Giordano's Vintage Motors

Giordano's Vintage Motors is a licensed car and motorcycle dealership, retail store and custom fabrication shop in Carnation, Washington, a small town in the Snoqualmie Valley east of Seattle. It is run by Jim Giordano, who describes himself on the company's site as a collector with more than 30 years in the hobby. The business says its specialty is European sports cars from the late 1960s to the mid-1980s, though its inventory is broader than that, and it sells to buyers across the U.S. and abroad as well as from its Carnation showroom.

How the business works

Giordano's mixes its own stock with consigned vehicles. The company says it consigns cars for sale in its showroom, and that it also offers marketing services for owners who would rather keep the car at home and have the team help sell it, even out of state. Appraisals are part of that work: owners who are unsure what a car is worth can ask for a market value opinion and advice on where to sell it. Jim Giordano also says he draws on a network of buyers built over many years.

What it sells

The online inventory is a mixed bag, which is typical of a collector-focused shop. Vehicles listed during our research included a 1966 Ford Bronco, a 1966 Triumph TR4A, a 1955 Chevrolet 210 resto-mod, a 1965 Jaguar 3.8S, a 1978 Datsun 280Z, a 1976 Porsche 914 project and a 1980 Triumph TR8 convertible, along with replicas, a few custom builds and vintage motorcycles such as Triumph, Norton, BSA and Honda models. Asking prices on the site ranged from a couple of thousand dollars for project bikes and fiberglass bodies up to roughly $86,000 for the most expensive car. Stock changes constantly, so check the current list before planning a trip.

Buying from Giordano's

Because the company sells worldwide, it has built some services around remote buyers. According to its site:

• Car locating for buyers who want help finding a specific classic or exotic.
• Photos, videos and condition reports on request for a car you are considering.
• Pre-purchase inspections arranged through mechanics the company works with, which it says reduce the risk of a purchase.
• Shipping through private car transporters and shipping brokers it connects buyers with. The company says it has shipped vehicles worldwide.

The site does not publish financing terms or deposit policies, so ask about both before committing. As with any dealer purchase, get the title status and VIN in writing and have the car inspected independently if you cannot see it yourself.

Selling or consigning through Giordano's

Owners can place a car in the Carnation showroom or ask for help marketing it where it sits. Fees and terms are not published on the company's site, so they have to be discussed directly. For background on what to expect from any dealer, see selling a classic on consignment.

Other services

Beyond sales, the company lists selective restoration and motorsport fabrication (running gear upgrades, engine swaps, brake upgrades, cages and custom builds), a parts section, and a retail store with automobilia, die-cast models and, by its own count, more than 8,000 sales brochures and vintage car magazines. Classic vehicle appraisals are listed as a separate service.

Reputation

The company's copyright notice dates its website to 2008, but no founding year is published, so we do not state one. An aggregator page shows a Google rating of 4.4 stars across 15 reviews, with praise for the owner's knowledge and the selection of cars. As with any dealer, judge a specific car on its paperwork and condition rather than on an average score.

Visiting Giordano's

The showroom is at 4501 Tolt Avenue, Carnation, WA 98014. The company's site lists showroom hours of Monday to Friday, 10:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m., closed weekends, with other times by appointment. The phone number is 425-333-5600 and the email is [email protected]. If a particular vehicle interests you, call first, and browse Washington classic cars for sale to compare it with what else is on the market.