How to Buy a Classic Car Online
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Focusing on quality collector cars, we showcase unique, rare, and high caliber cars from all eras of automotive history. We value cars that are either well-preserved originals or have undergone full restorations and which have the documentation and pedigree to complete the story.
- Relative to other high-end auction houses, our fees are competitive. The buyer’s fee is 8% of the sales price plus a $395 documentation fee. Our seller’s fee is 2% of the sales price plus $0 for a no-reserve auction or $980 for a reserve auction.
- Professional photos and 3rd party inspections for all! Included with the seller’s fee, all sellers get a professional photographer, videographer, and independent professional vehicle inspector sent to your home or car’s location.
- A Civil Auction Experience - No “Sniping.” In order to eliminate last second bidding or robot “sniper” bids, our auction clock will automatically reset back to 3 minutes remaining anytime a bid is placed within 3 minutes until close. In other words, if a bid is placed with 0:58 seconds until close, the auction timer will reset back to 3 minutes remaining. This process will happen until no more bids are placed within the last 3 minutes.
- Classic Promenade is the first and only auction platform to also have 12+ years of dealer experience and networks. We understand high-quality service—exactly the type of experience that you will receive with Classic Promenade Auctions.
- Submitting your car is easy. We only ask a few crucial details before letting you know whether or not we have accepted your car. You will not waste your time providing a lot of upfront information only to have your car rejected.
- Classic Promenade Auctions is the online collector car auction offering a full-service, fully transparent experience. Other online auctions leave the buyer and seller on their own to figure out all the details of each transaction. Classic Promenade Auctions will be with you every step of the way to ensure an accurate, efficient and smooth sale.
The auction timer is synchronized to Internet Time (official, universal clock for all online devices). For most users, if your computer or mobile device is relatively new, connected to the internet, and running an up to date operating system, your clock will automatically be synchronized. If you are unsure if your device is synched, or want to manually adjust your device’s clock, please see links below.
As a best practice, we recommend to all bidders that you regularly click the “Refresh” button on each auction listing page. This is especially important in the last 20 seconds of an auction until close. It may be the case that your device shows a car as sold, while another bidder may have a few more seconds on their clock, resulting in your loss of the sale. To alleviate this, simply refresh your page.
Learn about Internet Time: https://www.timeanddate.com/time/internettime.html
Sync Clock on Windows: https://www.groovypost.com/howto/synchronize-clock-windows-10-with-internet-atomic-time/
Sync Clock on Apple: https://support.apple.com/en-us/HT203413
How It Works
How to Buy a Classic Car Online
Bidding on a car means that you are agreeing to buy it. Classic Promenade strives to be transparent as possible with each car. That said, we still suggest you do your due diligence before placing a bid. If you do not intend to actually buy the car—do not place a bid.
The person who places the highest winning bid becomes the buyer (for no reserve vehicles, or when the reserve is met or exceeded). The buyer pays Classic Promenade Auctions a commission of 8% of the selling price plus a $395 doc fee. Keep in mind that all bids are binding, and there are no refunds should you wish to change your mind. See our full Auction Sellers Agreement here.
After the auction, we will work with both the buyer and seller to finalize all the details and logistics of the sales transaction. The buyer and seller will be placed in contact with one of our client services professionals to assist through closing of the deal.
How to Sell My Classic Car Online
All motorcars sold on Classic Promenade are subject to pre-sale evaluation. Once you have submitted your car, one of our Team Members will review your submission and get back to you in about 24 hours. If we believe your car to be a good fit for our auction, we will contact you to assist in the coordination of what type of fee structure is best for you.
Our experts will then begin to construct your car’s description based on the information that you provide. Ultimately, you are responsible for the accuracy of the description, so your approval is vital. When you sell a car through Classic Promenade, we will provide the professional photographer, videographer, and vehicle inspector to give your buyers a clear, accurate and genuinely transparent overview of your car.
Each seller may choose whether or not to set a reserve. Our expert staff can assist and make suggestions if need be. If you should decide that a reserve price is the best option for you, please refer to our Fee Structure section. If you have any questions about how to sell my classic car online, contact our experts today.
Frequently Asked Questions
Seller Questions
To submit a car for sale, you’ll first need to create an account. From there, simply click the “Submit a Car” link and follow the prompts. We will need your car’s make, model, year and VIN number. It is also important to include photos and any other information that you might consider to be relevant to the sale of your car. If we feel that your car is the right fit for our site, we will contact you within 24 hours to coordinate further.
We specialize in high-end collector cars, meaning antiques, classics, some customs, and high-performance modern cars. We are looking for any and all cars that get us excited as collectors.
Our Sellers are welcome to provide a “Start Date” preference, and we will do our very best to schedule your car’s auction on your preferred date, however we may recommend certain time slots that may be more successful in reaching your target audience.
In order to sell your car, we will need the basic information (i.e. vehicle make, model, year & VIN number). It is also imperative that we receive a copy of the title of the car in order to verify the VIN. We also highly recommend any documentation (receipts, books, etc.), historical photos (if the car was restored), and any awards your car may have won.
The cost to sell a car with us is $980 (or $0 for no-reserve). This fee includes the costs incurred to hire the photographer, videographer, and inspector and to create and upload your car’s listing. Once your car sells, we ask for 2% of the sales price – that’s it.
Of course! Placing a reserve price on a car auction site means that the seller has set a minimum price that must be exceeded or matched. This is also the minimum price that a vehicle’s seller will accept as payment for the vehicle.
Yes. There are always exceptions, but in most cases yes.
Once your car is up or sale on our website, you auction lasts a total of 7 days. However, we understand that every situation is different and there can be times when it is more appropriate and/or beneficial to extend your car’s auction out to 10 or even 14 days.
No. Not as a general rule, but there are always exceptions that we could accommodate you with. Just contact us!
Our Collector Curators and staff write up the descriptions of all the cars. Selling your car with us is all about trust, and our primary goal is to make sure that we are representing your car accurately. When we write up your car’s description, rest assured that we will present your car with an educated, professional tone that will pay close attention to detail, historical reference, and significance of your car.
We will share buyer and seller contact information upon closing of an auction. We are also here to help assist in the transaction process by offering escrow services.
In the event that your auction closes, but the bidder backs out of the sale, the following will occur. First, our customer service staff will work with buyer to address any concerns, logistical hurdles, etc. We will relist your car for free and return the 2% seller fee. We will also reach out to the second highest bidder to see if close we can’t reach a deal offline before relisting. Lastly, we will remove the bidder from community.
Buyer Questions
To register with Classic Promenade Auctions, you must first create an account. Before placing your first bid, you will be asked to provide your credit card info. A hold will be placed on your card for 8% of your bid. If your bid wins, we will help coordinate with you and the seller to make the purchase transaction as smooth as possible.
Every car we list will has been inspected by a professional, independent 3rd party. If you would like to inspect the vehicle yourself, please contact us and we will help coordinate a time between you and the seller.
Once you have registered on our site, and you find a car that you are interested in purchasing, just click “place bid” and your offer will automatically be submitted. Remember that in order to compete in the bidding process, you must place a bid higher than the current dollar amount offered. Once you begin to bid on a car, we place a hold on your credit card for 8% of your offer the auction closes or you are outbid.
No “Sniping.” In order to eliminate last second bidding or robot “sniper” bids, our auction clock will automatically reset back to 2 minutes remaining anytime a bid is placed within 2 minutes until close. In other words, if a bid is placed with 0:58 seconds until close, the auction timer will reset back to 2 minutes remaining. This process will happen until no more bids are placed within the last 2 minutes.
The buyer’s fees are 8% of the sales price plus a $395 doc fee.
We place a hold on your credit card as an act of good faith for both buyer and seller. Remember, placing a bid is an intention to buy the vehicle. Placing a hold ensures everyone that the funds are available should your bid be the winner. If you bid on a car and you are not the winning bidder or are outbid, we release the hold on your credit card immediately.
You may contact the seller directly through our auction description page of the vehicle that you are interested in buying. Click on the seller’s username, and you and the seller will be able to messages back and forth in a private chat.
If the reserve price is not met, but the highest bidder comes close to the reserve price, we will contact the buyer and seller, and work with both parties to assist in the closing the sale offline.
Classic Promenade Auctions is not for everyone. We are proud collectors who strive to preserve the standard of being the premiere higher-end collector car auction site.
We will coordinate with you and the seller to ensure proper bills of sale are created and can even act as an escrow.
Yes. We want Classic Promenade Auctions to represent not just the buying and selling of collector cars, but to symbolize the experience that the cars embody. It’s the story and relationships that are formed around the cars that has made us passionate about the hobby in the first place. In order to participate in the auction events, you must first sign in and join and remember to HAVE FUN!
