Selling a classic car is not remotely like selling your daily runaround. You cannot just plonk it on a website with two or three pictures and wait for the messages to come through.

Classic car buyers are discerning, discreet and determined. They are likely to have criteria and considerations that make their search more specific than any general website could provide.

These buyers also buy on reputation. They need to know that the seller has the right mindset and has cared for the car in the way that is expected for an automobile of a particular age and condition.

Savvy buyers are also comfortable in the auction house; they know what to expect and the tricks of the trade therein.

If you are not aware of the nuances that can occur at a prestigious car auction, then you could be taken in and pay more than you should. It is a pressurised situation, for sure. As a seller you must be sure that you will reach a valuation that will be satisfactory. 

Dealer Distraction

A situation I have seen occur time and time again is the lure of the dealer. Individuals have a classic car, which is valuable, and they take it to a dealer.

They assume that the dealer will work in their best interest. That the dealer will get them the most they possibly can for the car and ensure that everything is sold fairly, squarely and with the right conditions (you may, for instance, not want the car to leave the country).

The issue that arises is the dealer may not always have your best interests at heart and already knows exactly what is going to happen. They, as the dealership, take custody of the car. Interest is keen but not quite at the level they promised.

They blame the market, the buyers, the rest of the world. Eventually they come back with a firm offer, and it is not what you expected. They urge you to take it as it is the best offer that is likely to come around.

The chances are the dealers knew this scenario was likely to play out. What is more, they would have ensured that they got exactly what they expected from the transaction.

The same can happen with auction houses too. I have seen cars sent overseas to auction houses which have promised to get a certain price for a car, only for it not to sell. Now the seller is in a total bind and at the total mercy of the auction house.

You could, of course, pay to have your car shipped back; however, the cost would be prohibitive. You may be better off just getting it sold, even at a much lower price than anticipated.

It can be a sticky wicket, and the only advice I can give is to put your trust in an expert who really does have your best interests at heart.

Presentation

The number of times I have had to end interest in a vehicle because I just cannot tell if it is the genuine article or not is really quite sad.

When you are looking at a potential automobile, possibly from overseas, then you have to be able to make out certain details and see it in the best possible light.

Similarly, when selling, you should be thinking of these elements as you prepare the car. Historic marques, rare machines, classic cars, all have specific criteria which buyers will be acutely aware of.

Picking one at random, such as rust on the wheel-arches, how can a potential buyer in the UK be sure that your car is worthy of all the effort to ship it across the globe without a good picture of the area?

This is an oversimplified example. However, in a competitive market where there are two cars of equal value and one has impeccable professional photographs that show the car in an incredible light and also reassure the potential buyer that any issues which could be hiding have been explored and illuminated, then there is no doubt which car will be chosen.

There is a lot to be said for presentation when it comes to car sales. It should go without saying that the car itself should be immaculate. You can go one step further, however, and ensure that all the surrounding information is at the world-class level, too.

This could involve creating a website for the car that contains all the relevant information presented in such a way that potential buyers can have absolute confidence in the condition, history and provenance of your magnificent machine.

Scanning the documents is also a great idea, and there are subtle ways to ensure the privacy of those. It is fairly simple to password-protect files and only provide them to truly interested parties.