Ready To Sell Your Car The Easy Way?
Get a free, no-obligation quote — or contact us directly if you're not sure which service is right for you.
Ready To Sell Your Car The Easy Way?
Get a free, no-obligation quote — or contact us directly if you're not sure which service is right for you.
A classic or enthusiast car is worth the most to a small number of people who know exactly what it is. Selling it on behalf through a trader who understands the car puts it in front of those buyers, here and overseas, with the presentation, history and independent inspection they expect, while you keep ownership until it sells and never have to host a viewing. Here's why special cars are harder to sell than ordinary ones, what the right buyer needs to see, and how we go about it at MV Consignment.
A five-year-old hatchback has thousands of possible buyers, and most of them are looking at the same few websites. A 1950s Jaguar, a low-kilometre hot hatch or a period race car does not.
None of this means the car is hard to sell. It means it has to be sold differently.
Enthusiast buyers decide with their heads before their hearts get a say. Give them what they need and the car sells itself.
MV Consignment grew out of enthusiast cars, and they're still where we add the most. You can read how it started on our About page.
Every car gets a consignment-grade detail and a professional shoot of 25 or more photos, included in every package. For anything that deserves more, our standalone detailing service goes up to full paint correction.
On our Premium package ($429), which is built for performance, European, modified and classic cars, we add:
Premium extends marketing to our overseas buyer network. Signature ($749), for rare, prestige and high-value cars, goes further:
We work with an export and import partner, Skylines Downunder, for cars heading offshore, and we handle international shipping for the buyer. Within New Zealand, we arrange delivery nationwide.
Every registered vehicle we sell is independently inspected before it's listed, at our partner workshop, Spargs Auto Tune, or by a mobile inspector. Spargs deal directly with our buyers, so a buyer in another city can talk to the person who had the car on the hoist.
Race cars are the exception to the inspection rule, and we sell those too. Spargs have consigned a few of their own through us.
Every enquiry, viewing and test drive goes through us, and every buyer is dealing with a registered motor vehicle trader (MVT M0510401). Classics are kept in the garage while they're with us.
A few of the classics we've sold on behalf of their owners:
Past sales are examples only. We don't guarantee a sale or a particular sale price.
With an everyday car, the market tells you the price. With a rare one, you have to build the case.
We look at comparable sales here and overseas, the car's originality and history, what needs doing, and how many buyers there realistically are. Then we agree the asking price with you. If the market tells us something different once the car is live, you'll hear it from us straight, with what we suggest doing about it.
One piece of advice we give often: don't over-restore before you sell. Buyers of older cars frequently prefer honest originality to fresh work they can't verify, and you rarely get the money back. Ask us before you spend it.
The structure is the same as for any car we sell on your behalf:
Commission is only earned at settlement. The full breakdown is on our pricing section, and sell on behalf fees has worked examples.
If you have a classic, a performance car or something unusual to sell, ask for a free quote or call 027 474 8942. We'll tell you honestly what we think it's worth, who's likely to buy it, and which package fits.
New to selling this way? Start with how selling a car on behalf works, or read why sellers choose MV Consignment.
What is the best way to sell a classic car in NZ?
For most owners, having it sold on behalf by a registered trader who understands the car. Classic buyers are few, knowledgeable and often not local, so the car needs proper presentation, a documented history, an independent inspection and marketing that reaches enthusiasts, not only general marketplaces.
Can MV Consignment sell my classic car to an overseas buyer?
Yes. Our Premium package extends marketing to our overseas buyer network, and Signature adds direct placement with that network, with export logistics, shipping and paperwork fully handled.
Do you sell race cars and modified cars?
Yes. We take all makes and models, including modified, performance and race cars. Race cars are the one exception to our pre-purchase inspection requirement.
Should I restore my classic car before selling it?
Usually not without advice. Buyers of older cars often prefer honest originality to recent work they can't verify, and restoration costs are rarely recovered in the sale price. Talk to us before you spend money on the car.
What commission do you charge on a high-value classic?
Our indicative commission is 9% on sales of $10k-$30k, 7% on $30k-$60k and 6% on $60k-$80k. Every vehicle over $80k is priced individually, between 3% and 5%, so on a $100,000 sale that's $3,000-$5,000. Commission is only earned at settlement.
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Not sure which service is right for you? Send us the details and we'll get back to you — or call 027 474 8942.