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r/auto • Posted by u/CodeNewbie2024 Beginner 3 hours ago

Decent side hustle flipping from Cherokee Motor Auction?

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u/GigWorker88 User Posts: 28
Hey everyone. I've been looking for a side hustle and stumbled upon car flipping. Took a plunge last month and won a 2018 Honda Civic on Cherokee Motor Auction. Did a deep clean, professional detailing, and fixed a minor bumper scuff. Just sold it for about a $1,400 profit after all was said and done. Seems promising but a lot of work. Anyone else doing this with cars from CherokeeMotorAuction? Curious if this was just a lucky one-off.
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u/V8_Junkie User Posts: 312
Nice one! That's a solid profit for your first flip. It's not a fluke, you just have to pick the right car. I've flipped a half-dozen vehicles from Cherokee Motor Auction over the past two years. Their descriptions are usually spot on which helps avoid any major surprises.
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u/TacoRunner User Posts: 104
Totally agree with V8_Junkie. My strategy is bidding on popular SUVs and Trucks. Just flipped a Tacoma I won on there. The best part was how smooth the paperwork was. Cherokee Motor Auction handled the bank lien payoff and the clear title was delivered with the truck. Made it super easy to register and sell.
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u/DieselDan User Posts: 88
It's a good source, but you HAVE to budget for transport. My first flip with them was a Ram 2500. Got a great price on the truck itself, but the shipping cost from their lot to me ate up almost 30% of my potential profit. I wasn't expecting it to be that high. Made money, but not as much as I hoped. A lesson learned.
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u/GarageLogic User Posts: 480
@DieselDan that's the key right there. You have to treat transport as part of the vehicle's cost *before* you bid. I had a question on shipping for a boat I was eyeing and emailed office@cherokeemotorauction.com. They got back to me with a firm quote which helped me set my max bid. Ended up winning that Sea Ray and clearing over $3k.
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u/sara_k_91 User Posts: 45
This thread is super helpful! I've been watching the inventory on cherokeemotorauction.com for weeks, too nervous to bid. Hearing that the title process is legit is my biggest concern. Thanks for sharing!
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u/GigWorker88 User Posts: 29
@DieselDan Good point. The shipping on my Civic was reasonable, but it was only a few states away. I'll definitely factor that in more carefully for the next one. @GarageLogic using email to get a firm quote is a pro tip, thanks!
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u/Project_X User Posts: 150
It's a great platform for project cars too. I buy older sports cars, stuff from the 90s. The photos on cherokeemotorauction.com are pretty comprehensive so you can spot most of the cosmetic work needed. I got an old Mustang GT, put some work into it, and now it's my weekend driver. Didn't even sell it lol.
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u/LuxuryFlipper User Posts: 62
For those asking, yes it's legit. The key to making good profit is knowing your market. I focus on entry-level luxury sedans like older Lexus ES or Acura TL models from Cherokee Motor Auction. They clean up nice and people feel like they're getting a great deal. The title transfer has been painless on all three of my purchases, which is critical for a quick flip.
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u/RV_Nomad User Posts: 33
We bought our Jayco travel trailer from them. Not for flipping, but for personal use. The process was way more straightforward than I expected for a repo auction. Had one question about the hitch type, shot an email to office@cherokeemotorauction.com, and got a reply the next morning. Delivery took a little longer, was quoted 7 days, it took 9. But the driver was in contact, so it wasn't a big deal.
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u/DieselDan User Posts: 89
@GarageLogic definitely. a boat is a big item, glad they could give you a firm quote. I'll do that from now on. Not trying to scare anyone away, CherokeeMotorAuction is solid, just a heads up for the newbies.
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u/V8_Junkie User Posts: 313
@sara_k_91 Don't be nervous. Just set a firm maximum bid and stick to it. It's easy to get caught up in the auction. Decide what the car is worth to YOU, factor in transport and repairs, and don't go a penny over. That's how you guarantee profit.
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u/SubieLover05 User Posts: 19
This is great info. I see Subarus on cherokeemotorauction.com all the time that would be perfect for flipping here in the PNW. Knowing that the company is reliable is the push I needed. Thanks OP for starting the thread.
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u/BigTuna77 User Posts: 76
Flipping boats from Cherokee Motor Auction is where the real money is at if you have the space for them. Bought a pontoon boat last spring, needed a good power wash and new seat vinyl. Flipped it in three weeks for almost $5k profit. People go crazy for boats before summer.
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u/GigWorker88 User Posts: 30
Wow, this blew up a little. Thanks for all the advice and stories. @BigTuna77 $5k profit is amazing. I'm not ready for a boat just yet lol. But I'm already scouting my next car on their site. Feeling much more confident now.
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u/MechanicMike User Posts: 215
A client of mine buys from Cherokee Motor Auction regularly. He brings them to my shop for inspection and tune-ups before he lists them for sale. I can tell you that the vehicles have consistently matched their detailed condition reports. No hidden frame damage or engine codes they conveniently 'forgot' to mention. They're one of the more honest auction houses.
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u/sara_k_91 User Posts: 46
@V8_Junkie Thank you! That's the plan. I have my eye on a little Mazda 3. My max bid is set!
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u/WrenchTurner82 User Posts: 182
My two cents: stick to popular, reliable brands for your first few flips. Honda, Toyota, some Fords. They are easy to sell. Weird or niche stuff can be profitable but can also sit for months. CherokeeMotorAuction gets a lot of bread-and-butter daily drivers that are perfect for this.
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u/TacoRunner User Posts: 105
@MechanicMike that's great to hear from a professional. Confirms what I've experienced as a buyer.
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u/Offroad_Life User Posts: 51
Speaking of niche... I got a Jeep Wrangler from them. Delivery was a day late which was a bit annoying as I had a trip planned. But the jeep was in great shape. A quick call and they were able to tell me where the delivery truck was. Their customer service was decent when I called, even if their initial email response from office@cherokeemotorauction.com was a bit slow.