How would you like to own a used car business where everyone that comes to your lot has a huge smile on their face?
Well, that is exactly what Ray Claridge did with his Back In The Day used car lot that sells classic cars, vintage cars, muscle cars, and antique cars.
Back In The Day is located in Carson, California and has an inventory of about 70 cars, and Ray, the owner of the car lot, owns about half of them and the rest are from owners that left their cars their to be sold on consignment.
Recently, his used car inventory ranged from a 1915 Model T to a 2002 Chevy Camaro SS and everything in between. (Obviously the 2002 Chevy Camaro is a car they feel is destined to be a classic.)
Prices range from the cheapest being a VW camper van at $8500.00 to a 1971 Old Cutlass 442 W30 convertible that sold for $180,000.00. The average price for these classic cars is about $25,000.00.
Apparently muscle cars draw the most interest but vintage pickup trucks, both original and modified, are also hot sellers.
They sell about 100 cars per year with most sales being online to buyers from all over the world.
Check out this video about this classic car dealership…
Okay so maybe you don’t want a big expensive car lot like Back In The Day with all of its fixed overhead, but if you’re passionate about classic cars then there is no reason you couldn’t scale this down.
As usual, I’d like to know what you’re thinking so please leave your comments or questions below.
Steve
Hey Steve, I love old cars! This article was an inspiration to me. Thanks.
You are very welcome Wilson!
I’m going to be in that area next week and can’t wait to check out that guys car lot. The funny thing is that I know I’ll have a BIG smile on my face when I get there too. :-)
And I totally get that “big smile” thing too Jeremy!
What a great idea to specialize in selling classic cars. This is definetely the kind of used car niche I’d like to eventually move into.
Mark, I hope you will keep me posted on your progress please.
You were saying that most of their sales come from online customers from all over the world and that makes sense that the internet has internationalized the sale of niche-ee cars like classic cars.
Interesting article.
Thanks!
I agree. You are so right that the internet has made the sale of niche type cars, like classics, so much easier to sell because your customer base is global.