Selling motoring magazines

geedubu, Feb 13, 10:03pm
Posted before on how to unload the collection of classic car mags. so I put a collection of 160 up for sale with $1 reserve and sold them for $11.50! The satisfaction is that they went to an enthusiast home. probably the best you can do, charities don't want them.

tamarillo, Feb 13, 10:32pm
Locally they still want good ones but depends what. NZ classic car not wanted, too many, too boring. But the uk classic mags they still want, indeed I keep buying old ones only to keep some and offload rest when I have too many!
If you were in Nelson id have them!

tamarillo, Feb 13, 10:33pm
If you have any uk Car magazines tell me! I mean ones called Car. Still great read, especially old ones with Ljk setright.

rbd, Feb 13, 10:45pm
The key to selling car mags is having a full description about what is in that edition.

Then when someone searches for "Integrale" they find the Lancia article in the magazine you have. I will pay $4-$5 for a specific magazine (UK Car, UK Classic Car) if it has an article that interests me.

The trouble with selling large numbers is postage, limiting yourself to pickup only.

geedubu, Feb 13, 11:22pm
True rbd, but with that many it would take me a lifetime to catalogue them and list the contents. Happy with the outcome, the bottom line is magazines depreciate faster than cars, and that's saying something!

socram, Feb 14, 12:03am
I started listing UK's "Classic and Thoroughbred" right from issue number 1 (1973), year by year, a couple of years ago and didn't get a single sniff. I'd like them to go to a good home but was hoping to make a few dollars for each magazine to supplement the pension.

The problem with trying to find specific car features is that of time.

I used to have "Car" when it first came out but I didn't bring them to NZ! Sorry.

The ones I really treasure are original copies of "Miniature Auto" (model cars) but I doubt there is a market for them either.

Month by month, the piles are still growing - but I have culled NZCC as it didn't really stack up any longer.

Classic & Sportscar, Practical Classics, C & T and Octane every month without fail.

geedubu, Feb 14, 4:02am
I think the fact of the matter is that they have no resale value. My lot included heaps of Thoroughbred & Classic Cars; Classic and Sports Cars, recent and older Motor Sports and other really good mags. Maybe if you list them one by one you will find the buyer who will pay a dollar or two more for the special edition that features the complete history of Marcos or whatever is your taste. But the bottom line is if you run out of space or spousal patience you either bin them or let them go en masse for peanuts. And in my case, be satisfied that they went to an enthusiast.

stevo2, Feb 14, 12:22pm
This thread reminds me, I have a heap of NZ Autocar magazines that I should list. Probably list a year at a time.
Unfortunately the postage costs kills them

tamarillo, Feb 14, 2:02pm
No value I them. Too numerous and boring.

tamarillo, Feb 14, 2:08pm
Geebubu and socram.
I would love your magazines. Classic car ones are still great reading months even year later.
Whenever you have a box let me know and I'll pay post plus say $10 and you know they're going to great home.
I'm in Nelson so post might be killer but if your agreed id weigh a box, get fast way tickets suitable, and simp,y give you the courier tickets! Found if I get book of 20 I think it is, the cost is much better.
Then when I'm finished I'll hand them on to mates here.
I can't buy these new, slight technical difficulty in the wallet department these days.
I have a fairmont for sale advert that you can email from if interested.

Here's hoping, tim

tamarillo, Feb 14, 2:10pm
Octane is excellent mag I don't see often.

socram, Feb 14, 3:15pm
tamarillo - I have a friend who may be moving back to Nelson (operative word is 'may') and another couple who have a property down there and flit backwards and forwards a fair bit, so who knows, we may be able to sort something out one day.

Incidentally, after supporting our local paper shop for 30 years, I got fed up with the local wholesalers skipping issues and grossly over pricing magazines.

Charging $18.90 per issue of Practical Classics for example is over twice the UK cover price of 4.50GBP, so an annual subscription works out much cheaper. The same applies to the others, so Octane and C & S and P C are all now on subscription and C & T will be very soon.

Sorry to not support a local business but a matter of being a bit more economical as things get tighter.

tamarillo, Jun 17, 1:58pm
Socram, do flick me an email through my listing, and then you can keep reply for when your ready to off load a box. Happy to send you courier ticket and some cash. I'm laid up with health issues a bit of late so reading lots and these are favourites.
Seen price of kombis lately? Sold a 69 full camper with reco engine for $5000 12 years back. Looks like $20000 plus now!