Barrett Jackson 2011.....Bidding craziness has started!

[Voodoo Rob]

I am in Phoenix right now, they are holding it here. Do you guys think it is worth going to?

Get over there and report back if you can. I'm sure many of the members, myself included, have never been there. I wonder if theres any buyers remorse with some of these sales? "Honey you spent our savings on a $200,000 1950s RV that Elvis leaned against while he was throwing up behind the Sand's Hotel!"

 

[Paul Hawker]

"Greatest Show on Earth"

I usually spend all my time in the parking lot looking at the hundreds of cars lined up, getting ready to sell. You can talk with the owners, and get stories on almost all the cars.

After the cars go through the auction they go to a holding pen, and you can make a private deal with the owners of cars that did not sell due to not meeting reserve, or even offer a guy to buy the car he just bought for a profit.

The cars look so much more down to earth, when viewed in the parking lot, as opposed to being up on the stage with the special lighting.

You get the hear the cars running while moving up, and watch the lot guys scampering around with battery boosters to get the long stored cars started.

I only spend a little time actually in the tents viewing the auction. You can estimate from the program (always running late) when your favorite cars will be running over the block, and step inside to watch the bidding.

Lots of behind the scenes action going on.

If you wanna have fun, rent a golf cart with a buddy, and just drive around offering cute chicks free rides.

 

[PhoenixGTS]

I live about 3-4 miles fron Barret-Jackson, but my Father and I have been there so mamy times we are going to have lunch then go to Russo and Steele today. The R&S tents look MUCH bigger this year than the ones that blew over last year (thankfully we have GREAT weather this week). If you go to BJ it is a LOT cheaper during the week. IIRC it is $50 admission on the weekend and maybe half that during the week and but for the actual auctions you still get to see the exact same stuff. I'd rather watch the super-expensive auctions on TV anyway.

Just got back from first time at Russo & Steele. The first row we checked out in the first tent was absolute junk. Body and paint issues - an early 70s Vette on 22s - I was worried it was going to be a wasted afternoon, but the more we looked at the better it got. i have never seen so many factory Hemi cars in one place. So many it was not just Challengers and Cudas but Superbirds, GTX and I even saw a Hemi Roadrunner. I counted I think five Vipers: a 2002 FE GTS, a B&W, and three red Gen Is in perfect condition including one described as #8 built and formerly owned by Robert Eaton with about a 1,000 miles on it. The Gen Is looked in perfect condition so keep an eye on those prices as a benchmark (one was ruined by chromed factory wheels). And OMG we had to wipe off so many El Caminos it was insane. No 59/60s, but every year until 72 after that (if you are not into wacky cable TV shows and internet legends "wiping off" an El Camino probably doesn't work as a joke for you).

[EDIT] Forgot to mention, compared to Barrett-Jackson, Russo & Steele is a TOTAL sausage fest. But for some women working there, R&S is without the BJ **** contingent. Big block Chevelle after big block Chevelle - but nt much other talent! ;-)

 

[Roysviper]

I was there Monday and met the owner of '94 Viper "as new" with under 2000 miles. She thought the will get bid to $60,000.[goes thursday]...She and her husband also broght a Prowler, with matching trailer, 1000 miles, "as new"...she said bid could go to $75,000 on it. I saw the the 1998 GT-2 car and it is "as new" and delivered new to Dodge dealer in Phoenix. 39,000 people there on Monday and the auction didn't even start till yesterday.

The Prowler in it's day was according to Plymouth about new $38,000.. WHO in their right mind would pay $75,000 for a PROWLER when they can use that money and buy a really nice VIPER...I think that lady is in dream land..Her PROWLER is ONLY worth that much to HER...ha....She is in serious denial! And a 94 VIPER for $60,000....That lady needs to take her cars back to the house. WE ARE NOT THAT STUPID!!! (I know a guy who will take $60,000 for his 2002 GTS ACR VIPER, yellow with black strips. RSI 750 S/C with bearly over 2000 mi on it right here in my town today.....)

 

[okloneranger]

The BJ auction goers tend ( in general )to lack appreciation for Vipers. Crazy prices on Vipers are sometimes reached (not often) and seem to have very little to do with what VCA members would value the specific car at. This is just my opinion on what I've seen in the past. They just don't seem to be ready for Vipers like they are with Corvettes. I guess are cars aren't old enough to be appreciated yet. Hopefully things will change. For me BJ is more interesting watching the characters there than the cars, although there are some great cars there. Some of the prices various cars bring lead me to think there are more than a few sellers that get it broke off in them selling no reserve.

 

[PatentLaw]

Think Aaron is right on with his numbers. The 98 may be somewhat high, however.

 

[vancouver-gts]

92 Viper sold for $60500

Barrett-Jackson Auction Company - 1992 DODGE VIPER RT/10

 

[2006red/whitecoupe]

The Prowler in it's day was according to Plymouth about new $38,000.. WHO in their right mind would pay $75,000 for a PROWLER when they can use that money and buy a really nice VIPER...I think that lady is in dream land..Her PROWLER is ONLY worth that much to HER...ha....She is in serious denial! And a 94 VIPER for $60,000....That lady needs to take her cars back to the house. WE ARE NOT THAT STUPID!!! (I know a guy who will take $60,000 for his 2002 GTS ACR VIPER, yellow with black strips. RSI 750 S/C with bearly over 2000 mi on it right here in my town today.....)

sometimes it is difficult to predict the future.

 

[vancouver-gts]

My son predicted the 92 will go for the exact sum of 60500 . He also said the 94 will not get to 60K and the GTS R should go for around a 100K "We'll see said the blind man"

 

[SSSSE YA]

My son predicted the 92 will go for the exact sum of 60500 . He also said the 94 will not get to 60K and the GTS R should go for around a 100K "We'll see said the blind man"

to the deaf person..

 

[PDCjonny]

Usually there is one or two big cars going off on Saturday night, any car going to bring in the huge dollars this year?

 

[TAXIMAN1]

Wow.. That GTSR went cheap....87k for a like new 1,000 mile car!!

 

[Synergy]

Wow.. That GTSR went cheap....87k for a like new 1,000 mile car!!

I just saw that... Suprised it went that low.

 

[TAXIMAN1]

The problem is, Almost all of those got tucked away. And even though they only made 100. I bet there are 10-15 of them on the market at once.. At any given time.. And 90 of the original 100, are still almost like new.

sellers are all asking 120 range. But I seriously doubt they are actually changing hands, near that figure

 

[musclenutz]

Ya know,i would like to see our Vipers shoot through the roof,but i really didn't buy them for that. I love the car and the history and mostly driving them. That is what i think eventually will make prices go up.Not that someone wants one for the esteem of 'having' a cool collector car but just the fact they really are a phenom in automotive design and they came at a time when America was faltering with car building.I think in a way the building of the Viper woke us back up to what we are all about.Meanwhile,i feel lucky to be able to keep mine for now and just enjoy them.

 

[PatentLaw]

Wow.. That GTSR went cheap....87k for a like new 1,000 mile car!!

Not unexpected. The economy still stinks. There were many cars that went for a good price.

 

[plumcrazy]

that GTS-R was cheap. im a little surprised even....

 

[TAXIMAN1]

Not unexpected. The economy still stinks. There were many cars that went for a good price.

But then some fool pays 200,000 for a 25,000 camaro, because that graseball Bret Michaels had it? And 120,000 for a 5,000 boneville ambulance with a made up story?

What a circus..

 

[vancouver-gts]

So much for expert predictions

 

[plumcrazy]

this auction has been a joke from day one. pricing at BJ does not come close to real life.

 

[Matt M PA]

I was sick over the weekend and watched a good bit of the auction.

The Bret Michaels Camaro was no big deal, but it was a charity car all of which bring stupid money at BJ. I suppose that's a good thing.

One thing that did stand out was what those bidders were willing to spend on "custom" cars. There were even "restored" cars that brought too much money with the wrong equipment. Even the Speed expert on the block referred many times about the early 60s Vettes with 4 speeds when only 3 speeds were available...then adding "no harm, no foul". I'm no Vette expert but I'd bet my life that affects the value.

Or, the Judge with the Keisler 5 speed.

All in all it is entertaining, and I suppose like a train wreck...you don't want to look but you HAVE to look.

 

[Vipuronr]

Looks like the '94 RT went for $49,500 and the '92 for $60,500. Both prices include commissions.

'94
Barrett-Jackson Scottsdale 2011 - Saturday Cars

'92:
Barrett-Jackson Scottsdale 2011 - Saturday Cars

That's if I read the auctio sheet correctly...sayes "sale price", not asking price.

 

[plumcrazy]

unless there is more to it, that 94 was way over priced. beautiful car but....

 

[BigJag]

I was at BJ in Las Vegas in September. Prices are way up compared to LV four months ago. Commentators also made several comments to that regard, at least in comparison to Scottsdale last year. I bought a 69 Hemi Roadrunner in LV. What I paid looks like a bargain compared to what I saw this week.

 

[Vipuronr]

After fees, looks like about $42,075...which is still pretty high for a '94. No offense to gen I's, but don't the "real windows" on gen II's usually bring in higher prices...obviously for like car/like condition. That would mean that a Gen II similar to this one should be close to $50k

 

[PatentLaw]

I don't know. That price does not seem too far off for the 94. Auctions vary. Look what happend to the 2 Shelby 350's. The money was exhuasted in the room and the cars went up for auction. They went for approximately 58% of their "true" price. The auctioneers did everything they could to save them but the owners took a bath. The second car that went up, the owner knew he was in for it. What a horrible feeling. If he could have, he would have taken that car off and sold it by himself.

It almost looked to me as if I was watching the death of the collector car market. Younger people want ricers and are not into cars that much. Older people are passing away and are worried about paying to keep their social status. The 40 year olds have no jobs or are very conservative.

Pontiacs essentially disappeared from the show except for a couple of Burt Reynolds wannabe TA's.

In general, it only seemed that big block Fords held their prices. If you have a small block anything, you took a hit. Nobody wants a car that is a "track" car. All of this is for show. I have a big block, you don't.

Last comment, Ford did wonders for their image by not taking government money. Even the "gold standard" 1967 Corvette were going for far less money except for a few examples.

 

[Camfab]

It was a pretty boring show on Saturday night, nothing like four or five years ago when people were paying millions of dollars for concept cars. Let's not forget the Motorama BUS that had two guys trying to prove who had the bigger balls to their friends!

 

[Camfab]

Did anyone else notice they just ramrodded the cars through at the last hour. Poor suckers selling their cars on Saturday night pay an additional premium just to be in that spot, ouch!

 

[Voodoo Rob]

Anyone know what the GTS-R went for? Comments?

 

[TowDawg]

Anyone know what the GTS-R went for? Comments?

$87,000, if I remember correctly. Pretty low in my eyes compared to what the two RT/10's brought.