Hi! I am hoping someone can give me good advice on how to sell my cutlass? I was given this car in my divorce and now I need to find her a good home.
This is my first time selling a car especially one as special as this. Can anyone help me so I will not get scammed? Thanks

 

Welcome to the site. What year Cutlass with what equipment do you have? Some pictures would be nice so we have an idea of what you have.

 

Location will be important too. Just the city you are in.

 

Hi! Thanks for the reply! I love this car and wish I had the ability to hold on to her and do some minor things so it is perfect. But I am now a single mom and need to sell this car. I have the original radio and hood.
I am not even sure what it is worth... ugh

 

I am in Aiken South Carolina but can have the car sent up to New Jersey where I have family. Thanks

 

That is a very nice car. It has several aftermarket modifications I can see but it is very desirable. There are lots of good folks on here that can give good advice. Being a convertible makes it very desirable and the car looks to be in very good condition. If you can post the VIN number it will help some of the resident experts decode if it is a genuine 442 and possible what engine came in it.

 

so is it a 442 or a cutlass? number matching? tell us a little about it

 

From the rocker moldings it looks like a Cutlass Supreme with 442 stuff added?

 

Sure I would love the help... the vin# 3J67K2M229262
the gentleman we bought it from put about $8000 into it and bought it for $18,000
He saved all the invoices and I have them all. I also have the original radio and hood.
The dash is original and the clock works. AC is cold. It has a couple small scratches in paint but nothing I don't think that is easily fixable. The trunk has some surface rust and the engine in a few places.
thank you so much

 

Should I take it in to have an antique/ classic car mechanic tell me all the information on it? Where can I find out if the numbers match? Sorry... this is all new to me

 

so i looked up the vin on a decoder and it does say it is a cutlass supreme... Why would they sell it as a 442? Feeling stupid on that one...

 

It looks to be a nice car. If you could post a few pictures of the engine and the data tag that's on the drivers side firewall we can tell you exactly whats in there.

 

Probably because they were uninformed or were looking to get more $ for it. All '72 442s were based on Cutlass Supremes - your VIN is correct. The rocker trim and deck lid lettering show that this car was almost certainly not a factory optioned W29 442.

So if you got the car in a divorce, is your ex not interested or able to buy it from you? I'd be distressed if I had to give up any of my babies, not that I plan to get divorced a second time....

Terry

 

I wish the divorce was amicable but unfortunately it's nasty.
I was lucky to get a few things.
I couldn't find anything on drivers side door? But got some pics of engine

 

Another one

 

It's unfortunate that your divorce is ugly. It looks like you have a 350 engine. The data tag is a black plate riveted next to the brake booster on the firewall in the engine compartment.

 

Your car is what is referred to as a clone or the fancy name is a tribute car. In this case it was a Cutlass Supreme that somebody added 442 trim on to make it look like a 442. They may have disclosed this to your ex and then maybe not. It is very common. I don't beleive the spoiler on the trunk was available on the 442 convertible. Without knowing more about your car, I think it is worth somewhere between $16,000 and $18,000. That is just my guess. Good luck on selling your car.

 

Your car looks nice and relatively complete. If it's clean and doesn't have any substandard rust repairs, and runs well I would Guess the value at $13-16000. Check your area craigslist and ebay sales to find similar 1970-72 cutlass supreme convertibles and what others are asking. I will submit that here in new england there have Been a couple for sale in that price range for a year or more, so depending on fast you would like to sell it you may adjust the price accordingly

 

Don't feel stupid. For 1968 through 1971, the 442 was its own series, and that was reflected in the VIN. For '72, the 442 went back to being an option package on the Cutlass. So the VIN will not tell you if this is a 442.

The 442 was an "appearance and handling package" available on any Cutlass that year (Cutlass, Cutlass S, or Cutlass Supreme), and it was available with any engine.

The package included "body side and decklid striping, 4-4-2 radiator grille, black hood louvers and grille, decklid numerals, wheel opening moldings, Rallye suspension package (heavy-duty front and rear springs, heavy-duty shock absorbers, front and rear stabilizer bars, and heavy-duty rear suspension lower control arms), and paint-stripe decal on the hood."

As I understand it, since all of these options could be added later, the only way to verify if this is truly a 442 is to have the build sheet or the original dealer invoice or window sticker or something like that. I don't think that 442-ness can be proved by an examination of the car itself.

 

1972 Dealer Spec Book, Cutlass, Cutlass S, and Cutlass Supreme. Note option W29 in each case.

 

Wow! Thank you so much for all the information. I am thinking ebay may be the way to go. I was almost scammed through craigslist already with the car.
Scary stuff... Has anyone sold a car on Ebay? Any luck?
It has surface rust in trunk that I will sand out and some surface scratches that are not deep and I was told would buff out. Other then that it seems to run great and no major issues.

 

If I have the original hood, that would mean it came with a different hood. So my question is if it does have the W30 Appearance and Handling 442 package what would the hood look like? Here is a pick of the "original" hood...

 

Plenty of scammers on ebay too. Don't let your guard down

 

Scammers are everywhere, not just ebay or craigslist. Doesn't mean that you shouldn't use these. Don't let people scare you.

I sold a truck last summer using craigslist, and I bought my '67 Delta 88 from a craigslist ad. As far as selling the truck, yes, I had to deal with a few idiots, but they're not hard to spot, and you work around them. Truck ('02 Dodge Dakota) ended up going to an 18 year old kid who was buying his first vehicle. Mom and Dad helped him with the purchase along the way, and the result couldn't have been more satisfactory for all parties concerned. And all due to craigslist.

As you say, be careful. But don't not use them. We had to be careful back when all we had were newspaper and Auto Trader ads, too.

 

Most aren't pleasant. Either way, if he still wanted the car and has the $$, his money is as good as anyone else's and could be an easier sale. A value had to be put on the car during the proceedings.

In any case, $14k-$17k is probably realistic if the pics are representative if the condition. It looks to be very clean and solid. Assume it's not a W-29. Nobody puts on the rocker stainless or a standard deck lid with Olds lettering if it was born as a 442. The W30 stripes and rear deck wing were added later too, probably at the same time as the grilles and 442 emblems.

 

It doesn't have the w-30 option the vin would have an x to denote that option. Good luck on the sale.

 

This isn't meant to sound sexist but being a woman, you should be very cautious of Craigslist. Now you may have a concealed handgun permit and shoot better than many of us. If you do use Craigslist, do not allow anybody to come to you house to see the car. Meet them at a public place and have somebody with you. Get some ID from them and take a picture of their car license. I have read about too many horror stories about predators using listings on Craigslist.

 

I have many dealings with eBay and CL, but nothing as large as a car.


If using eBay, be sure to state that any shipping of the car is the buyer's responsibility. Be sure to set a "reserve" price, minimum price you'd be willing to accept. Otherwise, whatever the car bids up to, you'd have to sell it for that price, good or bad. Then you have your knuckle-heads on eBay that win an auction, then they feel they have the right to negotiate the price. I would clarify that price at auction end, assuming reserve is met, is the sale price, non-negotiable. Also, watch the seller's fees on eBay. I know they always shock me with smaller sales.


Craigslist is loaded with low-ballers and bargain hunters. Say you ask $15k for your '72 (which, by the way, I feel would be very reasonable), you're bound to get a few "Will you take $7000 for it?" As stated already, I'd meet in a public place to show the car and I would not be alone.


My $0.02...I'd slap a "For Sale" sign on it, shine it up and hit as many local car shows as possible. Ask high (maybe $18-19k), you can always go down. Oh, an ad in the "Cars For Sale" section of this site may help too


Good luck!

 

Looks like a very nice driver quality car but we are just looking at pictures and you have limited knowedge of old cars. Might be worth the commission to find a local classic car dealer who will buy it wholesale, list it on consignment or put it in an appropriate auction. Or keep it all business and ask what the ex will pay - in cash.

 

Thanks I am heading that way Found a guy in Augusta Ga...
Has ANYONE used a internet sales site called "OnceDriven"???
They called me to market the car for me on their sites...

 

Thank You so much! And yes i have a concealed weapon permit I have too, thats why I removed the listing! Thank You!!!

 

was thinking close to what hookem was . Dont you have a Uncle , brother , or Friend that could help you out. Who does your mechanic work you might be able to get them to help you sell it ? Or Some small dealers will also do a deal for you . The car could be traded in for a new car also . Dealers around me from time to time will pop up old cars the took on trade

 

I have been to quite a few and no one seems to want to hassle with it and then they try to sell me a new car... HA!
Im limited on the men in my life with any car sense... and Me I can sell you a high dollar show jumping horse I am grateful for all the information people have given me... headed to see a guy that knows cars now! Thanks

 

Thank You so much for your advice! Truly appreciated!

 

Thanks Eric! Good to know!

 

Someone posted a link to this site, it tracks the actual sales on ebay. It does not include auctions where the car does not sell. So I use it to see what cars are actually bringing on the real market. You can take off any rose colored glasses, after asking what condition your car is in compared to the auctions that are provided for you to view, look at the figures and try to come up with a fair market value.
http://collectorcarpricetracker.com/...ars/1972-1972/


Good luck,

 

Great site right above there
real selling prices

As for the original poster here- you should have an Olds expert look at it to help decide how to present the car. What features should be listed, etc. Every option matters, some more than others. Maybe the car has an aluminum rear end- big $$$. Look at all the ***** and switches- they generally indicate options

remote hood lock
power windows
power seat
etc.

is the shifter on the floor?
Does it move sideways or just fore-aft?

 

My ex wife took my dog from me in the divorce, then she tried to take my Alero. My lawyer said, "Well if she wants it..."

Fired that lawyer, got a new one, still have my Alero.

If you cannot tell, this thread is making me very angry

You took the guy's car, wasn't that enough? And it's not like you are going to keep it, you're going to sell it and clear $14K easy. Why?

It just makes my blood boil! I know that people are going to say I sound "bitter" but trust me, I have a lot of good reasons to be bitter. Including the dent in the top of my head and the prosthetic bone of hearing in my ear from the strike that caused the dent, but yet I was the "Abusive" one. What a load of ****!

 

I am sorry that happened to you. The car was a gift to me. He gave it to me as a guilt gift because he had been sleeping with two women the month before and prostitutes in Argentina. So seeing how he has taken everything else and trying to take my daughter. It is all I have to try to get a new start on life and get a vehicle that I can work out of. He didnt even know what a Cutlass was, but because my father had one growing up and I always said how much I loved it I guess he thought it was a good way to make me drop the adultery charges in SC. Careful what you say before you know the story. I am so sorry you had a bad divorce. I wouldn't wish this on anyone. And if I was able to I would keep the car but a single mom has to do what she has to do to survive. Thanks

 

Yes that site is very helpful! I have a good classic car guy coming this week to tell me all about it! Thank you for your help