketing is without a doubt the most important part of establishing a sense of credibility and interest with potential buyers.  To maximize the sale in todays market demands many avenues of marketing and advertising which most personal sellers do not utilize.  This is the single most commonly made mistake by sellers.

Marketing Is Work

Selling your car can be easy.  If you are willing to take a minimal amount for your classic car you can find numerous buyers. If you want to maximize the price of your classic car then it’s a lot of time burning work.  It takes many hours of description content, pictures, and when I say pictures I mean a large portfolio that shows all the details of the car. Today video is a huge component to selling classic cars and can’t be taken lightly.  It takes someone that has the experience to shoot, narrate, edit and distribute a quality video.  Customers are over 80% more likely to buy when a quality video is produced.  All of this work is generally way too much of a hassle for the masses.

Ever Thought Of Consigning

Not all Consignment companies are alike.  There are a large group of companies that prey on sellers just to make a quick buck.  Reputable companies want to provide a service that will benefit their clients needs. This will ensure further business and referrals from that customer.  Make sure to really look at who you are dealing with when it comes to someone representing your classic car. Be sure that they are insured, take a long look at their marketing program and it’s always a good idea to read some testimonials or ask for references.

No Different Than Selling Your House

When collector cars are shown on the market, successful sales are performed very much like selling your home.  When selling your house, there is more effort put on maintenance and repair. Fixing a broken lite fixture or having all the bushes trimmed are all a part of preparing your house for sale.  Some people even go as far as to “stage” their house by taking all of their possessions out of the home and furnishing it with basic furniture and fixtures. This gives the potential buyer a better pallet to imagine what their furnishings would look like. It is a known fact that this is the best way to maximize the sale of a home.

When selling your Classic Car, taking these same principles will maximize the sale of the car. Let’s assume that your car is mechanically sound and the body and paint is in very good condition.  It’s important that all of the little details work correctly like the horn, turn signals, radio, heater controls, etc.  It’s the little things that generally bring up red flags for prospective buyers. Also, the car should be as detailed inside and out that it can possibly be. This includes interior, exterior, underhood and even underneath. Never forget the underneath.

How Easy It Could Be

A reputable consignment company can make the Classic Car selling experience a breeze. In fact, they make it so easy that all you have to do is wait for a check and everything else is done for you.  They take care of the sale, say good bye to numerous annoying tire kickers and dreamers that waste your time. Most consignors have prospective qualified buyers already lined up. If they don’t, they prequalify anyone that wants to give you an offer on your car.  Paperwork is also a huge hassle. Doing title transfers, money transactions, national and international shipping, lien payoffs, and out of state inspections are just a few of the tasks that may or may not have to be executed.  Consigning Classic Cars is really a convenience service that not only takes the tension from selling your car but also has a safety advantage also.  Now you don’t have perfect strangers showing up at your house seeing not only where you live but what else that you might own.  With the potential danger that the internet has brought to everyday life, this is a big option to consider.

It Makes Sense Right

Hey, I am a car guy. I always have been.  Most consignors are a car guy first and a business man second.  Reputable consignors think like a person doing business first.  Being a marketing and advertising guy for the last 20 years in a family run business has taught me what’s important.  The most important thing that I can do for my clients is give exceptional customer service. Everything else that goes into selling these cars falls under that important concept

Nick Winblad

Blad Boys Muscle Cars