Advice required

[Kerry]

It looks as if I may have to sadly sell my 86 Excel SE due to ongoing back problems with the offset seating position making it worse.
I was enquiring as to how much I should sell her for? The club has valued her at £13,500. I know it's a very su jective question but any advice would be greatly appreciated

Thanks

Kerry

[supraholic]

Don't know about where you are, but here in the U.S., the online classic car auctions seem to be growing in popularity, at least from the perspective of sellers. You post 100 to 200 high-resolution detailed photos, a cold-startup and driving video and that seems to satisfy enough bidders to get pretty high bids. The auctions are always very short, usually seven days, which means that you probably won't even have to show the car (avoiding joyriders, tire-kickers and no-shows) since most bidders are scattered around the country and can't make arrangements to cancel appointments, take off work and travel on such short notice.

You can set a high reserve and then watch what happens. If you get a lot of bidders going after it, yet it doesn't meet reserve, then you know that's all the market will bear. You can always lower your reserve to meet the top bidder in that situation. If you have few bidders, then you would likely be better off to stick to your price, wait six months for some new shoppers to enter the market (or for some of the same people who might have just been preoccupied last time and missed it) and try again.

You could also try selling it through a consignment dealer. As a buyer, I might pay a little more, but I'd rather do that since there is no rush and they will usually make it available for a thorough inspection. But I hurt my back last weekend while pulling a Jaguar transmission. I know what you mean, just getting in and out of the Lotus. I hope I don't wind up in the same situation.

[Kerry]

Thanks for the info Phil, I am in South Wales
Kerry

[MetBlue]

Based on recent trends, the trade seem to be asking (and I assume getting near to) mid teens (. sometimes high teens) for what I must assume are well sorted, good paint and interior cars.
A good car on private sale ought therefore to be able to attract low teens, but it could be a long wait for the buyer (and IMO, the car would need to be near show room condition - and record of light regular use).
Tony

[Hawaiis0]

Please be mindful that very few cars recover the expense expended by owners at the next point of sale. Spending 40K on a refurb wont make a 10k car worth 50k this year.

Metblue's comment on a tidy car making low teens privately is sound and could be achievable.

Also note that as prices are on the move this could be the last time you ever get the chance to keep one.

Good luck

[Kerry]

Thank you very much Tony so grateful. Kerry

I take your point. Have had car for past 12 years and had things done over time, eg respray, new headlining, windscreen etc. Not had much use due to illness and covid and now my back is giving up the ghost....must be an age thing.

Kerry

[Kerry]

Thank you Haiaiiso, very much appreciated.
I am not happy having to make this decision after 12 years of ownership. However, it seems as if my back is forcing the issue, as much as I am trying to resist it.

Kerry