Why so few private sales of classics?

Why so few private sales of classics?

Author
Discussion

Jukebag

Original Poster:

1,463 posts

138 months

Monday 24th October 2016
quotequote all
I'm curious to know why, with a certain number of classics, there doesn't seem to be many that are sold privately, but instead are sold via dealers or through auction. These are the ones I rarely see:

Morgan's: I rarely see Morgan's for sale through private sale (with the exception of the club) through sites like Car and Classic, Classic cars for sale, Pistonheads, Autotrader, etc.

TVRs: Most I've seen seem to be via dealers.

E-Types: the majority for sale are via classic dealers and restorers, one or two private but that's about it.

Jaguar XKs (120, etc): same as above, mostly via exclusive/prestige classic dealers or restorers.

Austin Healey's (100/3000).

Is there a reason why they are sold this way more than privately?.

Edited by Jukebag on Monday 24th October 10:24

crankedup

25,764 posts

242 months

Monday 24th October 2016
quotequote all
Possibly being being big ticket purchases people feel safer going into a dealership. Although how many classics are sold with a dealership warranty I have no idea. Personally I always buy private sales cars.

Riley Blue

20,910 posts

225 months

Monday 24th October 2016
quotequote all
I think a great many are sold by word of mouth amongst friends or within clubs. I have a small queue waiting to buy one of my Rileys so I'll never need to advertise it.

stuartmmcfc

8,653 posts

191 months

Monday 24th October 2016
quotequote all
A number of people I know have sent their classics to auction.
I guess dealers may buy from there and then add their mark up.

FreeDrinkSpotter

14 posts

131 months

Monday 24th October 2016
quotequote all

Very many vintage and classic cars sold privately are never advertised in the national media but sold by word of mouth and/or via the appropiate enthusiasts club.
Edited to add - Riley Blue got there first while I typed and is spot on - so far as auctions are concerned they always seem to me to be a good way to find out what your car is worth then receive two thirds of that!


Edited by FreeDrinkSpotter on Monday 24th October 10:54


Edited by FreeDrinkSpotter on Monday 24th October 10:55

Allan L

779 posts

104 months

Monday 24th October 2016
quotequote all
Private selling is a bit of a bore, what with timewasters and no-hopers.
There are a few traders who sell on commission which can be useful. They keep the cars on their premises and maintain them road legal so customers can go for a drive/ride which you can't at an auction. There is also the chance that somone who came to look at something else sees a different car and buys that instead.
Going rate is 10% which I think they earn, unlike the massive gap the auction houses' customers have to endure.

TR4man

5,207 posts

173 months

Monday 24th October 2016
quotequote all
I have sold my TR and my Stag earlier this year as private sales, but I do know several fellow owners who can't be bothered to sell privately with all the potential time wasting and hassle it involves. For them the option of a dealer selling their cars on commission was an appealing one.

It is not necessarily for a lesser sale amount either.

So I guess that what I'm saying is that some classics you see being sold by dealers aren't actually owned by the dealer.

Jukebag

Original Poster:

1,463 posts

138 months

Monday 24th October 2016
quotequote all
It's expected you will get time wasters of course, but I personally hate it when sellers actually state "no time wasters, tyre kickers, dreamers", etc on their ads. To me that's just ignorant, and there are plenty who have that attitude about em. Complete rust bucket (almost rotten to the floor) E-Types and the sellers are asking for upwards of 20 grand? dream on.

POORCARDEALER

8,523 posts

240 months

Monday 24th October 2016
quotequote all

Because theres a big chance you will be indundated with every so called marque expert, chancer and ridiculous offer maker.

Jukebag

Original Poster:

1,463 posts

138 months

Tuesday 25th October 2016
quotequote all
Ridiculous offer maker, I think that interprets as sensible offer maker. People who ask for something like 40 grand for say a near rusting or half project Healey 3000 or E Type.are the ones who are kidding themselves. There are plenty out there like that. It truly baffles me when I see examples like that and the sellers are so hard faced in asking money like that. People are so greedy.

Yertis

18,015 posts

265 months

Tuesday 25th October 2016
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TR4man said:
I have sold my TR
So are you going to change your name to (the somewhat less cool) 'TVRman'?

tortop45

434 posts

159 months

Tuesday 25th October 2016
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It seems to me most being sold by dealers have had there prices well inflated as theyve just got on the band wagon as prices have shot up,don,t fall in to the trap of actions thats were you go to get rid of rubbish or sell to joe public who doesn,t no what they are looking at.Private or owners clubs is always the best place but youve still got to have your wits about you and do your home work.........

ianwayne

6,243 posts

267 months

Tuesday 25th October 2016
quotequote all
Jukebag said:
It's expected you will get time wasters of course, but I personally hate it when sellers actually state "no time wasters, tyre kickers, dreamers", etc on their ads. To me that's just ignorant, and there are plenty who have that attitude about em. Complete rust bucket (almost rotten to the floor) E-Types and the sellers are asking for upwards of 20 grand? dream on.
Yet some of them still sell. This one for £22k at auction in September (unused since 2000):

http://www.classiccarauctions.co.uk/1970-jaguar-e-...

Back in March, this one for £58k. Utter madness!!

http://www.telegraph.co.uk/cars/classic/jaguar-e-t...

POORCARDEALER

8,523 posts

240 months

Wednesday 26th October 2016
quotequote all
Jukebag said:
Ridiculous offer maker, I think that interprets as sensible offer maker. People who ask for something like 40 grand for say a near rusting or half project Healey 3000 or E Type.are the ones who are kidding themselves. There are plenty out there like that. It truly baffles me when I see examples like that and the sellers are so hard faced in asking money like that. People are so greedy.
So because there are some over priced cars out there, a private seller selling his £5K sensibly priced classic should have to put up with idiots offering £2.5K?

Thats why most cars are with dealers, way too much for most private sellers dealing with morons.

Yertis

18,015 posts

265 months

Wednesday 26th October 2016
quotequote all
ianwayne said:
Jukebag said:
It's expected you will get time wasters of course, but I personally hate it when sellers actually state "no time wasters, tyre kickers, dreamers", etc on their ads. To me that's just ignorant, and there are plenty who have that attitude about em. Complete rust bucket (almost rotten to the floor) E-Types and the sellers are asking for upwards of 20 grand? dream on.
Yet some of them still sell. This one for £22k at auction in September (unused since 2000):

http://www.classiccarauctions.co.uk/1970-jaguar-e-...

Back in March, this one for £58k. Utter madness!!

http://www.telegraph.co.uk/cars/classic/jaguar-e-t...
I'd have bought that second one, if I could afford it, just because of that first owner.

DonkeyApple

54,919 posts

168 months

Wednesday 26th October 2016
quotequote all
I've found, with my cars, that I can sell them through a dealer and receive the same price that I would by going private so for no cost I don't have any hassle and the car is not taking up space.

S47

1,325 posts

179 months

Wednesday 26th October 2016
quotequote all
Too many wanabe dealers trying to rip off joe public [what's new about that!]
Unfortunately there's big bucks to be made on certain classics.
I've sold a couple of classics privately, of course you get the tossers/dealers, saddo's, no hopers etc. but as a private seller you expect that, but I've always manage to find a buyer at a fair price.
If you get a persistant nuisance caller I suggest you play him along, find out the area he lives and say the car is currently stored at an address as far as possible from him, then give him a false address in that area and waste his time toothumbup
He deserves itsmile
Sorted
Finally if you are a private buyer why not support all those private sellers by buying your next car privately thereby cutting out the dealers - that way buyer and seller get a better dealsmilesmile

POORCARDEALER

8,523 posts

240 months

Wednesday 26th October 2016
quotequote all
S47]Too many wanabe dealers trying to rip off joe public [what's new about that! said:
Unfortunately there's big bucks to be made on certain classics.
I've sold a couple of classics privately, of course you get the tossers/dealers, saddo's, no hopers etc. but as a private seller you expect that, but I've always manage to find a buyer at a fair price.
If you get a persistant nuisance caller I suggest you play him along, find out the area he lives and say the car is currently stored at an address as far as possible from him, then give him a false address in that area and waste his time toothumbup
He deserves itsmile
Sorted
Finally if you are a private buyer why not support all those private sellers by buying your next car privately thereby cutting out the dealers - that way buyer and seller get a better dealsmilesmile
You forgot that a good % of the silly prices been asked are from private sellers, often more than dealer prices.



S47

1,325 posts

179 months

Wednesday 26th October 2016
quotequote all
Poorcardealer
I'd rather pay a high price to a private seller to buy their coveted pride & joy. Than to any dealer who's only in it to make a fast buck at my expense.
Private buyers DON'T need dealers we only need private sellerssmile

POORCARDEALER

8,523 posts

240 months

Wednesday 26th October 2016
quotequote all
S47 said:
Poorcardealer
I'd rather pay a high price to a private seller to buy their coveted pride & joy. Than to any dealer who's only in it to make a fast buck at my expense.
Private buyers DON'T need dealers we only need private sellerssmile
Are you really such an idiot....if there wasnt demand there wouldnt be dealers...now go do your homework