Expert tips on what to look out for when buying at car boot sales, including vintage Pyrex dishes, branded clothing and retro gaming consoles that can be sold for a profit online
Car boot sales could be your golden ticket to a cash windfall, especially if you’ve got an eye for bargains. Buried beneath piles of odds and ends, from preloved playthings to mismatched crockery, lie treasure-worthy finds that savvy flippers can sell on for a tidy sum.
“Car Boot Queen” Ellie Macsymons from NetVoucherCodes has revealed her top picks of car boot must-haves that might just net you a small fortune.
Ellie said: “Car boot sales are the perfect place to spot a deal. Often sellers don’t know what kind of treasure they have right under their nose, and often sell luxury items for a fraction of their price. If you know what you’re looking for, you could resell some of these items for hundreds of pounds, giving you an extra boost coming into summer.
“If you’re new to flipping items, start small by buying things you can test easily and know a bit about. As you gain experience, you’ll start spotting those lucrative gems more quickly. And remember: always check sold listings on eBay to get a realistic idea of an item’s value, not just the asking price.”
Nine items to buy at car boot sales to sell online
Vintage Pyrex dishes
Nan’s old patterned dishes are all the rage nowadays, with “Gooseberry”, “Butterprint,” and “Snowflake” fetching handsome sums from collectors and vintage kitchenware enthusiasts, selling for £30 to £150 based on scarcity and state. Nonetheless, be wary of diminished value due to wear like chips, cracks, murky glass (often dishwasher-related), or fading patterns.
Retro gaming consoles and games
The retro gaming scene is thriving with gear like Game Boys and Sega Mega Drives in high demand among buffs and yearning millennials, commanding £20–£30 for common titles and a mint for rarer finds. Vintage consoles can resell for £40–£200+, and precious game up to £300+, while even original boxes might fetch over £100 online.
Ensure full resale price by checking that consoles have all cables, aren’t missing controllers, and watch out for tarnished or badly scratched cartridges.
Branded vintage clothing
90s and Y2K fashion is all the rage right now. Keep your eyes peeled for denim jackets, branded hoodies, and retro trainers from big names like Levi’s, Adidas, Burberry, or Ralph Lauren.
These brands can fetch anywhere between £20–£150 on resale, depending on the brand and item, and often, car boot sellers are unaware of the treasures they possess. Be vigilant for counterfeits, which are rife at car boots and markets, particularly with designer labels.
Scrutinise stitching, tags, and quality meticulously and steer clear of anything with stains or noticeable damage, unless it can be cleaned effortlessly.
Mid-Century furniture and decor
Compact furniture items such as teak side tables, magazine racks, or atomic-era mirrors can be bought for a song and sold for a handsome profit, especially to buyers who are into interior design or vintage styling. The sky’s the limit with vintage furniture, but it can sell to the right buyer from £40–£300+.
Be wary of damage to veneers, signs of woodworm, or newer mass-produced items that merely look retro, which will significantly affect the resale price.
LEGO sets
LEGO sets, particularly themed or discontinued collections like Star Wars, Harry Potter, or Architecture, hold their value remarkably well. Even bags of random bricks can fetch a pretty penny.
Well-preserved LEGO sets and boxes can be sold for £20–£200+, depending on the theme and completeness. However, factors such as missing mini-figures, incomplete instructions, or counterfeit bricks (genuine LEGO has the brand name stamped on every stud) can render them virtually worthless.
Vintage cameras
The popularity of film photography is soaring, leading to an increased demand for vintage cameras like Olympus Trip 35, Pentax Spotmatic, or old Polaroids. A quick scroll through TikTok reveals a new generation of influencers flaunting their retro film cameras or camcorders.
Enthusiasts and collectors are on the hunt for usable gear, often found at car boot sales. These finds can resell from £25–£150+, but beware of rusty battery compartments, sticky shutters, or broken lenses.
If it’s a Polaroid, ensure the film type it uses is still available.
Rare or first edition books
Old books may not appear to be big money-makers, but first editions, specialist cookbooks, out-of-print art or photography volumes, and certain children’s books can fetch a pretty penny. These treasures can resell for £20–£500+.
Ideally, books should come with their dust jackets (even better if they’re preserved in plastic, but then the seller might be aware of their value) and ensure they don’t have torn pages or heavy wear. Ex-library copies are typically worth less.
Designer handbags or accessories
It’s uncommon, but not unheard of to find authentic designer items at car boot sales, particularly older styles that people presume are worthless. Think Mulberry, Coach, even vintage Gucci or Fendi.
Vintage designer handbags can resell anywhere from £50 to £400+. Remember, counterfeits are a massive issue for designer pieces.
Look for serial numbers, logo placement, stitching quality, and branded hardware. If it seems too good to be true, it probably is.
Royal Doulton, Wedgwood, or Denby Ceramics
Classic British ceramics continue to be a hit with collectors and stylists. Keep an eye out for teapots, dinner sets, or figurines, particularly limited editions or discontinued ranges.
The tales are countless of people who’ve stumbled upon a seemingly ordinary ceramic piece at a car boot sale, only to discover it’s worth a small fortune on programmes like Antiques Roadshow. These items can fetch between £30–£200, depending on their condition and pattern.
Be aware that crazing (fine cracks in the glaze) will decrease the resale value, as will missing pieces, or heavily used sets.
