The market for classic and special vehicles has always had a certain appeal. Many of the most valuable examples are kept in the garages of owners who never advertise them. Not because they don't want to sell their car, but because they are put off by the traditional sales process: strangers dropping by unannounced, test drives with valuable vehicles and the uncertainty of who is actually at the door.
Overcoming hurdles
This hurdle is higher than you might think. A classic car is rarely just a means of transportation - it is often an object into which years of care, passion and money have been poured. The thought that a complete stranger might drive it onto the road, or worse still, that someone might simply turn up at the door to view it without any serious interest in buying it, is reason enough for many owners to give up on selling it altogether.
New approach: online auctions
Online auctions have broken this pattern. The vehicle simply stays at home, the owner determines the conditions completely, and buyers from all over the world can bid. The result: a constantly changing selection that would simply be impossible to find through traditional channels. A European and transatlantic selection, from the comfort of your own home. For car enthusiasts, this is perhaps the biggest revolution in decades.
Route 66 Auctions offers over 200 auction items online every week - cars and motorcycles from sellers in over 60 countries worldwide. The focus is on Europe and the USA, which means that as a buyer you have access to a broad and familiar market: well-documented vehicles, accessible sellers and established trading practices on both sides of the ocean. This international reach makes all the difference.
A special carbureted version of a BMW 2002 that is virtually untraceable in the Netherlands could be sitting in a garage in Bavaria. A rare British sports motorcycle that is rarely seen in this country could suddenly be within reach via an online auction. The geographical boundaries that once defined the search field of enthusiasts practically no longer exist.
The diversity of this selection is what makes online auctions so attractive. As sellers hardly encounter any hurdles when listing their car or motorcycle - no advertising costs, no strangers, no effort - even people who would otherwise never sell take part. This results in exceptional items: well-maintained first-hand cars, barn finds with patina, carefully preserved vintage motorcycles or simply a beautiful classic car that has seen its best days.
Route 66 Auctions now has over 150,000 active users and offers an unparalleled selection every week. In addition, the auction format itself guarantees transparency. The price is based on the bids of several interested parties - not on the dealer's margin or the price set by the seller. For the buyer, this means a fair market price. For the seller, it means that a special or rare car or motorcycle can achieve its true value, even if this is difficult to assess on the spot.
Selling without risk - whoever offers the vehicle defines the conditions
The online auction model also offers advantages for the seller that the traditional market cannot offer. The core: you set a minimum price in advance. If this price is not reached, the car or motorcycle is simply not sold - and you pay nothing.
At Route 66 Auctions, the rule is: no sale means no cost. It's as simple as that. In the meantime, you don't have to move the vehicle an inch. It stays at home in the garage until the transaction is complete. No test drives with strangers, no strangers walking across your property, no annoying renegotiation.
Route 66 Auctions takes care of the entire sales process - from registration to closing. And once the auction is over, the money is safe in your bank account. This sales process starts with a good presentation of your vehicle. Route 66 Auctions helps prepare the auction so that the car or motorcycle is presented in the best possible way to the international target audience. Detailed photos, a clear description of the history and condition - all these elements contribute to determining the final proceeds. The better a vehicle is presented, the more likely it is that bidders from all over Europe and the USA will bid. This makes Route 66 Auctions interesting not only for those who have already decided to sell, but also for undecided owners.
After all, who wouldn't enjoy a non-binding trial where you simply don't have to do anything if the proceeds are disappointing? The hurdle for a trial is zero - but the potential proceeds are all the higher. The car that no one else is offering for sale.
More information can be found on the Route66 website.
