Best site to sell a classic car

[BfromNC]

I'm wondering which site is best to sell a classic car.  I'm considering selling my 73 Riviera, but not 100% positive.  I'm thinking of sites like Hemmings, autotrader, classic cars online, not facebook marketplace or craigslist. I'm open to recommendations. Anyone with recent experience.  

[63RedBrier]

You can try right here!  Or, consider Bring A Trailer, too...

[Paul Dobbin]

I posted a friends 31 Cadillac V12 here and sold it in one day.

[Terry Bond]

On 12/21/2022 at 10:41 AM, BfromNC said:

I'm wondering which site is best to sell a classic car.  I'm considering selling my 73 Riviera, but not 100% positive.  I'm thinking of sites like Hemmings, autotrader, classic cars online, not facebook marketplace or craigslist. I'm open to recommendations. Anyone with recent experience.  

My recommendation is first make up your mind about selling it. People hate playing games whether you are selling or buying !

Terry

Edited March 5, 2023 by Terry Bond (see edit history)

[avgwarhawk]

I have found both of mine using Classiccars.com.  

[John_S_in_Penna]

5 hours ago, 63RedBrier said:

You can try right here!  Or, consider Bring A Trailer, too...

Yes, the AACA Forum's "Buick Buy/Sell" category is

seen by many Buick fans--more so than many of our

other specialized categories.  And it's free.  Be sure to

make up your mind, then include plenty of pictures.

 

Generally, the best place to advertise depends on the car.

Since your car is a Buick Riviera, I would suggest also the

magazines of the Buick Club of America and the

Riviera Owners' Association.  They are seen by many

people devoted to those specialties.

 

In your ad, include contact information such as a telephone

number, so people can reach you easily.  And price your

car realistically, please;  many ads have ludicrous prices

these days, so realistic pricing will get much prompter attention!

 

Edited December 21, 2022 by John_S_in_Penna (see edit history)

[Trulyvintage]

Speaking from personal experience ....

Now is the worst time of the year to sell any vehicle unless 

you are willing to deeply discount your asking price.

The exception would be if you are selling in state

and live in Florida - Arizona - California.

 

I agree with what has been posted above regarding 

not listing any vehicle for sale unless you are 100% 

certain you want to sell it.

 

That said - the best place to sell your vehicle

is at a car show where you feel comfortable

bringing your vehicle next Spring - to someone

who falls in love with it and has to buy it.

 

 

Jim

[Akstraw]

I have bought cars through eBay, Hemmings, and Craigslist.  I have also bought two through this site.  I like them all, and monitor them all, as well as a number of third-party consignment sites.   I wholeheartedly agree that, above all, you need to be 100% ready to sell before you list, no matter the site.  Secondly, be prepared to ‘sell’ your car.  Respond to inquiries promptly and politely.  Answer questions honestly and thoroughly.  Be ready to tell the story of the car, as well as explain why you are selling it.  Have good photos ready to send to serious candidate buyers.  Also be prepared to ask a few screening questions to separate the tire-kickers and bottom-feeders from the seriously interested.  Here is one experience I had (on a car I did NOT buy…)

 

seller:  hullo

me:  Hi, My name is x x, and I’m calling about the Riviera for sale on Hemmings.

seller:  Oh, yeah.

me:  is the car still available?

seller:  Uhh, I think so.

me:  Can you tell me some more about the car?
seller:   Uh, it’s really my Dad’s car.

me:  Oh.  Can he tell me something about it?

seller.  I think so.

me:  Is he available?

seller:  Uh, he’s not here.

me.  Could I ask that he give me a call?

seller:  Uh, I dunno.  He’s not here

… and on and on.  Eventually I tired of pulling teeth.
(Don’t be that guy.)

 

I’ve run into a seller who listed a car on Craigslist, then left the country for 30 days.  Another seller, this one a dealer, couldn’t answer this (my favorite) question:  “Does the VIN on the title match the VIN on the car?”   Not only did he not know (you’d be surprised how many sellers don’t), he complained to me that he would have to go to all the way another building, unlock it, get a flashlight, and find the car in order to find out.  (Do I care?).  
 

On the other hand, I had another seller who put the car on a lift for me, and then FaceTimed live and showed me in detail whatever I wanted to see.  Recently, I saw a Ford truck for sale on this site in which the seller had a link to a third website that told the whole story of the vehicle, it’s history, and the restoration, and included lots of great photos.  Well done!

 

I think a plus of Bring-a-Trailer is that they help you present more info on the car up front, so you have less explaining to do along the way.  There is also a screening of sorts built into the process because there is a charge to bid.  Of course, there is an associated cost to the seller, too.   Hemmings, eBay, and Craigslist are rather wide open, and you get out what you put in.  The more info, photos, etc. you present up front, the fewer questions you have to answer.  I think that this, the AACA, site offers an advantage in that your exposure is largely limited to enthusiasts  (minus some random scammers and freaks), and it’s free.   You’ll get less overall exposure, but concentrated on the type you want.

 

Sorry for the ramble, but as a somewhat frequent buyer, I think I can write a book on how not to sell a car.  

Good luck!

 

[MrY]

I just sold a 1964 1/2 Ford Mustang Convertible sold after 2 weeks.

Listed it on Ebay and on Facebook

I got 3344 clicks on the ad on FB

and 430 clicks on Ebay

4 real interested guys from FB

2 real interested guys from Ebay

(ie who actually called and showed real interest)

Sold to a local guy with lead from FB

Ebay $102 to list it for 30 days

FB free

Edited December 22, 2022 by MrY (see edit history)

[TexRiv_63]

I have used Hemmings online many times and have never been disappointed.

[John_S_in_Penna]

1 hour ago, TexRiv_63 said:

I have used Hemmings online many times and have never been disappointed.

I agree that Hemmings (www.hemmings.com) is a 

good choice.  It attracts more serious collectors, I feel,

than any other general car-selling internet site.

[Matt Harwood]

We get considerably more volume from classics.autotrader.com and classiccars.com than any of the other sites. Hemmings.com is dying and Autabuy.com is dead. Ebay is a separate category, but generates a lot of leads.

[countrytravler]

We have sold about 100 vehicles when the owner passed in 2011. I came aboard to help with the estate being green. Was not in retail since the 90s when I owned my dealership. We did eBay, here, CL, and FB. CL and FB were the best. Sold about 75% of the inventory on CL and FB. 

[oliverfrancis]

do you have any picture of your old 73 Riviera?

[MotiveLensPhoto]

These are the sites I am familiar with. No comment on quality, etc.:

craigslist

ebay

classic.autotrader

hemmings

clasiq

bringatrailer

trovit

I'm sure there's more but these are the ones I know about.

 

[John_S_in_Penna]

17 hours ago, oliverfrancis said:

do you have any picture of your old 73 Riviera?

Agreed!  Whet our appetites here--at least so we

can admire that boat-tail styling!  I have had a '73

Riviera also for many years:

 

Edited December 23, 2022 by John_S_in_Penna (see edit history)

[BfromNC]

Thanks. All great advice. I wouldn't advertise it until I'm sure i am selling it, just to be clear.  If i do list it, i'd probably wait until spring as the winter is typically not a great time to sell. I had to laugh as I've had the same experience with sellers who knew nothing about the car or were selling it for someone else, or especially on facebook and craigslist, they don't respond to inquiries.  I've sold cars before over the years and was wondering if any  one venue seemed best. That's why i inquired. 

[dodgebrother]

As mentioned above check out BAT Auctions.

I recently sold a 70 1/2 Z28 and got what I needed.

Just in the process of doing another one.

I have had good luck with Cars on Line and they advertise until the vehicle is sold or you delete the ad.

And CL has worked for buying and selling.

You can do a search for a specific title that goes into their whole platform.

Kijiji works as well. ( CAD only I think but does the whole country)

I sold a 1942 Dodge pickup to a guy in France on Kijiji.

Also sold one of my LS6 cars here as well.

It is amazing how many people globally are scoping out cars.

And of course AACA is a great venue and has real buyers of all brands. ( globally)

 

[BfromNC]

Thanks guys. I've been busy selling my friends el camino project for him. tried in winter on FB mktplace, and a real waste of time and bottom feeders / timewasters So, I waited till it warmed up. Man, I was inundated with prospective buyers this time and so glad I waited. Sold it today. 

Now, it's time to sell my Riviera. I guess I could do facebook mktplace, but to be honest, it's a real pain in the butt with all the "is it for sale?" BS, and wanting all the specifics on the car in messenger. I've sold on classic cars online in the past and did well and also I believe on Hemmings, were I got a foreign buyer. 

I'd rather not have to wade through tons of non-serious buyers in facebook mktplace, but maybe that's my best bet.

I paid $12 to have the ad boosted and that really made a difference. 

I also sold a corvette on Doug Demuro's site and that went really well. I would recommend him in a heartbeat if you have something that fits his profile requirements. 

Well, I'm still open to suggestions and may post it here as well. We'll see.

Thanks, Bruce

Edited March 4, 2023 by BfromNC (see edit history)

[BrandoMiddleton]

I had a smooth experience with Hemmings when selling my vintage Mustang. I also managed to sell other vintage stuff to Pawn luxury watches. Anyway, Autotrader is solid too. Just make sure to showcase your Riviera's uniqueness and history – that's what hooked my buyer. Best of luck, and I hope you get the best deal!

Edited August 11, 2023 by BrandoMiddleton (see edit history)

[Rusty Heaps]

This one should be up for sale soon. Still searching for emblems, centers, etc. to complete the car.

[R Walling]

 I had good luck with Face Book Market place, although I had to put up with a lot of people that just were lonely and wanted to talk.

[arcticbuicks]

i have good luck with a non runner type restorible car .......by just loading it on my flatbed trailer and going to local car show or cruise night ......and park close in view of the show......and all the car people are at show,all fired up about the nice cars at the show.......and i sold a few on the spot and usually included delivering to buyer

[Leif in Calif]

On 12/21/2022 at 7:23 PM, MrY said:

I just sold a 1964 1/2 Ford Mustang Convertible sold after 2 weeks.

Listed it on Ebay and on Facebook

I got 3344 clicks on the ad on FB

and 430 clicks on Ebay

4 real interested guys from FB

2 real interested guys from Ebay

(ie who actually called and showed real interest)

Sold to a local guy with lead from FB

Ebay $102 to list it for 30 days

FB free

I used to think Facebook wasn't any good at all, but now I think it's on par with Craigslist. 

[CChinn]

Does anyone have experience with Guys With Rides that provides collector car auction service?  It’s advertised in Antique Automobiles magazine. Any positive or negative reviews?

[TAKerry]

No experience but the owner gave a seminar at the convention in Williamsburg. Seemed like a decent guy. The way he outlined his program seemed ok as well.

[PWN]

On 12/21/2022 at 10:41 AM, BfromNC said:

I'm wondering which site is best to sell a classic car.  I'm considering selling my 73 Riviera, but not 100% positive.  I'm thinking of sites like Hemmings, autotrader, classic cars online, not facebook marketplace or craigslist. I'm open to recommendations. Anyone with recent experience.  

That's a used car...not a Classic car.

[CChinn]

53 minutes ago, PWN said:

That's a used car...not a Classic car.

I think I’ve seen debates on this forum on whether a car is to be considered antique, Classic, collector, original, restored, modified, etc., but at the end of the day aren’t they all used?

Edited August 15, 2023 by CChinn (see edit history)

[PWN]

I say that not so much to malign used cars, all my cars are very used, but in deference to the Classic car club and what they consider a "true classic". In my minds eye I see a 1970s anything (except  maybe a Citroen SM) as anything but a but Classic car. My bad.

 

I recommend Hemmings or Bring a Trailer.

Edited August 15, 2023 by PWN (see edit history)

[Zara Aly]

Selling a classic can be a bittersweet experience! A 73 Riviera sounds like a gorgeous car. If you're leaning towards online marketplaces, Hemmings is a great option specifically geared towards classic car enthusiasts. You might also want to check out Bring a Trailer, a popular auction site for classic and collector cars.

Whichever platform you choose, be sure to include lots of high-quality photos and a detailed description highlighting the Riviera's unique features and condition. Good luck with the sale (or keeping it, if your heart whispers otherwise)!

[Brass is Best]

On 8/10/2023 at 8:59 AM, R Walling said:

 I had good luck with Face Book Market place, although I had to put up with a lot of people that just were lonely and wanted to talk.

Is this item still available?

[metalbender]

i have sold a few cars on various venues with good luck.  had my CCCA Classsic car listed for sale here prior

to moving out of state as i did not want to pay to ship it and limited garage space.  i had mostly buyers looking to

low ball the price and when i held my ground they inferred i didn't really want to sell it.  i don't even consider negotiating with

those.  i know what the car is worth and that, of course, is what i am willing to accept.

i wish you good luck with your sale