Selling a vehicle is a lot of work – and it SHOULD BE a lot of work. I have bought, restored, and sold several vehicles before. Every vehicle I have sold, I put a lot of effort into showcasing the work that I had done on it. This way, the buyer can fully realize the price that I was seeking was just and fair. This is why a seller’s efforts can greatly affect the sale price. Let me explain this in more detail.
We all want top dollar.
Everyone that sells something wants to get the most money for it, and why shouldn’t we? A lot of people attend or watch large car auctions on TV. They see a vehicle that is similar to what they have to sell for big money and their heart starts pumping. In most cases, the make and model are the same, but the car that sold and their own personal car are two different vehicles. I have seen this almost consistently, after a big auction takes place, that cars will pop up online and the sellers are asking for about the same money for their car as the one recently sold at the auction.
For example, let’s say the one at auction was a 1966 2-door Chevelle that had been restored. The one that pops up online is a 1966 4-door Chevelle and the owner wants the same money that the one at auction went for. These are two different vehicles, although they are both Chevrolet Chevelles. The other thing I come across online is someone listing a muscle car that has 4-doors. There was never a muscle car that was manufactured with 4-doors. All muscle cars were built with 2-doors and the era was 1964-1971.
Putting time into taking photos and videos matters.
A seller’s efforts no doubt impact a vehicle’s sale and the price. A seller needs to put time into the quantity and quality of pictures and videos taken. Potential buyers want to see every aspect of the vehicle, including interior detail, outside detail on every side and corner, inside the engine compartment, inside the trunk area, underneath, wheels, and tires. These pictures should include close-ups and from afar – and don’t shy away from being transparent about any imperfections. Buyers appreciate honesty.
The subject of the photo needs to be clear and centered from top to bottom. Take vehicle pictures from side to side with no other vehicles or distractions (including surrounding debris) present. Ensure you have plenty of proper lighting as well. Submit videos that are clear and cover cold starts, driving from inside, driving from the outside, and a walk around. While vertical videos are great for social media platforms such as Instagram and TikTok, landscape videos work better for website listings. For further detail on taking photos and videos, we provide a photo guide on our site for reference.
Documentation and record keeping go a long way.
The more records, documentation, photos, videos, or chronological display of the restoration process will instill so much confidence in a buyer. Looking through all these things when making a decision to bid and buy is like them being there when the restoration or chain of custody was happening. It gives them a chance to see the vehicle as if it were being restored, built or even maintained. This instills confidence in a buyer and they might even spend more because they can see basically behind the scenes. This example especially shows how a seller’s efforts go a long way.
Think like a buyer.
Try and put yourself in a buyer’s shoes. What would you want to see in order to make a decision on purchasing a vehicle? Do you just want to see the pretty pictures of the glossy paint and refurbished chrome? Or, would you like to see every piece supporting documentation, photos, videos, and maintenance records? Think like a buyer in order to positively influence your impact your selling price.
By Jim Ochs
