Barrett Jackson observations

What idiot paid money for an Aztek?

I love the show but agree it was down this year and it is made for DVR

carguy123 wrote: HUH? I didn't see the economy hitting anything. Average sales prices seemed to be up the first few days. They seemed to have a lot more $100k sales than normal. I haven't watched it all, I do love my DVR, but I have watched all the first days and am into about mid day Saturday.

As stated earlier, there were a lot more million+ dollar cars in years past. $100k cars were common, but that was more the average price. The megadollar cars are waiting it out.

The top seller was what--$500k?

I agree--DVR is the only way to fly. I can bang through an hour in 15 minutes.

pete240z wrote: And a Pontiac Aztek Pace Car sold for $13,750, so obviously the alcohol was flowing freely here.....

That must be pretty close to the all-time record for the amount of money thrown at an ugly car. One of my friends once flirted with that record by having the engine in his Datsun F10 rebuilt, but even that pales in comparison...

JFX001 wrote: II can't figure out the nimrod announcers name that irks me...maybe Rick Debruhl?? I do like to watch the RM Auction with DeCadenet.

DeCadenet used to be on the BJ auction, but hasn't for the past few years.

Not sure which announcer it is, but one of them is a pompous windbag (and it isn't Magnante or the NASCAR guy).

carguy123wrote: HUH? I didn't see the economy hitting anything. Average sales prices seemed to be up the first few days...

Actually, purchasing a reasonably stable (price wise) car at this point is potentially a very good investment. Because of a potential for some crazy inflation (you can't print billions of dollars and expect the value to stay the same) putting you money in something that moves with the inflation could be a good idea.

I watched a few hours, but really, how many muscle cars can you look at before they all look the same? To me, they also don't show enough of the car, I really couldn't care less about the constant shots of the bidders.

It is stll amazing to me though that some of these cars command such a price. I grew up driving a lot of them, and the pretty much suck as drivers. Unless you drive one all the time, you don't understand how bad the power steering, brakes, and chassis is on most of these cars. They look cool for the most part though, and I suppose that is what you are buying.

racerdave600 wrote: I watched a few hours, but really, how many muscle cars can you look at before they all look the same? To me, they also don't show enough of the car, I really couldn't care less about the constant shots of the bidders. It is stll amazing to me though that some of these cars command such a price. I grew up driving a lot of them, and the pretty much suck as drivers. Unless you drive one all the time, you don't understand how bad the power steering, brakes, and chassis is on most of these cars. They look cool for the most part though, and I suppose that is what you are buying.

Ignoring for the moment that I'm still kicking myself for turning down a Plymouth GTX (with the original 6-Pack 2bbls in a burlap sack in the trunk) for $500 in 1984...for the reasons you just mentioned...

There's also a lot of emotional content in these cars. I wouldn't pay that much money for a muscle car, but I'm about the same age as a lot of those guys at the auction (although I'm not as rich). I see restored BMW E9 Coupes going for $25K, and if I had it, I'd pay it. It was my "dream car" when I was 15yrs old. I think a lot of these guys are doing the same thing, only they've got the money to make their adolecent dreams come real.

Perfect example: today I saw a guy towing an old Jag XK FHC (not an E-type) on a trailer. It was an absolute rat. Looked worse than the Sunbeam Tiger Tim's working on over at CM did when he pulled it out of the barn. Yet, I drove up next to the guy, looking at it, pointing at it like a schoolkid, and giving him the thumbs up. He seemed to be just as excited that someone else knew what it was as I was excited to see it. He was grinning & waving and flashing headlights right back at me.

Enter the heart, exit the brain...

friedgreencorrado wrote: Perfect example: today I saw a guy towing an old Jag XK FHC (not an E-type) on a trailer. It was an absolute rat. Looked worse than the Sunbeam Tiger Tim's working on over at CM did when he pulled it out of the barn. Yet, I drove up next to the guy, looking at it, pointing at it like a schoolkid, and giving him the thumbs up. He seemed to be just as excited that someone else knew what it was as I was excited to see it. He was grinning & waving and flashing headlights right back at me. Enter the heart, exit the brain...

That is far more awesome than some douchey dude paying a mint for a resto-mod, IMHO.

friedgreencorrado wrote: Enter the heart, exit the brain..and oodles of money.

Fixed. Unfortunately too many lose interest at the required oodles of money part.

friedgreencorrado wrote:

racerdave600 wrote: I watched a few hours, but really, how many muscle cars can you look at before they all look the same? To me, they also don't show enough of the car, I really couldn't care less about the constant shots of the bidders. It is stll amazing to me though that some of these cars command such a price. I grew up driving a lot of them, and the pretty much suck as drivers. Unless you drive one all the time, you don't understand how bad the power steering, brakes, and chassis is on most of these cars. They look cool for the most part though, and I suppose that is what you are buying.

Ignoring for the moment that I'm still kicking myself for turning down a Plymouth GTX (with the original 6-Pack 2bbls in a burlap sack in the trunk) for $500 in 1984...for the reasons you just mentioned... There's also a lot of emotional content in these cars. I wouldn't pay that much money for a muscle car, but I'm about the same age as a lot of those guys at the auction (although I'm not as rich). I see restored BMW E9 Coupes going for $25K, and if I had it, I'd pay it. It was my "dream car" when I was 15yrs old. I think a lot of these guys are doing the same thing, only they've got the money to make their adolecent dreams come real. Perfect example: today I saw a guy towing an old Jag XK FHC (not an E-type) on a trailer. It was an absolute rat. Looked worse than the Sunbeam Tiger Tim's working on over at CM did when he pulled it out of the barn. Yet, I drove up next to the guy, looking at it, pointing at it like a schoolkid, and giving him the thumbs up. He seemed to be just as excited that someone else knew what it was as I was excited to see it. He was grinning & waving and flashing headlights right back at me. Enter the heart, exit the brain...

I agree. Two of my first cars were a '70 Boss 302 Mustang when they were just another used car and cheap, and a '67 Cougar with a 390 4 speed. Muscle cars were all the rage in HS. In the early '80's most of these were just a $1k rat, or in my case, I paid $1,500 each for them from ironically the same seller a couple of years apart.

But, I had grow up around sports cars, and took my driving test in a 240Z, and I'll never forget test driving my TR4 for the first time and then getting back into the Mustang, what a truck it was in comparison.

Unlike today, there was a massive difference in the way sports cars drove. The average car has come a long way.