Consignment Showroom Model
 

Anyone know of an auto sales operation in the area that operates on a consignment model? CarLotz is one with several locations, but closest is in Richmond.

Considering opening a local showroom that specializes in Porsche, and maybe other high-performance German cars. Would provide sales services to owners in exchange for a percentage-of-sale-price fee.

Interested in all views/info/suggestions.

There is a well-known place in Rockville that sells a lot of classic cars/ hot rods, and I believe some are consignment cars. Sadly the name of the business is eluding me right now.

Fleming's Ultimate Garage

Fleming's Ultimate Garage is a place I like to visit a few times each year. Their inventory covers most everything under the sun.

But they are not the place for a bargain-hunter :roll:

Cherner Classic Cars?

Cherner Classic Cars went out of business years back.

Consignment model frequently results in something other than a bargain. If the owner was offering the good at a bargain price, they would not need the dealer to offer their assistance marketing the item. The dealer would simply buy the good and mark it up for sale. Or the seller would be able to sell it to a customer directly. Consignment works where rarity of good and rarity of buyer allow for the mark up by the consignor to be accepted by the buyer and seller.

In the car market, the ability to cheaply market cars for sale online through enthusiast sites makes the niche for car consignment specialized IMO.

Dave Olympi does something like this....its more brokering than a showroom though. I don't know him personally, but he has a website.

Foreign coach works (PCA) guy in NC is where I got my car. Exactly as you describe.

"Consignment model frequently results in something other than a bargain. If the owner was offering the good at a bargain price, they would not need the dealer to offer their assistance marketing the item. The dealer would simply buy the good and mark it up for sale. Or the seller would be able to sell it to a customer directly. Consignment works where rarity of good and rarity of buyer allow for the mark up by the consignor to be accepted by the buyer and seller.

In the car market, the ability to cheaply market cars for sale online through enthusiast sites makes the niche for car consignment specialized IMO."


Of course, many sellers offer their cars for sale online (eg; Craigslist, Auto Trader), and do OK. While others don't want to go that route (eg; deal with strangers, prep the car for sale, spend time describing or showing the car, negotiate price, etc.).

Consignment does offer the seller, who lacks the interest or time to sell their own car, a way to get out of the car at a higher price than would be offered by a dealer. That's a bargain for those sellers.