Sander Houdel is one of the classic car experts at Catawiki. He's been a fan of cars for his entire life, so of course coming to Catawiki was a natural choice. We asked him a few questions to get to know him a bit better. Keep reading to find out what sparked his love for classic cars and what he looks for in a car when assessing it for auction.
How did your passion for cars begin?
It began in my childhood. When I was 2 years old I could already name cars from the logos I saw on rims. My uncle lived next door to us and he had a shed full of classics; that’s really where the passion began. I could very often be found hanging out there as a young lad.
What was your first car?
A Volkswagen Beetle which I bought when I was 15 years old. I actually still have it! It’s since been joined by a few other Beetles and a Kubelwagen in my garage.
What is your experience? How did you become an expert in cars?
I completed my education in automotive technology and I continue to learn by visiting many classic car events, reading a lot of literature, buying and selling cars, keeping an eye on markets, following price trends, etc. This is a field that I’ve always been a part of; I’ve learned a great deal over the years by doing and collecting myself.
What is your role at Catawiki?
I curate the auctions, which means I review every car submitted for auction, with help from my team of course, and we check the quality before it can be included. I check a number of factors when looking at an incoming classic car: build year, price, condition and type. From there I decide if it’s suitable for auction and, if so, in which auction it will do best.
What do you do for Catawiki buyers and sellers?
I build trust with buyers and sellers so they know they chose the right platform to buy and sell cars. With a large international reach, we have a unique position in the car market. For sellers, I try to review their submissions as quickly as possible and plan their cars and memorabilia into auctions where I know they’ll do best. For buyers, I make sure I’ve reviewed all the information provided by the seller closely so they get an accurate picture of the car they’re interested in. I make sure sellers included all the necessary information in their descriptions like mileage and engine/transmission details as well as all the necessary photos of the exterior, interior, engine bay, etc.
Which classic car would you like to see in the auction?
I’m crazy about original, unrestored cars with a genuinely low odometer reading, and preferably with their full original paint. I’m really happy when I see these kinds of vehicles come up for auction.
What was your favourite classic car that ever come up for auction at Catawiki?
There are so many, I don’t have just one specific favourite. There are so many beautiful cars coming through our weekly auctions, so for me it’s impossible to choose just one, but if I had to, I’d say this Porsche 911, the last air-cooled 993 turbo.
You can see Sander’s weekly Classic Car auctions and place your bids on your favourite classics and automobilia at Catawiki. You can also sell your classic cars with Catawiki by registering as a seller here. Sander and his team standing by to review your submissions and answer any questions you may have about the auctions.