Event Coverage Barrett jackson

This happens even more with low buck cars. Guy buys a 54 Chevy and is gonna restore it. Never does. Sometimes it is sitting outside. Then it gets sold at an auction cause the guy never did anything with it. Along with 10 other cars.

 

Spending a rainy Sunday morning going through four hours of recorded BJ. I paused more times on the “Ass” cam than on any of the shiny things crossing the block.

Time to head to the shop, light a fire in the wood stove, then under my ass to work on hood alignment.

 

The BJ broadcast is entertainment that casts the car hobby in a positive light for the general public. A lot of guys here wring their hands about the future of old cars. If that’s how you feel, don’t be so quick to knock it.

 

How many people on here bashing them have ever been their. A local guy here went a couple years ago. He said he should of gotten a bidders number. Would of bought 2 cars. For less than 10 grand total. So is there a auction ring outside for less expensive cars ? Or did I hear that wrong. Or was that earlier in the week.

 

Went there one time, about four years ago. I have never dealt with so many selfish people in my life. There were three instances between the airport and the BJ grounds where people crowded in front of me. But the event was a large car show which I did enjoy; didn't pay much attention to the auction itself. But due to the selfish attitudes of so many 50 year old teenagers the event went from my bucket list to my f@#$%t list. Did watch quite a bit on TV yesterday.

 

Well, pretty much anything over 5 grand is too much for me to spend on a hobby car.....

I've always been under the impression that old cars are not a good way to make money, just enjoy your project. More likely than not, the money you put in wont be recovered, let alone the hundreds of hours. I find it funny when people stop and ask me if I'm afraid of my car getting "hurt" because it must be worth at least 50k in their mind.

I build them so I can drive them, that's enough for me.

 

I enjoy watching it for the car show aspect. Still amazes me that people can drop the amount of money they do on some of these cars. I sure would hate to be the guy though that wakes up with a 84 Chevy 1/2 ton p/u that paid 84,000 dollars for it. What was in that drink anyway? LOL!

 

There are a couple of "high rollers" in the collector business that started out as common folk like many of us. Ron Pratte and George Poteet. Both became wealthy on their own through hard work and have the money to spend as they see fit. It should be noted that both men have spread their money around. Poteet by building cars with different builders each time. Pratte by purchasing a charity car, donating it back to B-J and sold it again for charity. He had several charity cars in his collection.

I have met and talked to Poteet on a few occasions in the past. He is down to earth, approachable and easy to engage in conversation. First meeting was at the Nats East in York, PA. He wanted to look at and drive a fresh 34 Ford 2DrSdn. He had on bib overalls, a white tee shirt and white tenny runners. While he and Stan went for a ride he asked the rest of us if we would watch his ice chest. Upon return he opened the chest and started handing Stan banded stacks of Benjamins. He attended the Tupelo, MS Halloween rod runs many times with a different car every year.

 

It "informs and educates" the general public, which is always a problem for anyone that has a niche hobby or collects something.
Meaning that the average (non car) person can tune in and "educate" themselves to think that rusty parts car in their back yard is worth a ton of money.
The other problem with BJ is that someone will get in a pissing contest and buy a $40k car for $70. Now the thought process with the selling public is that $70 is the new market value overnight. This also attracts the "investor" crowd which can be a problem.

Prior to BJ, ebay served to "educate" the public, so even now many people having a garage sale or selling at a swap meet use ebay for a 'blue book' to price their stuff.

Before ebay and the internet, it was the local TV news. Back in the 80's my Dad and Brother were serious baseball card collectors. On occasion they could build their collection by buying someone's box of old cards from a classified ad, garage sale or Drive-in theater swap meet. Then suddenly there were blurbs on the local news; "is that shoe box of baseball cards in your closet worth thousands? , tune in at 5:00". And that was the beginning of the end of the golden age. Then high prices surged, along with big big $$$ pro coin collecting dealers (who weren't even baseball fans) buying/selling, driving up prices and knocking out all the kids and average Joe's.

Prime time TV, the internet and flippers n dealers all "educate the public" and drive up prices.

 

On the other side of the coin, I've seen some nice cars sell for probably a third of the money it took to build it...

 

I attended BJ with my brother and friends from 2008 through about 2014 when living close by. It really is a show to behold. The last four years that I lived there, 2015/2018 I did not bother going. It became for me, "Been there, done that" kind of thing. It is way to large to take in, doing it in one day is almost to much, and I become pretty jaded after a while, (seeing one great car after another can do that to me). I sold out and stay in Wash. these days but my younger brother still snowbirds it down there. We talked last night and I asked if he went. He said no and hasn't gone now in 3 years and the guys who went with us don't either.
I suppose my interest waned because in the back of my mine I knew the great cars are for the really well off crowd and I ain't one of those boys. The average BJ car in the display hall and on the block just don't peak my interest either being mostly overpriced muscle stuff these days. I don't even bother watching it on TV if it is broadcast. And one thing for sure, DO NOT use the prices as a barometer for buy or selling out here in the non BJ real world.

 

I'm pretty sure BJ is not our sandbox......I know it's not mine!

 

On a positive note I was at Barrett Jackson in 2005. Was amazed at the spectacle. Got to shake hands with Barry Maguire the auto wax guy and said hello to Carroll Shelby and Dan Gurney. The best part was while waiting in line for a beverage I turned around and Pete Chapouris was right behind me. I introduced myself and we exchanged pleasantries for a couple of minutes. He was a real nice guy to this unknown hick from Montana.

 

My uneducated guess is you have a better chance of getting a buy on the first couple days. Not Friday or Saturday when the Whales are there.

 

If that were the view of most of us here we are dumb. Unfortunately we know that we will end up spending more money than the car is worth. The enjoyment is not owning it but to build and drive it.

I like the "Ass" camera too.

I used to like watching when the classic Packard's, Rolls Royce's, Lincolns, and the like were the headliners. Now, late model Bentleys, Toyotas, Jeeps, and the like are headliners that yea, you just fast forward through.

 

I enjoy BJ and Mecum a limited amount. As we see certain builders bring higher to exorbitant $$$$$’s. Currently in Hemmings Classic Car Magazine is the 2 part story of a F 57 Thunderbird. We are reading part 1 and I’m sure by what I’m seeing this top notch. But, isn’t there always one, it’s not Amos Minter so it will never be good enough because he is the God of F Birds and without his touch you’ll never get what an AM Bird is worth....that’s sad.

 

I was at the Florida BJ years ago and while a fun experience, there is the inner circle TV cars, and as you looked at the cars further and further out from the “ inner circle”
I’m sure there where desks to be had.

bit I 100% agree with suction fever and the tallywaker measuring contest !

 

I must admit that I have watched both BJ and Mecum but after reading about the fee's for sellers and buyers, I don't believe I'll ever bother trying to sell or buy anything at any of their sales. You pay an entry fee based on what date and time your vehicle will be sold that also gives you a display space. If your car sells, you pay a seller's commission of 15% of the hammer price. If you're the buyer, you pay a premium of 10 % of the hammer price. Maybe there's something wrong with my math but it looks to me as if the price of the car just went up 25%. I guess if your credit is good enough, you can buy anything there. Then there's the thought of going through the registration process and paying sales tax on top of it. Tennessee's state sales tax is 9.275% so that mega-buck car just cost you a whole bunch more. I believe I'll just keep on dealing with the locals.

 

How do you think BJ makes it’s $$$$$$$. At least at Mecum you don’t need to come off your minimum. You just loose fee for putting it in. It’s also why you see the father and son willing to cut the sellers fee. 10% is better than no %.

 

Being in AK I watch BJ and Mecum auctions. I just look at them as car shows. It gives me the opportunity to see some rare and beautiful rides.
I wouldn't be a buyer with all the fees. It starts to add up quick. On occasion I do see some cars go for a good price. They are usually hot rods that were built in the 90s (tweed interior and odd graphics and color choices). That being said with some time and minimal $$ they could be very nice.
I also find it funny that some of the cars(Corvairs) sold at these auctions wind up on the specific sites asking questions about how to get them running well. I would be pissed if I payed good money for some of these POS. Alot of polished turds out there. These auctions are a haven for this type of car as many are never driven and just sit in a collection.

 

I view the on TV big time auctions as entertainment and little else.
As far as prices go if you go to their page and log on and scroll though the rigs that were run through on the days that weren't shown on TV you see far more realistic prices that are probably closer to the real world outside of the I'll bid an extra 10K just so they will show me on TV deals.
Those early sales are the bitching and whining about rigs going for a too low of a price usually happen. Usually a guys shows up with a ten, 15 or 20 year build that is in it's very dated paint job, dated but still presentable interior and has the billet wheels that were the hot lick the month it was first presented to the world as a finished ride but now really looks dated. Those rigs don't bring a lot because the guys buying them are planning a complete redo.

All of those high dollar cars like that Million and something dollar Bronco are donations to some legit cause. You get the paperwork for the Tax write off of what you paid above sticker price. You also get the bragging rights for having what is usually serial number one of the production of that model.

 

ITS A TV SHOW ,a loosely scripted REALITY TV show, complete with "plants" & all the drama they can stage . What actually goes on behind the curtains is anyone's guess !

 

I know it's how they make their money. Just seems a little greedy taking a cut for selling a person's car and another from the buyer. If I consign a car to a dealer around here, I pay the dealer a fee for his time and effort in selling. The buyer doesn't pay anything extra for buying.

 

capitalism
/ˈkapɪt(ə)lɪz(ə)m

noun

1. an economic and political system in which a country's trade and industry are controlled by private owners for profit, rather than by the state.
   It's how our part of the world works. Noone is forced to sell or buy this way. The other alternative is socialism, where we would all own a hot rodded Lada Niva......................

 

I agree but that's business as usual. People upset the global market on a grand scale to make large sums of money daily. A car auction is tidily-winks in the grand scheme of things. I don't think auctions set prices necessarily but they do set trends.

Joe

 

Been to the Mecum auction as a buyer, entertaining and worth the experience and yes there are good buys if you know what to look for. (BTW didn't buy what I wanted) Non the less not all the cars make TV. Problem with the "high dollar" auctions is that now every one thinks their car is a six figure car. I've looked at several cars that the owners insisted the same car sold at auction for Mega bucks so therefore theirs was of the same value. Only worth what you can sell it for! As another has said if it hasn't sold at your price for over a year maybe it's over priced!
I look at these auctions as car shows and or entertainment. Better buys can be found at smaller venues

 

I'm sure this doesn't happen at BJ or Mecum but remember there was a guy number of years ago that had accumulated a large number of similar make collector grade cars. Had a scam worked out that several of his associates worked as "Shills" to artificially bump prices and over bid on his cars at auction. After selling the first couple of the cars to "friends" similar sellers raised auction reserves to establish new base line value on like cars. Guy initially made a killing selling subsequent cars! Believe he was finally exposed and convicted of fraud.

 

It’s good entertainment
So is driving old rides.
Car auctions are as traditional as complaining about prices.
I like Trapper John better than BJ Honeycutt.
The value of my rides is something for the people that inherit them to worry about.
I don’t give a rats rear end how much a numbers matching muscle car is worth.
I regret not buying a couple cheap Broncos or Landcruisers in the past to flip today.
Why do people get excited over a “rare” muscle car that Detroit pumped out hundreds of thousands of? But I’m glad they do.
I just woke up from my Sunday nap, seen this thread and remember I totally forgot about the auction.
I seen FB posts about a Barrett Jackson car show and was asked to vote for a car. I did.
It lost.

 

I'm sure that I'll catch hell for this but...
Barrett Jackson is an event, not just an auction. I go often with friends from Oklahoma and Delaware. We like to look at the cars, all of them. We see cars we cannot afford and get ideas from some of the builders attending. We never purchase a bidders pass because we don't want to bid. Its nice to see the art on sale, the memorabilia for sale and so on. It has a circus atmosphere that we enjoy.
I personally don't care if the car has matching numbers, leather interiors with Tazmanian devil inserts and blueberry seed buttons, I just like to see various stuff on wheels.
Additionally, the vendors there have all of the latest hot damn car stuff. You can get waxes and other usable stuff at discount prices and also see engines, frames, kits, suspension parts, tires, and lots of car art also.
There are celebrities there that seem very casual and approachable.
If a guy wants to spend a shit pot amount of money for what he wants, who cares? Would I buy a pedal car for thousands of dollars? Absolutely not, but its entertaining to watch a guy win the bid, I got no skin in the game.
Enjoy your thing and let others enjoy their thing. If we were all the same we'd all be driving '32 highboys.

 

I enjoy seeing the variety of cars, and it was rainy and cold last night so a beer and a chair and watching the sold sticker girl was ok with me.

Saturday at Barrett Jackson is definitely a world I don’t live in and wouldn’t want to.
Years ago I knew a guy with a large car collection. He bought and sold at Barrett Jackson occasionally.
In his collection he had a blown Willys gasser, one of the few cars I found interesting because it was cool. I asked how it drove and he said that didn’t matter because these cars aren’t for driving.
Not my idea of collector car ownership!


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