Why the World's Best Collector Cars Never Reach the Open Market
New Since getting into the car market over 30 years ago, I’ve been a strong believer that the rarest collector cars aren’t usually sold online. They’re sold through relationships.
At first I thought it was simple, you have a car, list it online and someone will buy it, but, as my career has progressed I’ve noticed more and more that for a certain market people buy from people.
Some of the most significant deals take place away from the “normal” means of selling. These cars never appear on Auto Trader, Collecting Cars, or even the world’s leading specialist websites, and they rarely become the subject of public discussion until long after they’ve changed hands and appear at a show, or in a new location.
Yet, these cars are bought and sold every week. Hundreds of thousands, sometimes millions of pounds worth of car, without anyone knowing.
As people find out about this, I’m often asked how the really special cars change hands without anyone knowing they’re available?
And my answer, as simple as it may sound, is trust.
Avoiding The Ads
Now, at first glance, it’s easy to assume that every owner wants to achieve the widest possible exposure when selling a valuable car and, in most markets, that makes perfect sense - the more people that see the car, the more likely it is to sell…right?
Usually, yes.
But the collector car market is different.
When you’re dealing with cars in excess of £500,000, publicity isn’t always an advantage and, in many cases, it’s exactly what the owner wants to avoid, preferring to stay away from the limelight where possible.
From market speculation, and privacy concerns to low ball offers and chancers, there are a multitude of reasons why a discreet listing is desired, often being ranked on par with the value of the sale.
The World’s Best Cars Often Aren’t Officially For Sale
Similar to the above, a common misconception in our industry is that every car available to buy is already on the market - how can someone list what they don’t know they’re going to sell?
I’ve had conversations that began as simply as “if the right collector came along, would you ever consider selling?”.
And, six months later, that one question resulted in a successful transaction. Not because anyone advertised the car, or the owner suddenly needed to sell, but because the right opportunity presented itself.
That is often how significant collector cars are bought and sold, without the glossy adverts.
Relationships Open Doors That Money Alone Cannot
It’s these questions coming from the right people that often open doors that money itself can’t. All too often people fall into the trap of assuming that access to exceptional cars is simply about having the largest budget.
It isn’t.
I’ve personally seen numerous collectors with substantial resources struggle to buy a particular car because they approached the process in the wrong way. Likewise, I’ve seen owners choose a buyer who wasn’t offering the very highest figure, because they looked beyond the finances.
True collectors and owners love their cars and, even when letting them go, want confidence that their car is going to someone who genuinely appreciates its history rather than viewing it as a quick investment.
That level of trust isn’t built overnight, it’s developed over years of honest conversations with those around them and building genuine relationships with potential suitors.
Every Introduction Carries Responsibility
Because of the power of a relationship, one aspect of the business that often goes unnoticed on my behalf, is the responsibility that comes with making an introduction.
When introducing a buyer to a seller, both parties are placing their confidence in me to effectively facilitate that relationship.
To do this effectively I have to understand far more than just the car.
On the sellers side I need honesty, are they ready to transact, do they have realistic expectations for the sale.
On the buyers side I need to consider the authenticity and honesty, have they completed the due diligence, do they understand the real life significance of the vehicle?
It’s my role to not only introduce the two, but also protect the two. To do this it’s about creating a level of comfort, and more importantly trust, between the two parties, encouraging conversations that otherwise may not have happened in a public environment
The Value of Patience
One of the hardest lessons in the collector car market is recognising that the perfect opportunities cannot be forced. Sometimes finding the right car takes weeks, sometimes it takes years, there’s no golden rule or set time.
There have been occasions where I’ve remained in contact with an owner for a considerable period before the timing was right.
During this time I never pressured those buying or those selling, it was never about the quickest way to make a sale, it was about building genuine relationships that organically foster a sale between two parties that ultimately want the same thing - the best for the car.
Final Thoughts
At SuperClassico, I don’t believe our role is simply to locate cars.
We function to understand people, what are their motivations? How do they operate? How will they behave during the buying and selling processes?
Understanding the parties involved is every bit as important as understanding chassis numbers, production figures or factory options because behind every exceptional collector car is an equally interesting human story.
It’s as a result of these factors that the greatest opportunities aren’t found online or in adverts, they’re found through human interaction and conversations long before a car is ever listed “for sale”.
