TheSamba.com :: View topic - Barrett Jackson... right venue for selling a patina'd beetle?

Mon Dec 09, 2019 11:33 pm

Last Spring, my brother thought it would be fun if I build a car to sell at Barrett Jackson. Since he lives in AZ and me in WA...we don't see each other much,...call it a bonding experience. LOL I've never bought/ sold/ or attended a Barrett Jackson event.
I think it would be fun to attend, and sell a car. Having never attended one of these settings...have any of you guys ever seen a heavily patina'd car cross the blocks while you were there? Was there any interest in a car like that?
I have a really cool 63' Beetle Sedan that I could put together for the 2021 Scottsdale event, that I would lower and run a mildly modified 40hp. What do you guys think?

Tue Dec 10, 2019 4:46 am

Excellent, you can get 100kfor a Split, easy

Tue Dec 10, 2019 7:00 am

motofly196 wrote: What do you guys think?

I think I would check mecum/BJ results before making a plan. it's about 500 to just run the car, plus sellers premiums etc...

a friend sold a bug at mecum....twice...and lost his ass. 1 was a patina car (no rot, 100% over the top detailed pan etc) and the other was a pro street bug.

he lost his ass on both, and both were super nice cars

Tue Dec 10, 2019 10:32 am

This is exactly the kind of info I was looking for, thank you! I can't find out any fee costs without registering on the website. I had no idea it was that expensive to sell a car there.
Might be better to just go and be a spectator at that rate!! :shock: Thanks again!

Tue Dec 10, 2019 6:27 pm

8% premium seller pays. Buyer 10-12%. Steep.

https://www.barrett-jackson.com/Bidder/Home

Tue Dec 10, 2019 7:14 pm

Well, that just takes the fun outta everything. I was thinking about bringing a $4-5000 car. Not even worth it... :shock:

Tue Dec 10, 2019 8:14 pm

If ya can't run with the big dogs get under the porch with the pups...and me :D

Tue Dec 10, 2019 9:11 pm

I don't know if it's the right venue but I have definitely seen some Patina-type cars at Barrett-Jackson in Scottsdale, AZ

If I had to guess that is the only place you would want to auction a car like that, the real places would laugh at you. B-J is for anyone willing to pay.

Last time I went there I was SERIOUSLY disappointed in the quality of cars.
There were some nice cars and some nice, low mileage all original cars of a bunch of different makes/models but wayyyyy more trash

Wed Dec 11, 2019 8:13 am

Thanks Everett...yes, it would be the Scottsdale event. My brother is near Phoenix. After reading about all these fees, traveling from WA with the car...sounds like I'd be lucky to walk away with $2500 from the sale of a $5000 car? LOL :shock: Just doesn't sound like fun to me anymore. It would be more fun just to fly down and visit the show! :lol:

Wed Dec 11, 2019 8:37 am

Keep in mind that during the Barrett Jackson auction time fram that other auctions are taking place. That may be another option for you. I have attended Barrett a couple of times. Over Priced!

Wed Dec 11, 2019 9:00 am

motofly196 wrote: It would be more fun just to fly down and visit the show! :lol:

You need to get out more. The most exciting thing about one of those auctions is watching the highlights on TV. Past that, it's as exciting as watching paint cure.

Wed Dec 11, 2019 9:19 am

gt1953 wrote: Keep in mind that during the Barrett Jackson auction time fram that other auctions are taking place. That may be another option for you. I have attended Barrett a couple of times. Over Priced!

True, if you want to bring the car down and just visit you could even just take it to the get together at Scottsdale Pavilions and see if it sells there in the parking lot.
No auction fees at all.

Or put it on craigslist when you get here.
I think a lot of people in town are looking at cars for sale
I always see a ton of new listings on craigslist around that time, even for local cars that I never seen at shows, etc.

Wed Dec 11, 2019 9:33 am

Trailering the car down, driving it to a show or cruise night, and listing it might be fun too. Sounds like a 1 day pass to Barrett Jackson would be enough to say "been there, done that". :lol:
I'll have to keep an eye on the shows in that area in. That sounds like fun.

Thu Dec 12, 2019 8:14 pm

Does B-J accept "patina" rides? There's a broad interpretation of that term. I'm withholding my auction advice until I see what the OP's definition of patina entails.

Thu Dec 12, 2019 8:20 pm

Original sunburnt paint, faded into primer/ sealer. No rust...original door panels and new seat covers. Probably same taste as yours👍. I hope!!

Thu Dec 12, 2019 9:05 pm

hitest wrote: Does B-J accept "patina" rides? There's a broad interpretation of that term. I'm withholding my auction advice until I see what the OP's definition of patina entails.

Yes

Fri Dec 13, 2019 9:27 am

EverettB wrote: True, if you want to bring the car down and just visit you could even just take it to the get together at Scottsdale Pavilions and see if it sells there in the parking lot.
No auction fees at all.

Or put it on craigslist when you get here.
I think a lot of people in town are looking at cars for sale
I always see a ton of new listings on craigslist around that time, even for local cars that I never seen at shows, etc.

I'm local here, and agree with Everett's advice. Those auctions just bring more rich folks with tons of money to the area....

Fri Dec 13, 2019 9:44 am

I've never sold a car to someone with tons of money....do they still try to lowball ya'? :shock:

This is all good info! I really appreciate it. Talked with my brother the other day about it, he said there are a bunch of dealers in his area that sell muscle cars for huge $$$. Then he sees the same car sold at Barrett Jackson for a substantial amount less. We might just go for a day to see what all the noise is about...

Fri Dec 13, 2019 1:05 pm

When most folks sell a used item, it seems they expect a little haggling. And the buyer feels better if "middle ground price" is agreed upon.

Last week I bought a used cross-bed tool box for my 1998 Nissan Frontier, from Facebook marketplace. Seller originally was asking $80, lock worked and he had two keys. I messaged him and offered $60 cash; he replied and told me the strut mount had broken off the top. A few days later I messaged him again, and bought for $50, 10 miles away. The least expensive I could find anywhere and online was $179 plus tax at Pep Boys. I'd been "looking" for a year, waiting for a decent quality and price unit to fall into my hands. And it's a Delta unit. Generally I don't haggle on lower-priced stuff.

Fri Dec 13, 2019 5:21 pm

So my opinion/ observation.....

Have been hauling in and out of BJ Nottheast since the beginning ( very close to me). The last 3 years I have been inside and a bidder for the automobilia part of the auction.

Yes the general “word on the street” for the Northeast auction it is the low end “ junk” of the BJ line up. What I have seen is good, call them “blue chip” cars don’t do well there. Cute, funny, interesting do GREAT. An absolute mess of an original small engine in a “make the outside look good” patina truck sold very well for what it really was ( still had the original generator belt on it ready to explode if you tightened it). If you don’t need or want a lot you should do okay to great.

I was going to buy a Volksrod to run through there. I figured it would do around $4.500. Last I knew it was $700 plus commission. With that you get a bidder pass and guest pass that gets you in for the whole event. If you paid for a bidder pass ( and guest) it costs $300 plus you need a $30,000 available. Sorry that is not me so to make maybe $1,000 and get to be in the event with no other cost made sense for me.

If you are trying to make big bucks probably not the right venue. If you want to make some and have a fun few days why not.