Folks,
I am getting to that point in my life where I don’t enjoy bending under the bonnet anymore. I am asking for suggestions to sell my 1967 Series I Roadster. Full ground up restoration in 1995. 6000 babied miles put on it since then. Runs strong and looks beautiful. Gearbox is not original, but it is a Series I gearbox. I was going to go the Barrett Jackson route until I realized that any car without a $150,000 estimate goes for whatever price is bid. Add on the cost of getting the vehicle there, and the 8% commission and I might as well let it go to someone else for a little less money.
Fully documented restoration bills, photos etc.
I had some interest from a British Dealer last year who offered $70K. That looked low to me at the time, but you consider he had to get the car back to England and sell it and make a profit. So, that said, anybody have suggestions?
Oh wow, so they won’t let you set a reserve under 150k? Are you expecting less? It’s hard to guess without seeing more of it. I do think the market has softened but is starting to consolidate again.
You might want to check out more regional auctions if you have any near you. I’d second BAT. Roger got pretty good money for his 61 there. You could also first try a Hemmings ad if you aren’t in a rush.
Correct as many small flaws as possible before listing on BAT. People there poke hard.
When I lived in Houston I sold my 2+2 via a Hemmings ad within a week of placing the ad, and about a month before the print copies went out. A guy in Houston was willing to just about pay my asking price after seeing the car on Hemmings internet site and coming over and seeing it in person.
Great result. Was the ad price reasonable? I check out HMN occasionally and often see things up there for a while. They may just be fishing for high prices though. I’d certainly give that a shot before resorting to any auction. It just seems more controllable.
Barrett Jackson is NOT an EType venue. Bunch of muscle car guys that have only heard the false horror stories of those little furrin cars. BAT lists cars for $99 and you can set a reserve price. Several of the guys here all give good info to the false claims of lucas wiring and other issues that supposedly plaque the Jags to the uneducated there. Make some pro type photos and send them as many photos of everything up front. You also get to discuss the car with the group as the auction goes on.
IF I were selling my car, it would definitely be via BaT. I cannot conceive of another venue that gives you more exposure to a more knowledgeable audience. Be prepared to answer a myriad of questions and provide compression numbers, documentation, pictures, pictures, pictures, and more pictures. Go to the site and watch a live auction or review one for a car that’s already sold.
Completely agree with Jeff. I have been at Barrett Jackson in Scottsdale the last 4 years and that is not the place to sell a foreign or exotic car. Wrong audience for these cars. As noted, you are better off at BAT or if you want to go the auction route, R&M specializes in foreign and exotics and I always see a number of E Types selling for fair prices at their Scottsdale auction.
I am in the market for an E-type, after a lifetime of having various collectible cars. My first car was a 1955 XK140 OTS. I paid $600… Quite awhile ago obviously.
I sent the OP a private message but thought I’d add something here as well.
I found my 2+2 in the Houston Chronicle about 22 years ago. I only mention this to point out that your dream car could be advertised anywhere. Search broadly would be my advice.
There’s a guy specialising in brokering E-types who advertises regularly in the Hagerty mag. I do not know if he’ll lowball you too but it costs nothing for a conversation. Joe Bortz tyctallc@gmail.com. Otherwise BAT seems a good option, though I understand that if it does not make reserve the first go around they may be reluctant to allow a second.
If you want maximum value for your E-type you might want to consider researching what is involved in advertising and selling it yourself into the UK market where values are typically much higher. Some more experienced UK buyers, I expect, will be prepared, or even prefer, to purchase the car from you and organise the subsequent pickup and shipping arrangements from their end.
The text is worth studying for anyone listing a car for sale - lots of inviting language.
It was ‘purchased new… by its original owner’ - funnily enough, so was mine. So was yours I’d bet.
‘The previous owner commissioned a glass-out repaint’ - makes it sound like the Sistene Chapel or a John Singer Sargent portrait.
‘walnut dash panel inspired by the interiors of period Jaguar sedans’, 'retains a full suite of Smiths and Lucas instrumentation" and so on.
I am not mocking the ad - they really worked on presentation here to show the car honsetly yet in the best possible way. I believe that such things can matter (in the final sales price).
Wow, I was following that auction and didn’t even notice that bit of written legerdemain. Very coy indeed.
It was a fine driver offering. I don’t think it was oversold at all, but the seller managed to get around not having bare metal restoration photos very nicely, undoubtedly because he simply doesn’t have them, nor do I. The seller was also very interactive which creates trust.
