The Relevance of Car Auctions in the Media

Annie and I are back here in Palm Springs for a couple weeks on yet another SoCal adventure. The weather here is a lot better than at home right now. We're here for a): the great weather; and b): Keith McCormick's classic car auction next weekend. We're old hands at Palm Springs, which is one of our favorite vacation destinations. But while we're here, I'll be checking out all the cars on the block for next weekend's auction. We were here last November for the previous auction, and I was very, very impressed. But I'm surprised that this auction doesn't get much media attention (actually, virtually zero). But, again, there are some really great cars that pass through here at very reasonable prices. I really think the only auctions that garner media attention are those that favor the sellers and the stupid-high prices of the transactions. I also believe that the McCormick auctions are more favorable for the buyers (and consequently probably less newsworthly). But that's really what the enthusiast media should cover! However, that's a totally different mentality, and not related to what really is relevant to the real world. That kind of reporting is doing a disservice to readers looking for a good bargain. The auction might be the answer. The fact that good bargains are definitely available more often than not at many of the auctions around the country is mostly overlooked in the media.

So the purpose of this thread is, what are your thoughts about this topic? And secondly, since I'm here in Palm Springs and will be here for the auction, I'll provide updates on the activity.  (I'm registered, so I can bid. This'll be fun).

I think the average enthusiast gets turned off the idea of media covered auctions because you can only watch people buying 400k cars for so long before it just gets boring and unrelatable. Or maybe that's just me. 

In my limited car auction experience it seems like the auctions that you see on TV do a ton of work to be on TV. TV networks don't seek them out, the auctions do their own production and go looking for a network that will broadcast it. At least initially. 

The auctions that you hear about at places like Amelia Island, or Pebble Beach are in the news because they typically have newsworthy "record setting" sales.

Encyclopedic obscure car facts spouted by encyclopedic obscure car people all so that guy over there can buy his dream car?  I can't even make it through Barret Jackson with the 15 cameras and extra production they put into it.  Auctions are fun to be a part of but make for meh television.

During my daily walk, on vacation here, attempting to put in my 10K steps daily around downtown Palm Springs, I walk past Keith McCormick's auction house on Indian Canyon every day. The auction cars for next weekend are starting to pile up in their lot. To me, it's exciting. Such an eclectic collection of interesting classics. To Annie ... well, she couldn't give a rat's azz about that. But there is this '66 Mini Cooper S that was in the November auction that didn't sell. It's still here. Really, it's sort of a fright pig and I'm sure that's why it didn't sell. But it really has some redeeming values: Streetable with CA tags. "Cherman" heritage, replete with Cherman tags as well. Roll bar. Fiberglass nose hinged at the front. Racing seats. Big single SU carb. Lots of original Cherman rust in the rockers and who knows where else, and a few lovable dings in the sheetmetal. I'm sure it vacationed at der Nurburgring. I kinda like it's rustic look, as I did last November. I think it's a $5K car, but McCormick has a $17K price on the windshield, which is stupid. We'll see if it goes at this auction.