part 3 Get the most of a car sale
Bring a Trailer also has an active, involved fan base, so we felt it was the proper place to sell a unique car that we admit needed some work. That same audience can be a chatty one, too, so budget plenty of time to answer their questions. (On the plus side, you can argue that those questions, no matter how silly, help vet a sale.)
The actual listing process was easy: We uploaded about 50 photos, approved the ad copy, and waited for the auction to start.
The first bid, $500, was okay for a no-reserve auction. The comments and the bidding continued from there, and a week later the hammer fell at $19,500. Considering we had less than $10,000 and a few days worth of work in the car, thats a nice profit. After receiving payment, we waited for the buyer to arrange shipping. Then we watched the Tiger go away.
What did we learn here? Buying and selling project cars can be as easy as you want to make it. As with most things, though, a little extra work can pay off in extra dollars.
Shot Checklist
three-quarter view from each corner
straight-on front, rear and sides
close-ups of each lamp
close-ups of each wheel and tire
into the car from every door, w/ door open
every seat
temperature controls
instrument cluster
mileage
shifter
radio
steering wheel
sunroof and headliner
straight on into trunk
under hood
VIN plate
engine number
close-ups of emblems
close-ups of all known trouble spots
owners manual
keys
any extra parts, new or old, cleaned and organized
Bonus:
undercarriage, which should include each corner of the suspension
floors
exhaust
all frame rails
differential