The Daily Vroom

Good morning Vroomers,

What a week. More than 1,300 vehicles changed hands across the online platforms, pulling in over $52 million in sales. The heavy hitters got plenty of attention, as always, but today we’re zooming in on a different slice of the market, no reserve auctions that don’t usually get the spotlight here in TDV. They may not be million-dollar showstoppers, but they’re packed with fun, opportunity, and the kind of stories that make this hobby addictive.

Classic Cars On Cars & Bids

I’ve been curious and I suspect you have too about how C&B is really doing with older cars.

Cars & Bids classic segment remains small but directionally interesting.

Over the last three months, pre-’81 listings accounted for roughly 6% of total volume. In June and July, 44% of those cars sold; in August that figure ticked up to 52%.

Platform-wide sell-through generally floats between 65–75%, so classics are still clearing below the site’s baseline. Total volume is thin as well, with on average 40 pre-’81 listings each month, which means week-to-week noise can distort the signal.

What should we take from this? First, 6% suggests the supply side isn’t yet aligned with the ambition behind C&B’s push into older vehicles earlier this year. That’s understandable: pre-’81 isn’t the platform’s core audience, and winning more of it requires deliberate outreach, not passive intake. The August improvement is encouraging, but with such low counts, consistency over several months will matter more than a single uptick.

Marketing posture is part of the story. Historically C&B leaned hard on social, at times spending up to ~$80k/month, before retrenching under new leadership.

From what I’ve seen in the last quarter, paid creative on social media aimed specifically at older cars has been limited. That’s a missed opportunity given how easy it is o identify which eras and nameplates generate outsized engagement and conversions. (we have all that data, so they must have it).

The bright spot is events which they are now running on a regular basis. Thier overall website traffic has grown materially in the last 3 months, and the on-the-ground activations appear to be pulling new eyeballs and, importantly, new sellers into the funnel. When a halo lot hits think the 1973 BMW 3.0 CSL “Batmobile” at $381,000 with over 100,000 views, it demonstrates what happens when story, audience, and timing line up.

The practical path forward looks straightforward. Raise mix first, then close the performance gap. Moving pre-’81 share from ~6% toward 10% would put more inventory in front of the right buyers and give sell-through room to normalize.

Events should remain the spear tip; they compound over time and broaden the seller base beyond the usual internet-native crowd.

If C&B can nudge classic share toward 10% while adding roughly five points of sell-through month-over-month until the cohort sits closer to the 65–75% platform range, the impact will be visible.

I’ve been super impressed with the events they’ve been running, and I hope they keep at it. These aren’t a short-term tactic; they’re a way to build real relationships, and relationships build trust.

They should be leaning into the data they already have on which older listings perform best, which bring in the most conversations etc..( I have all that data, so I’m sure they do as well!) and working that insight into social, podcasts, and beyond. There are also plenty of other ways to drive high-quality traffic too, but that’s a topic for another day.

They next few months (the dreaded Q4) will certainly be interesting.

Lets revisit in a few months…

No Reserve Auctions To Keep An Eye On

This Alpine White 1984 Porsche 944 has been with the same owner since 1988. It’s garage-kept, rust-free, and still wears its Fuchs wheels proudly. Early 944s like this are among the purest versions of Porsche’s front-engine sports cars and when they’ve been loved this long, they usually have a story worth telling.

But here’s the reality. Any bidder has to do the homework. The seller notes leaks, and the records don’t clearly show a recent timing belt service, a critical piece on these interference engines. If the belt goes, the engine goes with it. That makes diligence a must.

What makes this one so interesting is that like all these listings I’m showcasing today, it’s a no reserve car. That’s rare for a 944 with this ownership history and condition. For the right buyer who knows what they’re getting into, this could be one of those rare auctions where you walk away with a true Porsche sports car for not much money. A bargain on paper, but only if you know the fine print.

I often write about the six and seven figure cars that stop the market in its tracks, but sometimes it’s the low-cost projects that remind you why this hobby is fun. This 1974 Fiat 128 Familiare wagon has fresh mechanical work, a Weber-fed four, and a pile of spares to keep it running. The paint is worn, the interior is half-stripped, and that only adds to the character.

Cars like this aren’t about perfection, they’re about the joy of having something unusual that makes people smile. Turn up at Cars and Coffee and you’ll be the only one with a Fiat wagon from the 70s. And because it’s a no reserve listing, someone is about to land a genuinely different kind of opportunity.

The Honda Acty Street is back after the last high bidder bailed on the previous auction which ended with a winning bid of $4200 and this little kei van deserves better. It’s a 5-speed, 4WD, dual-sliding-door microbus that has already proven itself with a cross-country trip and years of daily use.

This one shows real personality with Konig wheels, coilovers, and a Pokéball shift knob. The 656cc three-cylinder won’t break speed records, but paired with switchable 4WD it makes every drive feel like an adventure.

You won’t see many of these on the road, if any. And with no reserve, it’s about to find a home with someone who appreciates a van that turns the ordinary into fun.

If you’ve got a garage full of cars, you need something to move them and you won’t find many haulers like this 1986 Chevrolet C60. A medium-duty truck turned classic car carrier, it’s finished in bright blue with a 16-foot bed, ramps, tie-downs, and even a 10,000-pound winch. It’s as ready for work today as it was in the 80s, only now it carries vintage appeal.

At no reserve, this is the rare chance to buy a hauler with presence. It’s not just transportation, it’s presentation. Load up your muscle car, hot rod, or survivor and this C60 makes the delivery part of the show.

How it actually gets to you is another story, this is a big beast.