When it comes to putting your supercar back on the market, you need to plan carefully. It takes a rare breed of buyer to appreciate the exotic and luxurious high-performance car you’ve owned and cared for—especially if you’ve poured a ton of after-stock love into it. You’ve pushed it past track records, kept it safe from scratches or vehicle theft, and refined its extreme beauty. Now it’s just time to pass your beloved gem onto the next owner who can experience all if its glory, allowing you to pursue your next high-speed venture.
The key, of course, is getting top dollar for your immaculate car from buyers who might lift their nose at a “used” status. If your goal is to receive the most back from your investment, be sure to keep these tips in mind before listing your supercar on the market.
- The Hardest Part of Owning… is Selling
First-time collectors know there’s little more exciting than sliding into their new, pristine vehicle, strapping into the seatbelt, and hearing that engine purr for the very first time. That experience can be so overwhelming, creating such a huge connection between you and your hot rod that, when it comes time to resell, you can hardly bear the thought of letting your baby go. Any offer you receive sounds grossly below value, the plans you hear about installing new tech or “making it their own” result in you feeling nauseous, and when a credible buyer eventually does come around… well, something still feels remiss.
Tip #1: Be prepared to sell. Let go of your attachment and personal bias. Remember that this is a numbers game and once you see yourself in that energy efficient electric car, memories of your old Porsche will become a distant past.
- Give it Some TLC
You probably think your supercar is perfect as-is, but beauty is in the eye of the beholder. Before you sell your car, you need to make sure it looks as good as new—if not better. All dents, dings, and scratches will need to go. The interior must be 10/10, so have the vehicle beautifully detailed all the way down to the volume dial. Find a mechanic you can trust who will guarantee that the electrical, suspension, and all other parts are functioning at their finest.
Tip #2: A used car buyer will look for all of these qualifications (and more) when checking the performance, ensuring it drives well, and surveying the exterior. Some shoppers are searching for buttery smooth shifting while others are looking for a car to be seen in. You need to cater to both if you want to make the most money out of your used car.
- Pick Your Platform and Pick it Well
If you’re planning on reselling your car on Craigslist… sorry but, the joke’s on you. A specialty supercar deserves a specialized selling platform; those run of the mill classifieds will do you no service if your goal is to achieve substantial offers near asking price from qualified buyers hoping to do business. Avoid an email inbox inundated with low ball offers and amateurs trying to play games by seeking a more professional platform that can advertise your car and all its worth.
Most luxury car sellers enlist a broker who can get them top dollar, but if you’re going the DIY route, turn to credible used-car sites over generic classified listings. Another option would be to enlist auction sites such as eBay that allow hunger car-hunters to compete for the best price by bidding higher and higher until you far surpass your initial asking price… which then makes the 911 Carrera 4S suddenly more attainable than that Porsche Boxster you had initially set out for.
Tip #3: When it comes to advertising and selling your used supercar—whether it’s a vintage Lotus Esprit Sport 350 or a recent model of today’s flagship cars—pictures are equally important as your selling platform. You wouldn’t purchase a home which listing pictures were shot on an iPhone 6 no more than you would invest in a luxury vehicle photographed in a blurry, pixelated resolution. It might cost you a bit upfront to hire a car photographer, but with the correct lighting and angle positioning, you might be amazed at how much more you could ask in price.
That new V12 engine is closer than you think; you just need the right selling strategies to offload your last investment into the next one.
