The Ferrari That Got Lost in Translation

PLUS: Why unclear tariff rules are quietly killing high-end European sales

The Daily Vroom

Good morning Vroomers,

No big collections to dig into today, saving that for tomorrow and it’s a big one.

Yesterday felt quieter overall. Fewer headline sales, and the average transaction price across all platforms dipped to $32K about $10K below the typical daily average.

But you don’t need six figures to find something worth driving. Below, you’ll see the most commonly sold models under $35K, shown by share of total sales and their average sale prices.

A clean snapshot of where the market’s actually moving in the more accessible range.

MARKET LEADERBOARD

💰 The figures shared below don’t count any other sales such as car seats, memorabilia etc… All online auction sites are analyzed to put this leaderboard together.

I only include websites that have sold 5+ vehicles in the chart below.

Isn’t it good to see both Hagerty & Hemmings in our leaderboard, long may it continue.

YESTERDAY’S TOP 5 SALES

Want to dive deeper into any of these listings? Just click on the car to take you directly to the listing.

2017 Aston Martin V12 Vantage S Roadster 7-Speed $250,000

2025 Audi RS6 Avant Performance GT $218,500

1988 Mercedes-Benz 560SL $186,000

1968 Dodge Charger $168,000

2022 Porsche 911 Carrera S Cabriolet $145,000

Nearly Sale of the Day

This one should have sold. A 512 BB with just 830 kilometers, two engine out services, and a clean presentation. It had the provenance, the documentation, the matching numbers, and still fell short at €300,000.

So what happened?

We’ll never know the exact reason the hammer didn’t drop. Maybe the seller was holding out for a number that just wasn’t realistic in today’s market. Maybe the mileage questions and federalization details gave some buyers pause. But one thing clearly did not help: confusion around US import duties.

If you scrolled the comments, it quickly turned into a tariff tug of war. Some claimed 2.5 percent. Others pointed to new CBP rulings that bump the rate to 10 percent. Some referenced exemptions. Others called them outdated. When experienced buyers can’t even agree on what it costs to bring a car stateside, most bidders just walk away.

And that is the issue. The majority of high dollar bidders on these platforms are US based. If they aren’t absolutely sure what it takes to land a car in their garage, including duties, shipping, paperwork, they hesitate. And hesitation kills momentum.

That is not the seller’s fault. But it is something platforms should address head on. Just like branded titles or accident histories get flagged up front, the true cost to import a foreign listing should be clearly laid out in the auction description. A simple note about import status and what buyers should expect to pay would eliminate a lot of doubt.

Instead, we had 99 comments, multiple mini debates about trip meters and tariffs, and a final bid that felt soft for a BB of this caliber. The car itself was strong. The listing was professional. But the fog around fees did not just fail to help the sale, it probably hurt it.

Add clarity. Build confidence. That is how these deals close.

Should platforms show estimated import tariffs up front (with a disclaimer)? Would that make you more likely to bid?

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