Buying or selling a car on consignment

[jm29henry]

Has anyone bought or sold a car on consignment and were you happy with the results

[BRENT in 10-uh-C]

I have brokered a few sales from customer over the years that wanted to sell their vehicle. Exactly what are you wanting to know?

[daveymc29]

I went to work for a few days for a sales place that would set a price then when a buyer showed interest they would tell the buyer that the seller had raised the price and he would have to call the seller. That call was made, but he told the seller that the buyer wanted the vehicle for considerably less money. Then if the seller loosened it a bit he would call the buyer and tell him the seller was stuck on a price higher than he had anticipated. Next call was to the seller to tell him that he had to come just a bit lower and eventually the sale was made. I left without trying to make a sale. Most are not like that, I hear, but some are really bad. This one paid a huge fine to stay out of jail and left the area.

[BRENT in 10-uh-C]

Originally Posted by daveymc29

I went to work for a few days for a sales place that would set a price then when a buyer showed interest they would tell the buyer that the seller had raised the price and he would have to call the seller. That call was made, but he told the seller that the buyer wanted the vehicle for considerably less money. Then if the seller loosened it a bit he would call the buyer and tell him the seller was stuck on a price higher than he had anticipated. Next call was to the seller to tell him that he had to come just a bit lower and eventually the sale was made. I left without trying to make a sale. Most are not like that, I hear, but some are really bad. This one paid a huge fine to stay out of jail and left the area.

That is why I have never been any good at car sales, ...especially selling Model-As. I wind up telling the potential Buyer everything that I see is wrong where the Seller needs to give the Buyer money for making the purchase so they can fix all the stuff I told them about.

[jm29henry]

Are they fair ? They told me 10 percent !
Does that seem fair ? it doesn’t seem to bad to me,I would really like the person buying the car to love it for I believe that we are just care taker for someone else will eventually own her .I am in a position that it makes scene to scale down to only one car for now but I love that car like a good friend

[BRENT in 10-uh-C]

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Originally Posted by jm29henry

Are they fair ? They told me 10 percent !
Does that seem fair ? it doesn’t seem to bad to me,I would really like the person buying the car to love it for I believe that we are just care taker for someone else will eventually own her .I am in a position that it makes scene to scale down to only one car for now but I love that car like a good friend

Well, my opinion is it is much like hiring a hitman to do 'ones dirty work for them. If you have the stomach for pulling the trigger yourself, then you save the fee. If you don't, then someone else does it for you. If you feel like you can present your car accurately to someone without being dishonest or misleading, then I would try it yourself. If you have a conscience and would rather not tell about all the flaws when asked, then hire someone to represent it for you.


The commission pricing is all about what you are getting for the deal. If all they do is place it on a social media site and answer questions, then 10% may be a tad high, but if they must store it in their facility and keep it 'front-line ready', then not so much. Also depends on whether we are speaking of a $10k car or a $50k car.

[Cool Hand Lurker]

I guess you have to ask yourself why you need a third party in the deal.

Is it advertising, getting a better price, confused with possible out of state transaction paperwork and payment, physical problems or other reasons? If you are really concerned with finding a buyer who will appreciate and keep your Model A forever do you think someone else could find the perfect buyer for you? It is hard to give you advice on what to do because every situation is different.

Selling anything is not fun for me but I do it mainly to see what the buyer is like. The price will depend on what we agree to and not some number out of the book. I go for a win-win situation with memories that I can keep.

You have to ask yourself what you want out of the deal and then find the way to do it. You might start out by listing it on Fordbarn and dealing with friends here.
And Good Luck.

[noyo55]

Make sure you read the fine print if you go the consignment route.Some of the specialty lots charge a "storage" fee as well as the commission. I came across this when I was selling my wife's 60 Coupe De Ville.

[jm29henry]

Brett, I love the analogy,I guess if you got a good one you don’t need to worry !
I glad to know to ask about hidden fees and put everything in righting. The exposure that they seem to put out on a car seem incredible and they do offer financing and shipping. But I think selling a car is only one part it seems stressful at the least

[daveymc29]

Just sold Vermin to a chap in Australia. His money is in my bank and the car is in a container bobbing around in the south Pacific. Could probably have gotten more money if I had parked it in front of the high school on weekends, but maybe not. I think we are both satisfied though probably neither feels it was a "good" deal, whatever that was, but it went through without a hitch and it started with a picture ad in the Restorer. The first call we had called it sold and a couple more to work out the details. I think he got a nice coupe for the price and hope he feels the same when it arrives. If not I'm sure he can part it out for a profit but will lose his labor. Meanwhile he can drive around in a nice looking 29 coupe that I believe will run fine for a long time.

[GerryAllen]

Originally Posted by daveymc29

Just sold Vermin to a chap in Australia. His money is in my bank and the car is in a container bobbing around in the south Pacific. Could probably have gotten more money if I had parked it in front of the high school on weekends, but maybe not. I think we are both satisfied though probably neither feels it was a "good" deal, whatever that was, but it went through without a hitch and it started with a picture ad in the Restorer. The first call we had called it sold and a couple more to work out the details. I think he got a nice coupe for the price and hope he feels the same when it arrives. If not I'm sure he can part it out for a profit but will lose his labor. Meanwhile he can drive around in a nice looking 29 coupe that I believe will run fine for a long time.

Dave, do you know the cost to ship it to Australia?

Gerry Allen Birch Bay WA

[ronn]

and finally, if this all sounds like a bit to much effort-

there is always the easy ebay. far less costly and end prices usually end up fair to both parties. you are looking at 125. total cost. no storage, no mess and no 10%.

[Jeff/Illinois]

ronn I gotta admit for all the E-Bay bashing that's done, I've sold two cars there over the years and came out alright. I got what the cars were realistically worth, I was always very upfront and honest, and did not mis-represent the cars. Like Brent, I would point out any flaws known to me. I took close up photos of any scratches or body work done. That is how I would like to have been treated as a buyer. Not all that hard to do. The fees were worth it, just a cost of doing business.

I was happy, the buyers were happy, so what's not to like

[jm29henry]

I didn’t think of that great suggestions

[whirnot]

I have sold a house, several cars and a motorhome on Craigslist.
Very happy with the process. If you price it correctly it will sell pretty quickly.

[1928Mik]

I have bought and sold cars over the years myself, and since my business is along a freeway I have also sold for other people since they know it's a prime location for selling cars. My take has ranged from $100 to $1000 depending on the car, the price, and the individual. I'm not greedy so I don't demand a high percentage, but it does take my time away from the business on occasion, so I have to get something for my trouble. Been happy with the results as the seller is normally called in to make the final deal just so no issues occur at the transaction..

[DD931]

I consigned my '48 F-1 to Classic Auto Mall in central PA. They were great in all respects. They presented the truck well - great pictures, etc. They have a huge showroom with many cars. It took just about 3 months to sell. I set the price and decided to lower it over time. No paperwork issues - they handled everything. I plan to list a 280Z with them in the spring.

[chap52]

Sold my 52 F! through We Be Autos and even though it took awhile (10 + mos) they handled all the advertising (lots). I was able to provide my own pictures and description of the truck. I kept the car and when they had a "real" buyer they called me with the offer. They took the buyers deposit then the full payment was wired to them. They in turn wired me my funds, I sent the completed title to the buyer.
Deal was completed on a Monday and the buyer's hauler was there on Wednesday.
Great folks to work with and I appreciated how easy it went. Chap
www.webeautos.com

[jm29henry]

Gateway auto is who I was checking out mixed reviews?

[JRrev]

I sold a brand X via Classic Auto Trader. All went well. Had advertised prior to that on CarsOnline to no avail. During this I did go to the Gateway location that you are probably referring to. I was hesitant as they told me their insurance would cover any mishaps such as moving the car around or from test drives. Upon getting home I read the detailed contract (that I hadn't signed). Clearly, it said my insurance had to cover the above situations. Never went back. Friends have used GR Gallery and were satisfied. Believe they recently moved from Canton to the north side. Classic Auto Showplace may be another alternative, again north side of Detroit.

[jm29henry]

Thanks JRrev , that’s good enough for me, if they don’t tell you everything upfront or hide some very important information that could cause you more grief,it simply not worth it to me thanks that is what I needed to know