A quick update on two of the tools we've built.

Both our Import Calculator and Domestic Shipping Calculator have had a fresh coat of paint. They're now cleaner, easier to use and, while we were at it, we also updated everything behind the scenes.

On the import side, that meant updating the latest tariff changes. If you've been following the news, you'll know they seem to change every other week, so we've made sure the calculator reflects the latest rules.

If you're importing a car, simply enter the vehicle and where it's coming from, and it'll estimate what it's likely to cost to land in the United States. No email address. No sign-up. Just the numbers.

For those of you who are new to The Daily Vroom, don't forget we also have a Domestic Shipping Calculator.

Anyone who's searched online for a shipping quote knows the drill. Before they'll give you a price, they want your name, phone number and email address, and before long you're fielding calls from transport brokers.

Ours is a little different.

Simply enter the vehicle along with the pickup and delivery ZIP codes and you'll receive live open and enclosed shipping quotes in seconds. No personal details required. If you like the quote, great. If not, you can close the page and carry on with your day.

Hopefully both tools make buying and selling enthusiast cars just that little bit easier for you.

Want to dive deeper into any of these listings? Just click on the car to take you directly to the listing.

A couple of months ago, this 1974 DeTomaso Pantera GTS sold on Bring a Trailer for just over $156,000. Then something happened that almost nobody wants to see. The deal fell apart. All we initially knew was that it had something to do with the air conditioning compressor, and as you'd expect, plenty of people questioned how a six-figure collector car sale could unravel over what sounded like a relatively minor issue.

What followed was actually one of the better examples I've seen of how these situations should be handled. The original buyer came back into the comments and explained exactly why he walked away. It wasn't simply the A/C compressor. The engine had a constant high-pitched whine, he couldn't open the engine cover to investigate it, the horn didn't work, and after waiting years to buy a Pantera, he felt he'd received a car that wasn't ready to be driven and enjoyed. At the same time, he made a point of praising the seller for immediately unwinding the transaction and refunding him without any drama.

The seller (who’s one of the best) then did exactly what you'd hope. The A/C system was upgraded, the small issues were addressed, videos were posted showing everything working, compression numbers were shared, and just about every question from bidders was answered. Rather than pretending nothing had happened, they leaned into it and showed prospective buyers exactly what had been fixed.

If I'm honest, I thought the first failed sale would leave a mark. Cars that come back to market after an unwound transaction often carry a bit of baggage, whether it's deserved or not. The internet has a long memory, and buyers naturally wonder what they don't know.

As it turned out, the market saw things differently.

The Pantera sold today for $150,178. That's less than 4% below where it sold the first time.

I think there's a good lesson in that. Buyers don't expect a 50-year-old collector car to be perfect, but they do expect honesty. When problems are acknowledged, properly fixed and communicated openly, most enthusiasts are willing to move on.

This Pantera wasn't punished because it had an issue. If anything, it was rewarded because everyone involved handled the issue the right way. That's about as positive an ending as you could hope for.

Every year before Monterey Car Week I end up with loads of browser tabs open trying to remember where a particular car is, what auction it's crossing, and whether two events I've promised myself I'll attend are happening at exactly the same time.

A reader, Adam, got in touch this week to tell me about a free app his team has built called Car Week, and after taking a look, I think quite a few of you will find it useful.

It pulls together the week's events, lets you build your own schedule and, perhaps most usefully, includes a vehicle finder so you can search for cars appearing across the various Monterey auctions without jumping between multiple websites.

As with everything I mention in The Daily Vroom, this isn't a paid promotion. In fact, we've turned down sponsorship offers from just about every corner of the collector car world over the past couple of years because I never want readers wondering whether I'm recommending something because I genuinely use it or because someone wrote a cheque.

In this case, I'd happily use it myself if I were heading to Monterey, (sadly not going this year) so I thought it was worth passing along.

If you're going, it's free on both the Apple App Store and Google Play.

Enjoying The Daily Vroom?

Pay it forward by sharing this newsletter with an automotive aficionado in your circles. Your endorsement allows us to accelerate our growth.