Classics & Beyond Auto Gallery

Classics & Beyond Auto Gallery is a consignment-focused classic car dealership at 35815 Clinton Street in Wayne, Michigan, about 20 miles west of downtown Detroit. The company calls itself "the premier consignment dealership for classic and vintage cars" and describes its team as local car enthusiasts. The Better Business Bureau gives a business start date of November 2018, and the company operates from a climate-controlled showroom that it says covers 20,000 square feet.

A consignment gallery

Most of what Classics & Beyond sells belongs to other people. Under the consignment model, an owner places a car with the gallery, which prices it, photographs it, advertises it and handles buyer inquiries through closing. For buyers, that means the car is physically at the gallery in Wayne, because the company says vehicles must remain on site. For sellers, the company says its team handles the whole selling process to take the hassle off the owner. If you are weighing the idea, how classic car consignment works explains the typical roles, costs and trade-offs.

What it sells

The inventory is mixed and mostly American, covering pre-war cars through the 1990s, with hot rods and muscle cars prominent. The company's materials also mention exotics, motorcycles, and automobilia such as toys, signs and petroliana, the gas station memorabilia collectors prize. Listings on ClassicCars.com and the dealer's own inventory page have shown roughly 35 to 40 vehicles at a time. For more choices from other sellers, see more classic cars in Michigan.

Selling through Classics & Beyond

The company's FAQ lays out a four-step process:

• Request: the owner submits a free consignment request form.
• Delivery: the car is brought to the showroom, and the company says it offers complimentary return transport.
• Appraisal: the car is inspected and appraised with the owner present to agree on a listing price.
• Marketing: staff photograph the car and list it on sites including eBay, Carsforsale.com, CarGurus and Autotrader. The company says it advertises across more than 30 websites.

The company describes the service as free to request. Its site does not publish a commission or fee schedule, so owners should get the full terms in writing before signing anything, including what happens if the car does not sell. Storage is also listed among its services.

Buying from Classics & Beyond

The gallery says it can arrange financing through partner lenders it names as Woodside Credit, JJ's Best and Lightspeed, and buyers can use their own bank instead. It offers video inspections for remote buyers, shipping quotes within the U.S. on request, and international shipping through a partner shipping company. One rule worth knowing is that the company does not allow test drives at the facility, which it says is to protect the cars. Out-of-area buyers should therefore ask for a thorough video walk-around, request the VIN and title status, and consider hiring an independent inspector.

Reputation

Birdeye lists an average of about 4.5 stars across more than 100 reviews, and the comments summarized there generally praise responsiveness and communication. The BBB rates the business C+ and does not list it as accredited, with one complaint closed in the past three years and no customer reviews on file at the time of research. The BBB page does not explain the factors behind the rating. As with any consignment arrangement, the strongest protection is clear paperwork about price, fees, insurance and title handling.

Visiting Classics & Beyond

The gallery is at 35815 Clinton Street, Wayne, Michigan 48184, and the company's listed phone is (248) 721-4343. Its email is [email protected]. Opening hours were not published on its own site when this profile was researched, so call ahead before visiting to see a specific car.