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Tips for Selling a Classic Car Privately

Selling a classic car privately can be challenging. We can help with our guide full of tips on selling your vintage car and getting a reasonable amount.

Do you need to sell your vintage ride yourself? Let us help with some valuable tips for selling your classic car privately! From research to maintenance inspections, we’ll help you sell your classic and get a fair price.

Research Similar Sales

Before you think about your car’s value and set a starting price from which to negotiate, research sales of similar vehicles. Finding other cars like your classic can be difficult, especially if it’s a rare model, so you may have to dig to find one comparable to your specific model.

You may have an idea of what your vehicle is worth, and it may be worth that to you, but you’ll have to be pragmatic and set a price comparable to the current market. Consider looking around at auction houses and other private sales of classic cars to get a feeling of the value of your vehicle.

Get a Maintenance Inspection

Before selling a classic car privately, you’ll want to ensure it’s in the best possible condition. Along with giving it a detailed cleaning and getting it serviced, you’ll want to bring it in for a detailed inspection.

A potential buyer will want to take it for a test drive and likely have it inspected themselves by a mechanic of their choice. Inspecting your car yourself prior to selling it is important if you want to ensure it gives the right impression, and so you’re not blindsided with any maintenance surprises. Make sure the mechanic who does the inspection has experience in classic cars and knows your vehicle’s model well.

Pro Tip: If your classic has had any recent major repairs or modifications, bring the receipts and maintenance reports so the buyer can confirm that the problems were fixed by a professional.
Take Professional-Grade Photos

Perhaps the most important part about selling your classic car privately is taking quality pictures to advertise it. You want your classic car to stand out among the many available, but it can’t do that unless you put some care and thought into the photos.

You don’t need to be a professional photographer with an expensive camera to take amazing photos of your classic car; modern smartphones have such advanced cameras that you can take great pictures with just your phone. If you just can’t seem to get it right, many freelance photographers would be happy to take professional-grade photographs for a small fee.

Create a Detail Description

The posting description is perhaps the most vital part of attracting potential buyers’ attention, second only to the photographs. The description of your vintage ride should contain all the basic details of your vehicle—make, model, age, and mileage—but don’t stop there.

There’s a lot of other crucial information that buyers are going to want to know about your classic that you can include in your description, including the following:

  • Engine type
  • Transmission
  • Description of restoration
  • Any custom rebuild choices
  • Any unusual or unique features
  • Any optional add-ons
  • Anything else you deem noteworthy

That’s a lot of information, but be sure to be succinct, as nobody wants to read a novel on their phone to learn about a classic car!

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Hassan Soukar

Hassan Soukar is a veteran automotive, and tech journalist, as well as a professional photographer. A man with a keen sense for innovation and a great sense of humour. He is the pro that reviews the latest gadgets from smartphones and VR headsets to fitness bands. Hassan has a generous number of lists, reviews and latest industry leaks.

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