Lewis

Nov 6, 2024

Fantastic people, not a flawless platform.

My review is a review of two parts, perhaps appropriate as there were in fact two auctions for my one car (more on that in a moment). I chose a car and classic auction as a hassle free way to find a new owner for my classic. I made initial contact with a member of the team and after a friendly chat, discussed packages and how the platform differed from some of the rival online specialist car auction sites. The member of the team was very honest and didn’t try to sell me the most expensive package which was refreshing! A photographer (also very nice) was arranged, the car shot and the draft description loaded onto the site. The auction took place with the car selling for above its reserve figure, unfortunately this is where the problems began. The car sold on a Thursday night, it was my first time using the platform, so checking what should happen next, I learned I would receive acknowledgment once payment had been made via the escrow payment system and then I would receive the purchasers details. By Sunday I had heard nothing from car and classic themselves or the purchaser, so sent an email asking for a status update, on the Monday morning I called the member of the car and classic team I had been dealing with, who dropped the bombshell- the winning bidder did not have the funds in place and was reneging on the deal. I appreciate this happens on eBay, but a car and classic auction is a premium product, one in which as a seller you pay considerably more in costs to sell your vehicle. To me it seems frankly crazy you can hypothetically purchase any vehicle for any sum of money, with zero accountability or financial penalties if you change your mind. As an idea- what about a flat fee of say £500 to be charged from your card if you are successful in ‘winning the auction’, surely there must be a better way than the current system?! From this point on (name check time) Henry Smith was super, he tried to secure a sale with the under bidder, when this failed he tried another bidder and eventually suggested the best way forward was a second auction. At each of these points, he called me when he said he would do and offered excellent professional advice. The car ‘went live’ for a second auction and once again Henry was excellent, checking in on the last day of the sale and the following morning after the car had sold, ironically for more money than the first time! Thankfully this story had a happy ending as the second buyers were lovely, they paid, they collected and they are delighted with the car. Would I use car and classic again? Yes I would, because of the excellent individuals they have working for them, rather than for the overall quality of the product offered. Please if you read this, close up these loop holes that allow time wasters to rot out what is otherwise a great platform!