Ask yourself these questions: Does your car have a story to tell? Does it have universal appeal? Was it owned by someone famous?

“Maybe it isn’t the greatest car in the world, but maybe it is a special example of that car,” Kelleher said. “Maybe it’s not just a run-of-the mill Porsche, it’s a Janice Joplin Porsche.”

The auction catalogue can help rationalize and explain that to potential buyers.

You must be willing to trust the auction company to market your car and sell it in the best way possible.

“We really have our own strong opinions about the value of the cars,” Gooding said. “Oftentimes the owners know a lot about the cars, so we are certainly open to hearing their input. But we turn many cars away that may be perfectly good cars, but the owner wants too much money for them, and we are just doing what we think we can to fulfill that obligation. We have to make a judgment call.”

How to Do It

Still game? Then find a good auction house and sell. Here’s how:

1. Figure out which auction house is right for you. Gooding & Co. is known for selling the blue-chip cars (think racing Ferraris, Bugattis, Jaguars). Bonhams is renowned for its ability to eke out high amounts for highly specialized, unique models. Russo & Steele is based primarily in Scottsdale, Ariz. RM Sotheby’s has headquarters in London. Mecum features mostly muscle cars. It pays to call around and, if you can, even meet the specialists at each house who will be working with your car. Once you find one you like, call or e-mail and ask to speak with a consignment representative. The earlier, the better.

“As I walk off the stage [from the previous year’s auction], people come up to me and start discussing cars to sell next year,” Gooding said. “So it’s a year-round process and a global process to build the auction catalogue.” A full 35 percent of the cars in the Gooding Monterey sale will be imported for the event.

2. Provide the paperwork for an extensive evaluation. That means sending in copies of ownership records, maintenance logs, information about any and all restorations and updates, lists of racing entries and wins, and any other paperwork pertaining to the car. Even seemingly minute details about your car’s history can help bolster its value.