Barrett-Jackson Auto Auction

[Shakey]

How many members from this site attend the Barrett-Jackson Auto Auction in Scottsdale, AZ?

Do you attend on a regular basis? Do you purchase or sell cars or simply go to check out the action?

I myslef have been a few times as I have a customer in Scottsdale, AZ. We usually vacate the office and spend the afternoon drinking a few beers    and check out the show field and action in the tent on Thursday and Friday. Unfortunately, I will not be going this year.   

[Shakey]

 

[Shakey]

 

[hemigeno]

I'd like to go sometime just to drool over the Mopars and some other neat cars, but the auction part of it interests me only out of morbid curiosity.  The auction itself to me is kinda like watching a train wreck - just can't stop being amazed at the auction fever that affects so many of the bidders, but just like the train wreck, I wouldn't want to be involved in it.

[Shakey]

I'd like to go sometime just to drool over the Mopars and some other neat cars, but the auction part of it interest me only out of morbid curiosity.  The auction itself to me is kinda like watching a train wreck - just can't stop being amazed at the auction fever that affects so many of the bidders, but just like the train wreck, I wouldn't want to be involved in it.

What if you were selling a car there?   

As you can see by the photos, there are some real beauties there.  I look at it kinda like a massive car show that includes all makes and models, and they're all for sale.  It's in a great setting (now) in a beautiful part of the United States and held during the perfect time of year to be surrounded by palm trees.  I wish I was going this year but the schedule just would not accomodate it.   

[Ghoste]

It's okay if you have one of the carefully prepared stars that runs during prime time and gets the big bucks.  For a lot of sellers, it means running during the off times and not hitting a reserve whether its realistic or not.  Worse yet are the shattered dreams of sellers who get ground down by the ring men into dropping their reserve only to have the car get hammered a few seconds later for a value far less than what they wanted.  For every successful starlet in Hollywood, there are a hundred crack whores on Hollywood Blvd.

[Charger-Bodie]

It's okay if you have one of the carefully prepared stars that runs during prime time and gets the big bucks.  For a lot of sellers, it means running during the off times and not hitting a reserve whether its realistic or not.  Worse yet are the shattered dreams of sellers who get ground down by the ring men into dropping their reserve only to have the car get hammered a few seconds later for a value far less than what they wanted.  For every successful starlet in Hollywood, there are a hundred crack whores on Hollywood Blvd.

that is the absolute truth i went to the mecum auction in st charles ill this fall and that describes it to a t

[hemigeno]

I'd like to go sometime just to drool over the Mopars and some other neat cars, but the auction part of it interest me only out of morbid curiosity.  The auction itself to me is kinda like watching a train wreck - just can't stop being amazed at the auction fever that affects so many of the bidders, but just like the train wreck, I wouldn't want to be involved in it.

What if you were selling a car there?   

For those who have a car in the Cirque du Sand, I'm sure it's a MUCH bigger deal for them.  It is still a neat event, and I try to watch a good portion of it on TV when I have the time.  However, I tend to look at it as pure entertainment rather than a realistic picture of current market values. 

Despite what we read in almost every eBay ad, very few cars can sell at Barrett-Jackson for anywhere close to the money that is passed around down there.  The prevailing eBay mentality is about like watching an infomercial and believing every claim they make. 

If they say it on TV, it must be true... 
Corollary:  If they sell for that much at Barrett-Jackson, mine will too...



I doubt I would ever have a car cross the block at B-J, mostly because the cars I have aren't considered "investment-grade" supercars.  Like Ghoste mentioned, they would probably sell during the off hours if they would even accept them.  Sorta like me, my cars are "not quite ready for prime time". 

Shakey, I didn't mean to diss your enthusiasm for the event and I hope you didn't take my comments that way.  It would be neat to go see sometime, but I honestly don't aspire to be involved on either side of a B-J deal.

[Charger_Fan]

I'd like to go one day, mainly for the car show-esque part of it...and to be able to do it in a t-shirt! I have a friend who drags a car hauler full of cars back from there each year for money. He says it's sure a sight to see.

[tan top]

   HMmm....      was the a original  LO23 ss DART  ?        good pictures (shakey)  thanks for posting

[Mopar440+6]

The circus is back!

[Shakey]

Shakey, I didn't mean to diss your enthusiasm for the event and I hope you didn't take my comments that way.  It would be neat to go see sometime, but I honestly don't aspire to be involved on either side of a B-J deal.

No worries Geno, none at all - it's not my event!

I understand exactly what you are saying and agree with you, it is entertainment!  As far as being there, it is more enjoyable to wander the show field on a Friday afternoon with a cool drink than it is sitting in the tent watching the auction take place.  That's better viewed on televison.

I look forward to it every year, even more so when I am going.   

[Shakey]

I'd like to go one day, mainly for the car show-esque part of it...and to be able to do it in a t-shirt! I have a friend who drags a car hauler full of cars back from there each year for money. He says it's sure a sight to see.

No problem Grant, there is no dress code!   

Try and hop in with your buddy one of these times, you'd enjoy yourself in Scottsdale!   

[Shakey]

Worse yet are the shattered dreams of sellers who get ground down by the ring men into dropping their reserve only to have the car get hammered a few seconds later for a value far less than what they wanted. 

With all due respect Ghoste, you help out with the RM Auction group don't you?  Is this what happens there?

I realize you are not a big fan of the Barrett-Jackson Auction (and that's OK), besides being televised, is it any different from the auctions RM holds?

[Ghoste]

Well of course they are all the same EXCEPT for RM.

[Ghoste]

Actually, in all fairness, I should try and give a better answer.  All of the auctions are a lot of smoke and mirrors.  It doesn't even really matter what the items are being auctioned.  The entire point is to excite buyers and get them bidding against one another.
My issues with B-J center more on the spectacle part.  The televised part has created an air of truth as has already been mentioned.  It has more in common with a reality show like "Survivor" than anything else.  I don't have a lot of love for Craig Jackson either but that's okay because the few times that I've met him I came away firmly convinced that he loves himself enough for everybody.  That's a personal opinion though.
By featuring the hype and rebroadcasting it through the year, the public become grossly misinformed about what really happens.  To tell you the truth, it has probably made some aspects of collector car auctioning a lot more difficult for everyone else.  It becomes easier to consign cars but the disappointment people have when they don't get a fever driven price makes it hard.  Overall, RM is a larger auction house than B-J but they have made this one event the be-all and end-all of auctions in some people's minds.  It also seems to be a trait that is peculiar to boomers buying musclecars than collector cars in general.
I suppose the truly wealthy didn't get that way by making foolish spending decisions though.
So some of my anti-BJ is admittedly personal but some is a general observation.

[firefighter3931]

I enjoy watching it on TV but there's no way i would sell a car there....assuming i had something worthy. The rules changed last year and they all favor BJ.    No more reserve....the car sells whether you like the price or not. So if your 50k car sells for 35k that's it !

BJ doesn't care what it sells for because they get 8% from both the buyer and seller.  If the car sells for way below market value it's no skin off their nose. Oh, and here's the best part : if you sell at their auction, they hold YOUR funds for 180 days.

I don't see why anyone would agree to those conditions but many do...i suppose they have money to burn or lose. I feel sorry for the small shop restos who end up selling for less than the resto on the vehicle cost them to perform.  I've seen a few cars that sold dirt cheap becuase interest was luke warm even though the quality of work was there. I suppose you could bid on your own car, win the auction and pay BJ their 8% for the "privelege" of participating in the sand circus, but really, why should you have to ?  A real auction should allow the seller a fair reserve and some sort of protection.


Like i said earlier...great show but i hate the business end of it. 



Ron

[Ghoste]

The no reserve thing is something they have to resort to in order to slay a monster they created.  Reserves have been reaching stupid heights in an understandable and direct reaction to record prices.  Everybody wants a record price.  The thing is, all of those people expect just as much time to be taken on their car as every other car in the show.  Time wasted trying to get stalled bidders going on a futile attempt to reach somebodys reserve.  This way, they keep things moving along, every car is sold which helps their bottom line and the total sales posted figure is higher which is great for advertising the next circus.

[bullit68]

having no reserve on cars only serves to excite the bidders more,because they know the car will sell.this actually makes the prices go higher.its not like other auctions were there is all the hype and excitment while the bidding is going on,then the big let down when they say it hasn't met reserve.there is a big time mopar collector near me that was called by the bj people to see if he was going to bring any of his cars to the auction to sell.he told them no way as he didn't feel he should have them tell him what hes going to get for his car(the no reserve thing).

[Ghoste]

I think a reserve should always be allowed.  The only cars that need to be no reserve are the real turds and the truly outstanding.  Both ends of the extreme can stand on their own.

[hemihead]

And holding YOUR money is just another way of making 6 months of interest in THEIR bank account.

[Pistolpete]

I thought "reserves" were no longer allowed at BJ ??

[Ghoste]

They're not.

[BigBlockSam]

thanks for the pics shakey

hey Geno your daytona will be of this Quality when done. you just won't sell it. 

it's fun to watch on TV. it's incredible how much money is out there. Rene

[y3chargerrt]

I don't think they have a rule against reserves. They just have so many people wanting to sell a car there that they can pick only cars with no reserves.