we specialize in consignment sales

Most people know how a regular consignment sale works.  You drop off your items and let the consignment shop do the  work.  Once your item has been sold, you receive a check equal to the  sale price of your item, less the fees you pay the store.

This growing towards auto consignment has emerged based  on the same simple model.  The hassles of private car sales make car consignment well worth considering, but as you might guess, having  someone sell your used car is a lot different from having someone sell  your books.  To professionally market a high priced item like a car requires significant prep work, product knowledge, skills to facilitate  negotiations, the ability to meet buyers’ needs for financing, and a variety of other factors that complicate the  sale process.

The first step in vehicle consignment is the appraisal to determine your cars market value.  We will look over the car, ask you questions about  its history, check out the mileage,  assess condition and marketability,  and present you a valuation.

The valuation is the price we believe what your vehicle will sell for on the open market. The consignment appraisal is typically  thousands more than the dealer’s offer because it represents what many refer to as the “Private Party” price for your vehicle – in other words,  what another private buyer will pay for your car whereas the dealer’s price represents the “Wholesale” price for your car.

Marketing your vehicle properly is critical to selling it quickly and at the right price.  

We will properly photograph your vehicle and list your car on proper platforms to maximize exposure.  In addition to our own website listing, several of the most common platforms are Cars.com, eBay,  and Bring-A-Trailer other popular sites frequented  by car buyers.   We offer cleaning and detailing services to get your vehicle showroom-ready before it is  photographed and marketed to potential buyers. We understand, marketing your vehicle properly is critical to selling it quickly and at the right price.  Premium listings will ensure your vehicle is placed in front of the right shoppers.  

Pricing is an area where we set our selves apart.  We offer pricing guidance and advice but leave the ultimate  pricing decision in your hands.  We will provide our knowledge and understanding of the market and will aim to obtain the highest value possible for your vehicle.

While the advertised price is important, we ensure you are clear on how  much of the final sale price you get to keep.  We take a  percentage of the sale price, usually between 4%-8% with a minimum of a $1,000 flat fee.

Our model ensures that all the vehicles are treated equally.  

Perhaps the biggest benefit of vehicle consignment is that we handle the actual sale transaction.

We take the worry out of scheduling test drives, buyer inquiries, financing, and paperwork.  These essential pieces to private party car sales can take a great deal of your time.

We manage buyer negotiations, a valuable service  that can be a huge comfort to buyers and sellers, as negotiating  with strangers can be difficult.   In most transactions we act as a buffer between parties, making  the transaction anonymous to both sides.  On rare occurrences, we may ask to put you in contact with an interested buyer. 

While consignment can maximize the proceeds and speed of sale for the  seller, it is also a convenient and efficient option for vehicle  buyers.

Safety is a key concern, and we help protect sellers and buyers alike.  We have the ability to offer products and services that many buyers need but often cannot purchase on their own in the private market.  A few of these  services include:

• Vehicle Financing: Our experience allows us to help find ways for buyers to appropriately acquire financing for vehicles and can help navigate means for funding for vehicles which most lending institutions wouldn't normally look at.
• Extended Warranties: Consignment stores can help  buyers eliminate much of the risk of buying a used car by offering  aftermarket service contracts, which provide many buyers peace of mind  as they drive off the lot.
• Shipping: We have over 20 years of experience shipping vehicles directly to buyers, expanding your pool to shoppers nationwide and sometimes worldwide.

These valuable options are designed to help both sides of the transaction.  In addition to the buyer benefits outlined above, warranties, financing, and shipping make sales go more smoothly and quickly and are difficult for sellers to provide on their own.

When a vehicle is sold on consignment, the vehicle is essentially traded-in and the net sale price can be considered trade-in credit towards the purchase of another vehicle.  If you have interest to use MOTORVAULT to acquire another vehicle, we can apply the sale figure as trade-in value to help save additional taxes.  This scenario only applies if proceeds are left with MOTORVAULT and the vehicle you're purchasing is completed within the same calendar year.