12 Places to Sell Classic Cars
eBay Motors
eBay Motors Summary
- Sell 20+ types of vehicle and car parts
- Low listing fees starting from just $19
- List a car for sale in under 10 minutes
- 2 selling options – fixed price or auction
eBay Motors is one of the best sites to sell classic cars. This platform is a division of the popular eCommerce website, eBay, which was launched in 1995.
There are two ways for you to sell via eBay Motors. The first is through listing your classic car, which takes less than 10 minutes to do. In this option, you’ll be the one setting the price.
You can also list your car on eBay Motors and sell it through an auction. For this option, you can only include a reserve price, which is the lowest amount you’re willing to accept. From there, buyers, or bidders, in this case, offer you their prices.
Note that selling cars with eBay, unlike other items, requires paying listing fees, starting at $19 for a 7-day listing package. If you opt for an auction, there’s a fee to set a reserve price, costing around $49 to $99.
Facebook Marketplace
Facebook Marketplace Summary
- Buyer and seller accountability as you need a Facebook account
- Built in messaging system to keep on top of queries
- Access to a massive marketplace
- Ratings system maintains honesty
Facebook has over 3 billion users and through its Marketplace, you get to sell your classic car to such a wide market. You’ll need to have a Facebook account to post your car on the Marketplace. This is a good way to show your credibility to potential buyers.
And when posting your car, you don’t have to pay any listing fees, unlike many platforms these days. At the same time, you can easily check if your potential buyers are legit, as they need to have a Facebook account to access the Marketplace, too.
Facebook also includes a built-in messaging system that you can use to connect with your buyers. Facebook Messenger offers a separate smartphone app, letting you conveniently answer customer queries.
Autotrader
Autotrader Summary
- Sell or buy a wide variety of vehicles
- More than 14 million buyers per month
- Get fair deals for your second-hand car
- Efficient customer service
Autotrader is an online marketplace for selling and buying cars. This platform is open to a great variety of cars, making it one of the places to sell your classic car. It was launched in 1995 and has since expanded to Australia.
How it works is quite similar to eBay Motors. You can start by creating a listing for your classic car and including necessary details, such as:
- Make, model, and year
- Body style
- Mileage
- Current condition
Photos are a must when selling your classic online. With Autotrader, you can add up to 20 photos to your listing. However, listing fees depend on how many photos you upload and how long your listing is active. Listing fees range from $25 to $100.
What sets Autotraders apart from other platforms these days, is its excellent customer service.
Hemmings
Hemmings Summary
- Excellent coverage for potential buyers with 200,000 subscribers
- Free site searches to compare vehicles
- Specialized platform for classic cars
- Option to place a classified ad or auction
Hemmings is another great platform to sell a classic car. In fact, it offers 2 ways of selling your car:
- Traditional classified ad publishing – $129.95 per ad
- Hemmings auction – $0 per submission
Traditional classified ad publishing option includes ad appearance in one magazine with over 165,000 subscribers. Your classic car ad will run for 1 month and can have up to 35 words and 1 photo. In addition, it will also get listed online for 6 months – can include unlimited text and 35 photos.
A Hemmings auction option enables you to work with an expert to set a reserve price that works for you. Your ad will appear in the Online Marketplace, which has more than 21 million page views per month. Plus, Hemmings will promote your listing in its eDaily email, which has 200,000+ subscribers. The listing will run for 14 days as auction and up to 6 months as Make Offer listing.
Craigslist
Craigslist Summary
- Posts are anonymous
- Quick and easy listing in a matter of minutes
- Little to no seller fees, most auctions are free
- Sell within your local area
Craigslist is among the most versatile websites to sell and buy all kinds of stuff, including classic cars. Its website interface gives a no-nonsense vibe like people there know exactly what they’re there for.
Here’s how to sell classic cars on Craigslist:
- First, navigate to the Craigslist website
- Next, choose the locality you want to sell at
- Then, create a posting by adding details about your car
- Add your contact information
Make sure to add photos. Once done, click on Publish and confirm the email sent to you. Most items don’t require a listing fee, although, for cars, you need to pay $5 per post.
To avoid fraud, be careful on using your details, though, and if possible, use a different phone number. If you wish to not use your private email, you can also use the email address Craigslist provides.
Cars.com
Cars.com Summary
- Useful resources to help you sell a car
- Excellent place to research the market
- Instant cash offer from a dealer
- Smooth and easy to use interface
Cars.com is an ideal platform for those looking to sell cars for the first time. That includes selling classic cars.
It’s because this website offers various resources to help you decide on pricing and know your market. Additionally, it has a feature where you can calculate negotiable prices, as buyers are likely to negotiate with you.
Once you’re ready to sell on Cars.com, you can start a listing for $4.99.
Suppose you prefer to avoid dealing with buyers, you also have the option to sell your car to Cars.com. In this option, Cars.com will ask for details about your car and make an offer. If you’re good with the price, you can proceed with the sale. You can choose to get paid in cash or trade-in your car for your next car.
Local Classifieds
Creating an online listing to sell your classic car means you get to reach out to thousands of potential buyers, especially at places like Facebook and eBay. But that comes with certain risks, as you don’t know the type of people you’ll be dealing with.
Considering that, some sellers still prefer the good ol’ local classifieds, including:
- Magazines
- Websites
- Newspapers
You’ll need to reach out to these platforms to have your car posted through them. In some locally owned newspaper and magazine companies, listing your classic car might be free.
Besides affordability, what’s good about this option is that you have a more localized set of buyers. You won’t need to deal with total strangers, lessening the risk of scams. It’s also ideal if you’re looking to still see your car driving around your city.
Car Shows
For the most part, it’s understandable to consider your car as an extension of who you are.
Considering how much you took care of it, you’d likely want to find a buyer capable of appreciating your car. And, where else can you find buyers with shared appreciation, especially to classic cars but car shows?
This option is ideal when there are many car shows near you, typically during warm seasons. Just pop into one, and leave a for sale sign on your car when you park it.
It’s also an excellent idea to print flyers with some information about your car. You can casually hand them out as you walk around and talk to other car enthusiasts.
Pro tip: Check with car show organizers first if they have any specific rules that cover your case.
Side of the Road
If you’re looking to sell your classic car with minimal effort, consider selling it at the side of the road. In this option, you’ll leave your car for people to see it.
The key here is where you’ll be leaving your car. It has to be somewhere many people pass by. For example, a friend has a business on a busy street. In that case, you can ask them to park your car in their parking space.
You can offer to share a percentage of your sale. Just make sure to specify the times you’ll be leaving your car there.
Avoid leaving your car at the side of the road overnight, and make it a habit to drive it back home. And, maybe, bring your friend coffee or something when you retrieve your car for the day.
ClassicCars.com
Selling your car online is easier these days, as there are many platforms to choose from. One of those is ClassicCars.com. This works quite similarly to Autotraders, but this website specifically caters to classic cars.
As such, you can be sure that you’ll be selling to people who know exactly what your car is worth. In relation to that, you’ll have less time screening low-ballers and hard bargainers.
However, listing fees on ClassicCars.com are pricier compared to other websites on this list.
ClassicCars.com listing fees:
| One-time Fee | |
|---|---|
| Regular listing | $129.99 |
| Premium listing | $349.99 |
Despite the price, your car will be listed there until it’s sold. For premium plans, ClassicCars.com also includes featured listings and up to 4 social media posts. They will also include your car listing in their newsletter.
Oldcaronline.com
Oldcaronline.com is a website where you can sell your classic car. It has a simple, yet efficient interface and you can add a listing in minutes.
What’s good about this platform is that you can check how many potential buyers have checked your listing. This helps you gauge whether you need to make changes to your listing.
Like ClassicCars.com, listing at Oldcaronline.com requires paying a one-time fee if you want to keep your listing active until your car is sold. Prices start at $29.95. But, there’s also a free 30-day listing option.
If you’re looking to get more people to see your car, you can upgrade for a premium ad listing anytime. This allows you to add 30 photos and a video to your car listing.
Live Auctions
If your classic car can be sold for at least $50,000, selling it at live auctions might be the most profitable option. You can start by locating auction houses near you. Some of the popular ones are Barrett Jackson and Mecum.
Reach out to the auction house and check their terms and conditions. You can expect them to ask for details about your car, and in many cases, auction houses have specific standards they consider.
Suppose they accept your car, you can negotiate a reserve price that includes the auction house’s commission, typically around 10%. Make sure to consider that you’ll need to pay for shipping as well, so add that to the price.
