Help With Selling #1 Car at Auction - Mecum Indy?

[njsteve]

<div class="ubbcode-block"><div class="ubbcode-header">Originally Posted By: weranc55</div><div class="ubbcode-body"><div class="ubbcode-block"><div class="ubbcode-header">Originally Posted By: njsteve</div><div class="ubbcode-body">WERANC55 sold a car or two last year at Mecum...and I was the one answering the main question of the day which was &quot;Where the hell is that SD that is going on Saturday&quot;. [img]<<GRAEMLIN_URL>>/grin.gif[/img] </div></div>

Lol. I don't think I could handle sitting there all week and answering not so intelligent questions. </div></div>

I have teenagers. So I am an expert in this. [img]<<GRAEMLIN_URL>>/grin.gif[/img]

[69LM1]

I would say that I did not have a great experience at Mecum (Dallas). Unless you are an &quot;insider&quot; you will not be able to get into a good slot.

They used a Union service to drive cars across the block, and the 80+ year old guy driving my L78 across could not drive a stick and kept killing the car. I asked if I could just drive it across and was told no. Their fix? PUSH THE CAR ACROSS THE BLOCK!

I got the same advice about the phone number and being around the car. The Mecum authorities came by and made me take the phone number off the car, stating that they did not allow contact information on cars because they have a 'after its over' clause and you might try and sell the car after the auction and try and bypass them.

All in all.... I have much better luck advertising on these sites as well as Ebay, but I don't have high end #1 restorations either. Dallas may have been an exception as well.

Rich

[njsteve]

No such nonsense at Indy. I was encouraged to put a note in the window or on the display with my contact number while at the auction for that minute or two that I was not standing with the car, just in case someone needed to get in touch with me. No &quot;union driver&quot; craziness either.

[Billohio]

It's amazing 99% of the cars have no one around. Spent 4 days in Kissimmee and the cars I was interested in had no one there. The w30 I was interested in, the guy finally appeared auction morning and he was pretty much clueless or would not discuss what he knew about the car. Pretty much a turn off.

[njsteve]

The fact is that the car actually &quot;sells&quot; during the week it is on display when you are presenting it to prospective buyers, not during the 30 seconds it's on the block.

Most prospective buyers see an absent seller as a big red flag as to the authenticity and/or quailty of a car. If I was looking to buy a particular car at auction and couldn't find anyone there or a seller rep who wouldn't answer questions, I would not place a bid on that car unless it was a car I already knew everything about.

[bulletpruf]

<div class="ubbcode-block"><div class="ubbcode-header">Originally Posted By: njsteve</div><div class="ubbcode-body">Saturday, in the early afternoon is the prime slot. That is when I sold my Charger last May. Place a reaosnable reserve on it and the next point is key: get there early and &quot;sell&quot; the car.

I brought mine on the prior saturday as it was in the &quot;Saturday&quot; feature car area. I then stood around the car for the next 7 days, 10 hours a day, talking to anyone and everyone who stopped to look at it. If it is a rare and unique car like yours, the average musclecar guy may not know how truly unique and valuable it is unless you give them a quick schpiel on the car. A qui k schpiel can turn into an extended conversation which then hooks the persn as a potential bidder, or he may know someone who is. A lot of people came up to my Charger and just thought is was a nice 70 hemi Charger until I started explainng things like the rarity, the orignal mieage, the incredible paper trail, the crazy original owner stories, etc. The collector that bought it was one of the guys that I spent a lot of time talking with during the week.

I saw a lot of cars just get dropped off, and no one was around them the entire week to even open the hood! They were neat, real cars and never made reserve because they weren't properly represented at the auction.

Also, l would have the orignal bench seat and radio available at the auction to go with the car. My Charger originally had manual steering and I carefully wrapped up the original steering column, box and pitman arm and had them in the trunk to go with the car. </div></div>

Steve -

Great input. I will be able to attend; will see how early I can get there and park myself next to the car. I sold new cars at a dealership in college (Richards Honda and American Jeep/Eagle in Baton Rouge), but methinks it will be a wee bit different selling a &quot;new&quot; high end used car.

Thanks,

Scott

[bulletpruf]

<div class="ubbcode-block"><div class="ubbcode-header">Originally Posted By: Ryan1969Chevelle</div><div class="ubbcode-body">Steve hit the nail on the head.

I just attended Kissimmee Mecum Auction and the cars I was interested to see were not well represented, no-one to talk to, no cell number to call when the owner was away, and a couple were filthy dirty. If you are selling remotely, have a trusted friend or the restorer SELL the car before it goes across the block. I will do it but don't be surprised if you odometer reading is higher by 1320 feet:-)

Ryan </div></div>

Ryan -

I've heard the same thing. I had already planned to show up early to &quot;pimp&quot; the car a bit, but this just reinforces it.

Thanks for the offer to run it through a few heat cycles for me. [img]<<GRAEMLIN_URL>>/[/img] I'll have to give that some thought...

Scott

[bulletpruf]

<div class="ubbcode-block"><div class="ubbcode-header">Originally Posted By: marxjunk</div><div class="ubbcode-body">its going to be hard for him to &quot;be there&quot; he's stationed out of the country.... </div></div>

Hey Mark -

I'm making the trip. My wife has family nearby, so I'm dragging her and the baby with me. Really looking forward to the 14 hour plane trip with a 1 year old!

Scott

[bulletpruf]

<div class="ubbcode-block"><div class="ubbcode-header">Originally Posted By: weranc55</div><div class="ubbcode-body">As Don said be prepared to take a hit on it. Its a very nicely restored car. That's one thing it's got going for it. It's not a judge, not original motor, and not a great color combo. It was my car I would try eBay first with a buy it now and best offer. At least this way you will get a pretty good idea were people value the car. If you are committed to taking it to an auction I think Indy is your best option. Friday afternoon or Saturday early afternoon a good time slots. FYI I have a blue 70 ra4 Judge that I may bring to the auction. Frame off sr block car. I have over 100 in it. If it gets close to 70 grand I'd sell it. I'd like to get more but have to be realistic.
You also could try to consign it at rk motor? They try to get high retail. Cars seems to sit there for a while but I'm sure some do sell. </div></div>

Thanks for your input; great to hear from someone who has sold there before.

Sounds like a reasonable price for your Judge, especially a round port car.

Thought about consigning it somewhere and also have an invitation to display it at Floyd Garrett's museum (apparently they will let folks know if a car can be bought), but logistics are problematic for me. Would be a bit easier if I was in the states.

Good input on eBay. Really doesn't appear to be a downside if you have it as &quot;Buy it Now.&quot; Listing it with a reserve always runs the risk that the bidding ends up lower than expected and folks de-value the car accordingly.

Thanks

Scott

[bulletpruf]

<div class="ubbcode-block"><div class="ubbcode-header">Originally Posted By: DW31S</div><div class="ubbcode-body">Don't get discouraged. First of all, we all owe you a big THANK YOU for your service to us and our country! Green is &quot;HOT&quot; now and I, for one LOVE it!!! I searched for a specific for and was LUCKY to find it in GREEN! The '70s earth-tone colors are very much in demand and many like myself are tired of fake red and black cars, orange, too. If you really have $120,000.00 or more, be proud of that and tell prospective buyers where, how, and why. Tell them why you built it &quot;your way&quot; and how easy it is to change the car to &quot;as-delivered&quot; status. Auctions are fickle and anything and everything is possible. The better auction houses will educate you on what the best time slot is; listen to them and if that run number is a higher cost---pay it. That extra $100-200.00 could yield tens-of-thousands! Mecum Indy is a great muscle car venue. If you can't attend due to serving your country (and our's) make sure your representative explains that as your car is on the block, and make sure the rep. also knows EVERYTHING about your car. I've seen some strange stuff at auctions and to this day I maintain that at an auction &quot;You never know what CAN or WILL happen&quot;. When egos (and alcohol) are involved, ANYTHING IS POSSIBLE!!! </div></div>

Dave -

Appreciate your thoughts on this. Glad to hear that &quot;Pepper Green is the New Black!&quot; Maybe that's what my pitch will be at Mecum!

I stepped up and paid the premium for the Friday time slot with Saturday as #2. Should be able to swap, since it seems like Saturday is a bit better. The premium package (more advertising, covered parking, professional photography, etc) + time slot set me back $1,500, but I figured now wasn't the time to go cheap.

Thanks,

Scott