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Hi All,
For reasons of time (lack of) and health (Ok, but could be better), I'm going to be downsizing and will sell our Packard this summer. I haven't sold anything for quite a few years and things have changed.

Can anyone give me a little advice, it seems like there are a million choices: ebay, this forum, aaca forum, Packard Club newsletter, put it in the front yard with a sign on it, consignment, auction, etc.

It probably goes without saying that I'd prefer the least monkeying around, the fewest tire-kickers, the most (reasonably) money, and someone decent to take care of it.

1934 1100. Original. I'm the third owner, I think; I have all the title copies going back to original. It's not perfect, but it is unrestored. It's been sitting in the house garage for the last 3 years, it's dusty. I'll get it out in the next few weeks. I have a picture, but right now I'm gathering information, Packardinfo, that is.

BigKev, If I put this in the wrong department, sorry, honest mistake.

Thanks, Bill

BillP,

This is simply my opinion and I hope that others will join in too and provide you with some thoughts.

I have a dear and close friend here in Tucson Arizona that owns a used car business that specializes in antique cars. He has told me so many times that it all depends upon circumstances at the time. He has bought and sold cars in a matter of hours and then some other desirable cars have sat at his business for several years. It comes down to what a ready, willing and able buyer will pay for a particular automobile at a given point in time. Your are correct that today there are so many options to chose from; auction, consignment or general sale via internet, club publication, newspaper or word of mouth. Some venues can be quick and easy and then others come with more degrees of aggravation (tire - kickers). I also know another man here in Tucson that is contemplating using his auto as a donation to an organization for tax purposes because of his unique situation.

Good luck to you. I'd love to see a picture should you be so inclined.

A lot rides on realistic pricing, at least imho. had lunch with an older collector last week who is sure he has a reasonable handle on value, from which he wil not readily move. he is probably high on what he has left. Conversely, some of the lowball offers are staggering the other way.

You do what you can to assure you are being realistic about price/condition. Sentimental value is meaningless. The car isn't worth more because you were born in it or your firstborn was conceived in it or it belonged to the dear departed so and so. I don't think I'd like to sell to a speculator, for a variety of reasons.

Do you need the money? If not, consider selling it more to someone that will appreciate it, rather than fussing over top dollar.

The more the car is worth, the tougher the call. Good luck!

One additional thought on tire kickers.

Most cars do not look as good as the pictures. From my perspective, tire kickers are part of doing business. Some are nuts, no doubt about it. others are like one of the new members of our club: new to the cars, unsure about price and condition or exactly what they want or what is available.

Dismissing them is arrogant and turns them off of our cars. This can be a wonderful opportunity to get someone going on these cars....if handled with courtesy and respect.

Thanks for your thoughtful and thorough responses. That is a very respectful approach to what I called tire kickers, I'd not looked at it that way.
On reflection, I guess I may have been a little too abrupt; maybe I should think of a new name for "those with nothing but your time to spend".
Regards, Bill

Do your homework to establish a REALISTIC price. From there u have to make a personal judgement call. IF hot to sell then cut the REALISTIC price by 15% and allow for aanother 5% lower offer OR drop the price 30% and FIRM PRICE and stick to it!

If NOT hot to sell inflate the price by 15 to 30%. Haggle from there down. But u mite be a LONG TIME selling.


Biggest mistake in eother case is to chase off serious buyers. Chase off serious buyers real fast by trying some old horse trader tactics. Such as "make me an offer". Or "come on over an look at he car and then we'll talk price". 95% of those that actually come to look at the car on a "make offer" tactic are just out as curisoity-seekers.

On the other hand if u establish a price that u know is realistic or lower and a caller tries to beat u down on the price BEFORE even looking at the car then u know u have a time waster on your hands and cut the conversation with him short.

A market is a market. THere are buyers and there are sellers. Unfortunately there are many many more day dreamers (on both sides of the market) than just the buyers and sellers.

If the car is not running then u got big problem selling. Even if it only runs good enuf to drive a couple of laps around the yard is very positive. But not running at all makes it a parts car price range unless it's extra sharp on details

Try Craigslist first. IF hot to sell it fast and get the best price then eBay is about the best choice. Be very accomodating of long distance buyers. Make it very convenient for them as possible which in some cases means u mite have to store car for them alot longer than u want to. Just get your money in a timely fashion for sure.
Sign in front yard is a waste of time and too many daydreamers unless u have a really good hi traffic location.

Bill,
First posts, such as yours, normally bring a greeting from me. However, in this instance, it's almost a farewell.

I also usually request inclusion of the owners Packard/s in the Packard Owner's Registry but see your '34 Eight Sedan is already included, and an early entry too before my Registry crusade began, so
.

But I will say, could you please let us know when you've sold your Packard so the Registry entry can be updated to reflect that occurrence?

Good luck with the sale.

For any car over 5k, i go straight to ebay. Not a lot of people with serious money shopping craigslist for classics, and if you are looking for a rare car that you would drive several states for, someone has to be checking all of the craigslists and not everyone knows how to do that.

Here's some good advice: DON'T set a reserve thousands below what you're willing to get, it's annoying and wastes time with mini-bidders who, if they do hit reserve, will back out.


If you want 15k for a car but would accept 14k, start the auction at 14K, be happy if it sells, and be excited if it goes past that. No reserve, no bs, put as many pics as you can and as much info as you have. List links to what other cars have sold for and explain why yours is a better deal. If it doesn't sell, it's usually free or cheap to just keep re-listing it. After the first auction doesn't get bidders, people will start low balling, and the action will start. It generally takes me a month to sell a car on ebay worth more than 10K, if it's a realistic price.



Tire Kickers:
"if handled with courtesy and respect."

Online, you'll get tire kickers who haven't even seen the car! I was selling a mustang for 13K, would take 12, and could sell as high as 15 on a lot. It was lower miles, better options, and better condition than most in that bracket. Got a million 8.5 and 10 offers, telling me that it was a fair offer and i should take it. I told most politely that if they only had that to spend, that they should look at a v6 auto mustang, not a v8 stick. The ones that offered below 8.5, i told them it was an insult, that they couldn't afford a mustang if that's where they were shopping, and to get educated before making offers.

Sold the car for 12.5 in about a month by just saying no thank you and stressing why it was a better deal than most.

If I had a car that I couldn't sell my self I would contact Shawn Miller of Significant Carshttp://www.significantcars.com/

Shawn's email and phone# is on his site, lots of good feedback on his transactions and business acumen. Thanks