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What Is a Classic Car?
There’s no set definition of a classic car, but there are accepted characteristics that make a car a classic. To be considered a classic vehicle, a car must first be at least 10 to 25 years old. “Classic car” is more of an umbrella term that includes muscle cars, hot rods, luxury vehicles and some old sports cars. Whether your car fits the definition depends on the regulations set by your state, insurance provider or car-collecting club.
According to the American Collectors Community, for example, there are specific (though often subtle) differences between what constitutes a classic car, an antique car and a vintage vehicle. The quickest determinant is the vehicle’s age. Antique cars usually have a manufacturer date of 1975 or older, and vintage cars belong from 1919 to 1930.
While these three classifications of old cars are all different, they all apply to the “collector vehicle” idea. For the base of this article, however, we’ll refer to all as “classic” or “collector” cars. Some examples of popular collector cars include:
- 1963 through 1967 Mercedes-Benz 230 SL
- 1930 Cadillac V-16
- 1970 Oldsmobile 442
- 1957 Chevrolet Corvette
- 1972 Ford Mustang Mach 1
How To Sell a Classic Car
To sell your collector car for top dollar, there are a few steps you’ll need to take.
- Prepare the vehicle. You’ll need to give the car a thorough cleaning inside and out, gather all paperwork related to the vehicle, gather any and all spare parts and take well-lit photos to properly prepare it to sell.
- Set a target price. Before you can accurately price your classic vehicle, you’ll need to learn the car’s worth. Look at other classic cars for sale and see what similar models are selling for. You may be able to use a car value calculator, but your best bet for the valuation of a classic car is to contact an appraiser.
- Make a plan to sell the car. Determine where you want to sell the vehicle and how you’ll advertise it. Some people prefer classified ads in trade magazines, while others prefer to advertise their classic car on social media.
- Close the sale and get paid. Once someone has decided to purchase your car, prepare a bill of sale. You and the buyer should settle on a payment method.
To get the best price for your classic car, you should be up front about the vehicle’s condition and any issues the buyer may have after purchase.
You should also beware of “tire kickers,” or prospective buyers who don’t come to a decision when it’s time to purchase. You may get as far as a test drive with a tire kicker, but once it becomes clear they’re looking for issues with the vehicle, it’s in your best interest to show the car to other interested parties.
Where Can I Sell a Classic Car?
There are a few different ways to sell your collector car: through a classic car dealer or broker, online, at a car show or via classified ads. In the sections below, we’ll take a look at each.
Sell Through a Dealer or Broker
One of the best ways to sell your classic car is by enlisting the help of a dealer or broker. Dealerships are licensed businesses with many showrooms where people can physically inspect a vehicle. Though brokers may not always have a showroom, they know the car market and use their extensive knowledge to attract potential buyers.
Both dealers and brokers handle some of the more complicated aspects of selling a classic car like the advertising, financial aspects and important paperwork. In exchange for shouldering some of the hassle, they’ll take a percentage of the sale.
Sell Through an Online Marketplace
There are many online marketplaces specifically for selling cars. If you decide to sell a classic car through a website, first make sure that your car meets the site’s requirements. Carvana, for example, only accepts cars that were made after 1992.
If you choose a site that isn’t a direct purchaser, like Cars.com, you’ll need to set up meetings with potential buyers yourself after listing the vehicle.
You should also be aware of any fees associated with listing a vehicle for sale and what measures the site takes to protect sellers.
Sell Through an Auction
There are two types of auctions where you can sell a classic or exotic car: live and online. Both allow you to present the vehicle to a large number of prospective buyers. In a live setting, the auctioneer can help encourage bidders in the audience to drive the price higher — which is beneficial for you. However, if your car isn’t a popular model or otherwise doesn’t generate interest, you may have to sell it for less than you’d like.
Online auctions don’t have the in-person momentum, but you can set a time limit on how long to accept bids.
With all auctions, both live and online, you’ll likely have to pay a cut of the sale to the auction house or website. You also may be responsible for any shipping costs associated with the sale. Some auction houses or sites may only specialize in certain types of vehicles, like Ferraris or Porsches, which may keep you from selling your vehicle with them.
Sell at an Auto Show
Selling your classic vehicle at a show might be ideal, as you meet other exotic car enthusiasts. In some cases, you’ll need to rent a space to show the car, so be sure to factor that into the price. When selling a car at a show, it’s important to create flyers with photos of the vehicle and pertinent information like the make, model, condition and price as well as your contact information.
Sell Through Classified Ads
Taking out a classified ad, either online or in print, is a good way to sell your classic car. Car clubs and collector magazines often offer space for sales ads. Many will charge a fee, but it’s usually low.
Best Places To Sell a Classic Car
We researched some of the best places to sell your classic car and narrowed it down to our top three recommendations. Most sites will offer different advertising packages at varying price points that affect the audience size of your listing.
Classics on AutoTrader
Headquarters: Beaverton, Ore.
Years in business: 27
Better Business Bureau (BBB) rating: N/A for the moment
Autotrader is an online marketplace and aggregator of car sales listings. The company is not a direct buyer. For those looking to sell their classic car, Autotrader has a separate platform, Classics on Autotrader, specifically for high-end and exotic car sales.
How It Works
To sell your collector car on Classics on Autotrader, you’ll select from three advertising packages. The table below is a breakdown of each package.
| Premium | Basic | Basic | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Pricing | $149.95 | $99.95 | $59.95 |
| Ad duration | One year | Five months | Two months |
| Highlighted ad | One year | Two weeks | No |
| Featured seller | Yes | No | No |
| Photo limit | 100 photos | 35 photos | Four photos |
| Video capability | Yes | Yes | No |
| Search ranking | Premium placement in results | Enhanced placement in results | Standard placement in results |
Once you select your ad package, you’ll be taken to a page to upload photos and input your vehicle’s information. Buyers will then be able to see your listing and submit offers for your classic car.
Hemmings
Headquarters: Bennington, Vt.
Years in business: 69
BBB rating: B-
Hemmings initially started as a four-page newsletter for collector car sales classifieds in 1954 in Quincy, Ill. It has since grown to a site with over 20,000 searchable car sale ads and is one of the leaders in the classic car enthusiast space. You can choose to sell your car via Hemmings.com or through the company’s print magazine.
How It Works
Hemmings offers three different ad packages to choose from. All three packages list your classic car on the website as well as the magazine.
| Classified | Make Offer | Auction | |
| Pricing | $149.95 | $99.95 | $99.95 |
| Buying method | Calls and emails to you from potential buyer | Live offers and counteroffers on Hemmings.com | Live bidding on Hemmings.com |
| Buyer success fee | None | 5% of the accepted offer | 5% of the winning bid |
| Messages | Sent to your email | Managed through Hemmings account | Managed through Hemmings account |
| Online listing duration | Six months or less | Six months or less | 14 days |
| Print listing duration | One month | None | None |
| External promotion (social media, Google) | None | Yes | Yes |
| Included in Hemmings emails | No | Yes | Yes |
Once you choose your preferred package, you’ll enter your contact information and vehicle details and upload photos. If you choose the Auction or Make Offer packages, you’ll need to make an account in order to send and receive messages on the sales platform.
ClassicCars.com
Headquarters: Phoenix, Ariz.
Years in business: 21
BBB rating: C+
ClassicCars.com was founded in 2002 to provide an online platform for classic car sales. Now, it functions as one of the largest online marketplaces for classic and exotic cars.
How It Works
ClassicCars.com also offers three advertising packages, each with listings that don’t expire until the vehicle sells. If you purchase the Premium package, your listing will also feature prominently in the search results until it’s sold. The Plus package includes a similar offer, but the feature advertisem*nt status only lasts for four weeks.
| Premium | Plus | Regular | |
| Pricing | $349.99 | $179.99 | $129.99 |
| Listed until sold | Guaranteed | Guaranteed | Guaranteed |
| Featured ad | Until sold | Four weeks | No |
| Social media ad | Four posts | Two posts | No |
| Featured in newsletter | Yes | No | No |
After you select your ad package, you’ll be prompted to input your contact information. You’ll also provide photos of your classic car and details like the make, model and year.
Sell Classic Cars: The Bottom Line
The most important part of selling your classic car is learning its value. That will help you determine how to price the vehicle and where you want to sell it. There are many options, including in-person auctions and car shows, but one of the more popular methods is to list it with an online marketplace.
Selling a Classic Car: FAQ
Here are some of the most commonly asked questions about selling a classic car:
We found that some of the best places to sell your classic car online are AutoTrader, Hemmings and ClassicCars.com. All three companies offer different advertisem*nt packages, some of which include featuring your ad more prominently in search results.
Yes, there can be money in selling classic cars. The classic car industry is having a bit of a boom, according to a recent report from Creedence Research. In 2021, the global classic cars market was worth an estimated $31.1 billion.
The best way to sell your classic car for a good price is to use a broker or an auction house. Brokers can search for customers, while auctions gather a number of potential buyers into one place. Selling your classic car online is also a good option and has become more popular in recent years.
Our Methodology
Because consumers rely on us to provide objective and accurate information, we created a comprehensive rating system to formulate our rankings of the best platforms to sell your car. We collected data on several providers to grade each company in five key areas. The end result was an overall rating for each provider, with the car selling platforms that scored the most points topping the list.
Here are the factors our ratings take into account:
- Industry Standing: Our research team considers ratings from industry experts and years in business when determining this score.
- Platform: Platforms that offer a variety of features, including instant offers and multiple sales options, are more likely to meet consumers’ needs.
- Cost: To compare providers’ average offer prices, our team conducted a secret shopper analysis for a variety of vehicle types. We also considered the fees companies charge to use their platforms.
- Support: Car selling companies that offer strong transaction support received the highest scores in this category. This includes offerings like free pickup service as well as how quickly you receive your payment.
- Customer Experience: This score is based on customer satisfaction ratings on the Better Business Bureau (BBB) and Trustpilot as well as our team’s experience reaching out to each platform.
*Data accurate at time of publication.
