Auctions in general

[69LM1]

Sounds good, have you ever been able to get them to change any contract? I have never tried. I know with other things like homeowners policies, phone companies etc, if you say that you don't agree with a clause or some such and want it changed they tell you to go pound dirt. All of the carriers have the same verbage, and you really have no choice if you want that service....

The idea of a consignor service however seems like a good one, and with multiple cars, might be able to garnish some concessions. I like that one, and as a hobbiest, I would use that service. I bet he could even get better rates with the car carriers for volume etc.

[Charley Lillard]

Isn't "Auction Advocate" exactly what the guy was that brought the red GT500 to R-S was ? Did he not do just about all that stuff except he screwed up and entered the car at the wrong reserve ?

[rubbinisracing]

Good observation Charley!

I'd suggest using someone competent not Mr. Haney.

[JHS]

After going to Scottsdale B-J in 2007, I was infatuated and disgusted with the whole process. Appeard that the appeal of the auction was to be on TV and flaunt how much money you have. Main objective of the televised sales was to be seen with the dude with the sun glasses, as if he is someone special. If these cars that run through these high-profile auctions are so valuable why are they not sold outside the auction process to the collectors that end up with them when the hammer drops? Unless you are Carol Shelby I have not seen any real deals for the seller and fewer for the buyer after factoring in the costs of vehicle and personal transportation, lodging, food, venue tickets, time off from work (I have to do that to survive), buyer and seller's premiums, etc.. The only thing really worth looking at was the women and I can not afford them either. The shill bidding just adds another distasteful element to the process. At least Russo has a reserve. I think a person that would agree to a no reserve auction is taking a very big risk or has something up his sleeve to protect his investment.

[AutoInsane]

I have seen multiple $100k + cars sell on this website in under 4 days. Obviously these are the more rare and perfect cars. Even so, in this day and age of Ebay, and the internet in general, it would seem a guy could market a car himself to potential buyers who would want to buy the car. I would guess it would be the same guys who go to the auctions.

For those who have sold cars through auctions, would it really be that hard to sell a car and not utilize an auction? I know often times the hype of the auction and the "dopn't miss it for just a grand" push the price to a higer level but then there is the 10% seller's fee which negates the increase in price.

In my opinion unless you have a $200k+ car to sell you could do it via classified ads in magazines and on the internet. $500 - $1,000 in marketing would go a long way!

I think I should go into the business of selling collector cars........

[BARNFOUND YENKO]

Ive sold many of cars/high dollar cars and not one time have i ever needed any help! ie.. auctions/all the BS associated with them.

[redbaron]

We need a better way to put large groups of buyers and sellers together than through the auction houses. Whether this could be done as a car only swap meet style sale or just what I'm not sure. As a collective group lets take back our sport and come up with ideas to help end this madness. It doesn't make sense that the seller loses 4 to 10%, while the buyer pays an additional 6 to 10%.

[Charley Lillard]

I like the auctions. As a buyer I can go and look at hundreds of cars that are for sale and they are in one place. I don't have to go on wild goose chases all over the country looking at one car at a time. So I pay 10% to the house for bringing them all together. As a seller....Barrett-Jackson brings 5000 registered bidders to see my car. I think they earn their money.

[redbaron]

Well Charley for some odd reason I like you. But look, a lot of people don't have the extra 10% funds one way or the other. With that in mind what would you suggest to prevent the false values and market the auctions create.

[sixtiesmuscle]

I think we're losing sight of a simple fact. When a buyer and a seller agree on a price, how is that a false value or market? The fact that a broker, the auction house, is the middle man is irrelevant. The reserve is the seller's asking price, just as it would be at a dealer or swap meet. The buyers make offers up to a point that the seller will accept. The notion that the seller should be compelled to sell his car at the highest bid, no matter how low, is just not reasonable. After all, this is an auction with a reserve. The responsibility for not paying a falsely inflated price belongs to the buyer. Nobody is forced to pay more than they are willing to pay.