Someone has suggested that to get top dollar for my super clean '75 1.8, I should try to sell it to someone in Europe. Is this feasible? What's the downside of a transaction like this? Thanks!

Funds transfer?

Sure...but international wire transfers are common. And the car doesn't leave/title transfer until funds clear with my bank.

Edit

That’s fine for you but requires a huge amount of trust on behalf of the buyer.

I bought my 6 conversion from someone in Minnesota sight unseen on the strength of a looong phone call, some background research on the seller and his cars, the ad from which he bought the car and the PPI paperwork he had from when he bought the car. It was a leap of faith and I had to pay to have the car trucked to an east coast port and then put in a shared container and put onto a ship to the U.K.. It all worked out fine and I’m still in contact with the seller; he is/was the real deal.

Germany is probably the biggest market for a 914 but the inspection required to register the car is quite strict, almost certainly tougher than any US state. Here’s some guidance https://www.uscars24-classics.de/en/service...ertificates.php

A buyer would need confidence that there wasn’t a lot of remedial work required.

IMHO list the car on BaT and make it clear that you’re willing to help an overseas buyer complete the transaction. Then let the market decide the value. Or list it on mobile.de with loads and loads and loads of photos.

I don’t market cars and parts specifically to overseas buyers but sometimes they buy from me when I’m selling a particularly hard to find piece. Cars, I will get it to a nearby port for $2/mile. The buyer takes care of all the shipping arrangements. Parts, I’ll ship wherever they want as long as they are paying.

Lots of cars like yours sell everyday to buyers in the US. Just because a sale didn’t go the way you wanted doesn’t mean it can’t be better on the next time around. On the other hand, there has been a drastic reduction in the car market. Pricing and enthusiasm have been adjusting downward. Do your research, look at comps (remembering they are a record of the past, not a guarantee of the future) and give it another go.

My feeling is the best sales are easy. Every time I have to start jumping through hoops, I regret it in the end.

I sold my 76 2.0 914 and my 86 Carrera Cab to Daxx (Danny in Belgium) 5 years ago. It was really a street straight forward deal, he was given pictures and video on cars and when he was ready to buy the cars I delivered them to the Overseas shipment company in Southern California.
When the paperwork was cleared by the shipper Danny sent a wire right to my Back Account. I set up a special account for this transaction but did not need to I just wanted to be completely safe. I was on the phone, and he set up the wire and in a few minutes the money was in my back account. I checked on my phone and when it showed up I signed the Pink Slips and it was on its way. The shipping company was bonded and as pro as they come, and it went perfect

Bob B


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A few weeks later in Belgium ....

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Had to sell one of the cars and a friend of mine bought the 914.
Regretted but funds was an issue....
A couple of years later I bought another 914, this time from Bill out of Daytona.
I had a PPI on all cars, long chats/mails and videocalls and once trust was there it went smoothly...

Bill who sold me the orange one insisted on a "live" loading of the car... I was on videocall with him the entire time... exciting.

Bob I've met in person a couple of years ago while I was travelling California with my daughters...

Would buy again fm those two gents and I think they would sell again to me without a thought...building up trust is everything

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greetings fm Belgium
Dax

Hey - which two are you referring to? Long story (I posted it in the Garage last week), but I got the car back. She's still available.

Thank you, sir!

Wise advice, indeed! It's just that somebody suggested the int'l market may be more robust. Who knows. I'm not going to do anything with her until the spring at the earliest.

I have sold more than a few sight unseen 356s and buyer are US and overseas. Bank wire transfer is the way to go, then the buyer gets the paperwork signed over after that, not before.
Car shipping is up to the buyer, though I am always here taking lots of pictures to send to the buyer as the car leaves my possession.

Rich

Post it in the PCA classifieds with lots of pictures. There is a Lufthansa pilot named Martin who lives in the Bay Area. If he sees it and likes it, he handles everything.

I've imported several vehicles from the USA over the last 30+ years. Never had any problems.

I bought my 914 from South Carolina - it was for sale on here. Messaged the owner, got all the info and photos I asked for and then asked for basic bank details for international transactions. Went on line and transferred $500 as a deposit (I do all my banking on line) and the next day contacted my bank to OK a transfer of $16,000. In the meantime, I contacted my usual shipping agent (Kingstown Shipping) who by coincidence had a partner office in Charleston SC. Owner lived 15 minutes away, so once he'd got the money (that same day...), he dropped the car and its title paperwork etc off at the shippers - three weeks later it was outside my house. It's so simple these days.