Auction A Car
If you want to auction a car you must get all the necessary information about it, especially any distinctive facts about it that potential buyers might be interested in learning more about. To give you an idea about what info you should be able to provide is by knowing how many units from your car were produced and the manufacturing period. You need to search in those areas that have more interest in your car than other zones, like a museum or a car show.
The best way to go is by joining a car show or car clubs as the people that are involved in such organizations are more likely to purchase your car in the near future. You need to talk to as many people as you can at these clubs so that you can learn more about the value of your car and get a second opinion about the overall condition of the car, crucial to any selling process.
If you didn’t know, on the Internet there are many antique car websites at which you should create an account. The more the better, but try finding those websites that have vehicles which are similar to the one you plan on selling. Such websites are very useful not only because they will teach you how to sell your car, but they also have classified pages. These classifieds can prove to be very useful as you can find out the prices of cars that are just like yours or very similar. Of course, you too can put up an ad there; some of these websites are totally free while others inquire a small fee.
Getting back to the auction issue, a good place to start with would be eBay. Such online auctions like the ones provided by eBay will permit a considerable larger number of people to take a look at your vehicle in comparison to taking it to a regular car show. However, car shows as well as other exposure possibilities should not be disregarded. The more exposure the car has, the more chances you will have to sell it at a good price. Some of these online auction websites will inquire a listing fee or a selling fee while others are totally free. These fees can vary from a flat fee to a certain percent of the selling price of the car.
If you want to keep things locally, you have the possibility to sell it at a local car auction. Although you won’t get that much exposure, if you find someone who is willing to buy it, you will have fewer things to worry about as the person most likely lives near you so you will not have to think about transportation and other similar issues. What you need to do is call the organizers of the auction and ask them if they have a special sale throughout the year that is designated for classic and antique cars. Selling the car at these auctions would be beneficial due to the reason that people that participate at such auctions come here especially for these types of cars. Regarding the fees inquired by the organizers, these are in most cases higher in comparison to the ones found on the online websites and they usually consist of a percentage of the sale.
As we mentioned before, a good place to auction a car is on eBay. If you are new to the website it can get a little bit confusing, but it isn’t rocket science. Selling it there can happen very fast, usually in about 7 days for a regular car and more for classic / vintage cars, depending on model and make. After you have done your homework regarding the research for your car, you should take dozens of photos which you will upload on eBay, allowing the potential buyers to catch a glimpse of your vehicle. When taking the photos, it is advisable to show all of the parts of the vehicle, including views from all sides. Show the interior, the front and back seats, the dashboard, the gauges and the radio console, basically all there is to it. The most important picture that should be taken is of the odometer that will show the actual mileage of the car. Don’t forget to take pictures of the wheels, the engine and with the doors both open and closed.
As far as documentation is concerned, get a bill of sale from your local DMV – Department of Motor Vehicles. For some areas in the United States, you might need other paperwork, like a smog inspection form.
Now you should put down in writing a relevant description of the car that you want to auction. Make sure that you include the vehicle history, defects / flaws and the selling terms. In the vehicle history part you should write about how many owners the car had, if it was involved in accidents. This is the right place to mention maintenance records or if you recently replaced some parts or any other modifications the car has suffered. Regarding defects of the car, you need to be 100% honest and mention all there is to it. A photo cannot cover all the defects of the car which is why you should inform all potential buyers about the hidden problems. As far as the selling terms are concerned, you must include details regarding what form of payment are you willing to accept. Don’t forget to mention the deadline for the payment and if you inquire a deposit.
When listing the car on eBay you have two options: auction format and fixed price format. The first one will allow you to set a starting bid price plus a reserve price. It is advisable to have a low starting price and go up from there. The fixed price format will allow you to set at “buy it now” price, meaning that this won’t be an actual auction, but rather a fixed store price.
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