Sell Your Classic Car for Top Dollar

February 9, 2024

Updated: October 11, 2024

Get the most from your classic car with our low-cost, self-serve platform. PrivateAuto makes it easy to sell your vintage vehicle on your terms and get paid instantly.

Choose between an auction or a regular private sale.

Auction Your Classic Car on Private Auto

PrivateAuto is the best site to auction your classic car. Other sites charge huge fees and provide little value. We do the opposite. Check out the differences.

	Other auction sites	PrivateAuto
Cost	4–5% of car sales price, usually several thousand dollars.	Seller lists for $25 and pays a $150 closing fee. Buyer also pays a $150 closing fee.
Choose between auction or standard sale	No (except for eBay Motors)	Yes. PrivateAuto allows you to list cars for sale or auction them.
Transactional tech	No innovation. These sites connect buyer and seller and leave them to navigate the transaction on their own.	A complete technology stack to facilitate every phase of the deal.
Ease-of-use	Difficult to navigate	Intuitive to navigate
Communication with buyers	Clunky, exposes contact info	Securely handled via the PrivateAuto app; keeps your personal info private.
Identity verification	No	Yes. You can choose to deal with verified sellers only.
Funds verification	No	Yes. Weed out tire-kickers by dealing with buyers whose funds are verified.
Is the auction binding?	The auction is non-binding. The winning bid has the right of first refusal. The seller has no way to enforce follow-through.	Enforce immediate follow-through or winning bid is negated.
Payments	No support. Buyer and seller handle payment off-platform; all options are inconvenient, risky, slow, or expensive.	PrivateAuto Pay allows you to receive any amount of money, instantly, with no transfer fees. Like Venmo—for high-dollar transactions.
Escrow	Encourage you to use a third-party escrow service (inconvenient and expensive).	Self-administered escrow-like safeguards baked into the workflow.
Paperwork	No support	Electronically sign the bill of sale in the PrivateAuto app.
Shipping	No support	Book car shipping within the PrivateAuto app.
Inspections	No support	Schedule an inspection from a qualified mechanic within the PrivateAuto app.
Integrated services	None: buyer must coordinate between multiple parties.	Get insurance, car shipping, a warranty, an inspection, or financing within the PrivateAuto app.

Where is the Best Place to Sell My Classic Car?

When you go to sell your classic car, you have the following options:

1. Sell it online via a classifieds listing
2. Sell it via auction
3. Sell it to a classic car dealer

Image highlighting Buying/Selling Car Privately by PrivateAuto

Listing

You can list your car for sale on any or all of the many car-selling websites. If you can figure out how much to sell it for. Without many comparables, it’s hard to find a “fair market value” for an enthusiast car. Since your classic car can’t be easily priced with a vehicle value calculator (or Kelley Blue Book), you may be able to capture more value with an auction format.

Auctions allow you to see what the market is willing to pay.

PrivateAuto allows you to list your car for sale (standard sale format) or auction it.

Auction

While there are many car auction websites, they provide little value beyond allowing you to get potential buyers bidding on your car. PrivateAuto gives you a full suite of tools to do the deal, from listing your car to getting paid.

We have created an online auction service that is safe, secure, and convenient. We verify the identity of buyers to weed out fraudsters. We verify funds so that your winning bid isn’t a tire-kicker. And we allow you to get paid securely via PrivateAuto Pay.

But, hey, if you want to list your car on other auction websites, who are we to stop you? But we still want you to have the transactional security and convenience that our users enjoy.

That’s why DealNow was created. DealNow allows you to start a deal on any site, and close the sale anytime Invite the buyer to DealNow and fast-track your transaction.

Dealer Trade-In

Classic car dealers need to buy low and sell high. If you want to get top dollar for your classic car, you’re better off selling it to a fellow classics enthusiast.

What Is The Market For Classic Cars?

The current market for classic vehicles is growing. Check out the following statistics.

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According to Statista, the global classic car market revenue is estimated to be 31.6 billion U.S. dollars for 2022, with an expected growth rate of 9.6 percent annually until 2026.

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The global classic car market is projected to grow steadily from roughly 30.9 billion U.S. dollars in 2020 to some 31.6 billion U.S. dollars in 2022.

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Prices are dropping for used cars, but when it comes to classic cars. A study by The Classics Valuer found that used selling prices have risen more than 12% in 2023.

Where Can I Sell My Car for Cash?

If you want to sell your car fast, you can list it across multiple online marketplaces to get maximum exposure instead of lowering your sale price.

Fortunately, PrivateAuto lets you manage multiple listings through the PrivateAuto app. Our DealNow fast-track solution lets you get the deal done, even if you listed your car on online auction websites such as eBay Motors or Bring a Trailer.

Start your sale anywhere; finish it and get paid with PrivateAuto.

Simply create a deal room in DealNow, invite your qualified buyer, and enjoy DealNow’s transactional workflow. We give you secure messaging, test drive scheduling, electronic docu-signing, and instant payments.

Want to buy a car instead? Start your buying process now!

How Can I Add Value To My Classic Car?

With just a few steps, you can enhance your classic car's appeal and potentially boost its value.

1. Regular maintenance, such as oil changes, tire rotations, battery checks, and wheel alignments, is critical to its long-term health and value.
2. When you restore your classic car, you will increase its value. But be cautious when considering a restoration. Prospective buyers want a classic car that's as close to its original production as possible.
3. A valuable classic car usually contains original factory parts. Customization can devastate the value of a classic vehicle. Make sure the engine, transmission, rear axle, and other key parts contain original part numbers.
4. New tires increase safety and aesthetics. On a collectible car, it's best to buy tires that are as close to the original as possible. If the rims are dented or damaged, they should be repaired as well.
5. Enter classic car shows: Participating in car shows can help increase your classic car's resale value. Stay local or travel to various shows to showcase your vehicle1.
6. Collectors and classic car appraisers value a vehicle that has the same components it came with or parts from the same era. If you preserve the original parts and components you will help increase the value of your classic car.

Which Site is More Secure?

PrivateAuto offers greater security and safety than other auction websites.

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Buyers and sellers have their identities verified, weeding out fraudsters who prefer to operate anonymously.

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Buyers have funds verified, weeding out tire-kickers who can’t afford the seller’s car.

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Secure encryption keeps everyone protected.

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Unlike auction websites—which force buyer and seller to exchange contact info to conclude the transaction—PrivateAuto allows you to easily do the deal without ever giving out personal information.

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Electronic docu-signing binds both parties to a legally-enforcable contract, so the buyer can safely transfer funds to the seller without the concern of the seller reneging.

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PrivateAuto Pay gives you escrow-like safeguards—without the expense and inconvenience of a third-party escrow service (and without the risk of falling prey to an escrow scam).

Image highlighting Selling Car Privately by PrivateAuto

How to Sell My Classic Car in Each State?

Different states have different documentation requirements for private-party car sales—classic cars as well as for vehicles that are less than 20 years old.

You have to pay attention to issues such as:

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Whether to leave license plates on the car or remove them

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Whether an inspection is required or not

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Whether a bill of sale is required or not

That’s why we’ve created a guide to selling your car in each state.

Click on your state below to learn more.

Classic Vehicle FAQ

Are classic cars good for beginners?

Classic cars are not ideal for beginners. Classics require a lot of maintenance and can have tricky handling for driving novices. Better to start with newer used cars to build experience first.

Are classic cars good for daily driving?

Do classic cars use more fuel?

What are the disadvantages of classic cars?

What is the difference between vintage cars and classic cars?

What is a self-serve auction?

Should I auction my car on the Hemmings auction website?

Brad Parker

Contributing Author

Brad Parker is the CEO and co-founder of PrivateAuto, where his dynamic entrepreneurial spirit and visionary leadership are driving the transformation of the automotive industry....