Classic Car Auction Success - is easy, if you follow these 10 simple steps.
In the current climate of lockdowns, physical distancing and doing everything “remotely”, how do we go about selling online?
Well, the short answer is ‘easily’, as online trading has been the norm for hundreds of thousands of Australians for years. Buying and selling without seeing or inspecting the actual product works for many items.
Selling and buying cars at auction is different, though, and for many it remains a visual and tactile experience – we want to see and touch the car’s paint, inspect under the chassis, open the bonnet, sit in the seats and maybe even run the engine.
There’s really no substitute for inspecting a car in the flesh, but under current coronavirus-induced social distancing and stay-at-home instructions, that’s not possible.
As such, ensuring your online vehicle listing is as accurate and detailed as possible can go a long way in overcoming the reticence buyers may have about purchasing a car they haven’t inspected first hand.
There are a number of simple things you can do to ensure the effectiveness of your listing and Grays Online have broken these down into a ‘Top 10’.
Top 10 Tips for selling your car with Grays Online
Present the car in the best possible condition
Pretty straightforward, this one, but it’s surprising how many people don’t give the car a good clean inside and out before sending it to the auction house. The ‘barn find’ look - smothered in dust and cobwebs - may work for a 60-year-old Ferrari, but for most classics, it’ll work against you more often than not!
Provide logbooks if available
Not always applicable to classics and easier said than done in some circumstances, especially with deceased estates, etc. Buyers do look for logbook information to confirm a car’s history, though, so if the logbook is there, it makes sense to provide it.
This can also extend to documents confirming a car’s provenance, like build sheets, sales dockets, dealership corresponence and specialised provenance for classics, like Marti reports, ACCHS reports, Galen Govier registry papers, etc.
Provide all service history
As above, service history may not always be available, but if you have receipts from past repair and/or restoration work, they can help secure a sale as they give buyers a better idea of the car’s maintenance schedule or what’s been spent on a restoration. If you’ve done most repair or refurb work yourself without documenting it, try and make a list of what was done and when.
Provide all known ownership history, eg. 3 owners from new, etc.
Older cars with very few owners or ‘single family ownership’ tend to be viewed more favourably than those that have passed through many hands. It’s not a deal breaker, but the former can indicate a vehicle that’s been well looked-after, while the latter can suggest problems.
NOTE: Proof of ownership of the vehicle must be provided by the seller in all circumstances.
If modified, provide original engineering certificates and reports
Proving that the modified vehicle you’re selling has been approved for road use is important, especially for interstate buyers who may not be familiar with your state’s compliance system.
NOTE: While most modifications approved in one state will apply Australia-wide, check with your state roads and licensing authority first.
Provide confirmation if the car has matching numbers
On older and more expensive cars, particularly European exotics and American and Australian muscle cars, ‘matching numbers’ is a big deal. Cars running their original engine and transmission almost invariably sell for more than those that aren’t.
If the original engine is out of the car, but included in the sale, for example, that should be mentioned.
Provide authenticity of rare or specifically numbered cars
Cars built in limited edition have their own set of enthusiasts, most looking for ‘first’ or ‘last’ in a numbered build sequence or one that matches a certain specification, eg. Number 351 of a 351 V8-engined car. If available, documentation confirming the car’s rarity or limited-edition status should be provided.
Provide Heritage Certificate for British Classics
Known as a BMI Certificate, this is a specialised document from the British Motor Industry Heritage Trust that confirms a British-built car’s basic details, sourced from factory ledgers, including chassis/engine numbers, build date, colour and trim, factory options and more.
BMI Certificates cover a large variety of volume production, specialty and premium British cars.
Provide Letter of Authenticity for Euro Classics
Similar to the above, but provided by the individual manufacturer, eg. Porsche or Mercedes-Benz, rather than the industry. As well as confirming a European car’s original build details, these documents (with colour and trim, factory options, etc.) can also be used for vehicle entry into club concours and other display events.
Ensure the battery is good and there is at least a quarter of a tank of fuel
When having your car delivered to the auction house, it should be drivable. Cars are often moved on site ahead of the auction, and while unlikely under the current circumstances, some auction events also have the cars “presented” to on-site bidders by driving them across a stage, too, so the car needs to be in running condition where possible.
A simple way to approach your online listing is to change your thinking from “seller” to “buyer”. By that we mean, if you were looking to bid on a vehicle listed with Grays Online, what’s the information you’d want to know?
It sounds simple, but some sellers place too little information in their listing, leaving the buyer either confused or suspicious and negatively impacting your chances of a sale.
By using this guide and some common sense, your chances of selling that classic, modified, rare, high-performance or limited-edition car can greatly increase.
AUCTION ASSISTANCE
JUST CARS & GRAYS ONLINE HAVE PARTNERED TOGETHER TO GIVE SELLERS THE OPTION TO AUCTION.
If you’re completely new to the process of selling a car at an online auction, Just Cars & Grays Online can help. Send us an email [email protected]
