TRAVELING THE ROAD TO SOLD: Two first-time Barrett-Jackson consignors share their stories
May 9, 2019
Posted by Barrett-Jackson
Written by Barbara Toombs
There’s no moment quite like the one when your collector car drives up onto the Barrett-Jackson auction block.
The decision to sell one or more of your vehicles on the world’s most well-known collector car auction stage is exhilarating – and maybe daunting, particularly if you’ve never done it before. Fortunately, after nearly half a century of presenting the best collector car auctions on the planet, the Barrett-Jackson team is able to confidently guide every consignor painlessly through the process.
Two collector car enthusiasts – one from Canada and the other from Florida – decided to give Barrett-Jackson a try for the first time at the 2019 Palm Beach Auction, each consigning beautiful custom convertibles, into which they had invested a tremendous amount of work and money.
Many consignors agree that being with your car while it’s on display at the auction site to answer any questions from potential buyers is vitally important to a successful sale.
Canadian Don G. had never been to a Barrett-Jackson event, but he regularly watched them on television, paid attention to trends and saw how Resto-Mods were among the stars of the show at the 2019 Scottsdale Auction. And it just so happened he had a Resto-Mod: a 1947 Buick Super 8 convertible he had built with great attention to detail – right down to the leather-covered California car duster (cleverly displayed in the trunk) and the meticulous paint choice.
When Don was visiting a friend in Scottsdale that February, he drove up to Barrett-Jackson headquarters with a magazine feature on his car in hand. The consignment team was impressed – to say the least – and walked him through the consignment process. The next thing he knew, he had consigned his Buick to the 2019 Palm Beach Auction in April.
“I went home and didn’t sleep,” remembers Don. “I thought, ‘Oh my God – this is a big gamble!’ I was a nervous wreck.”
Jerry’s custom 1970 Chevelle during its moment on the auction block.
Florida resident Jerry S. had been going to Barrett-Jackson for years, but had never sold a car there. After he spent two years single-handedly building and customizing a 1970 Chevelle convertible, he wanted validation for his work, and knew a good sale at Barrett-Jackson would give him just that. After consigning the car to the Palm Beach event, he admits he was on “pins and needles” for three or four days. “You know what you have in the car, and the time it took to build it,” he says. “All you hope for is people who appreciate that, and actually put a monetary value on your product.”
Like many, both consignors were nervous selling their vehicles with No Reserve, meaning the highest bid went home with the car – no matter the price. But both were also realists. “You have to pay to play,” says Don. Jerry agrees: “You have to be willing to take a risk, but I looked at it as going on vacation to Las Vegas – I’m willing to gamble, but I don’t take what I can’t afford to lose. You only need two people to fall in love with your car.”
Excitement and emotions run high on the Barrett-Jackson auction block.
The nerves of the two men were eased considerably when the Barrett-Jackson marketing machine kicked into high gear. Because both vehicles had excellent photographs and were consigned early on in the process, they were able to be featured in a number of print and digital advertisements as well as digital newsletters, were the subjects of feature articles in the Barrett-Jackson Experience magazine and were highlighted on Barrett-Jackson’s formidable social media platforms.
Both Don and Jerry also understood they had to do their part to be successful, and did their homework. “You’ve got to see what the trends are,” says Don. “You have to do realistic comparisons; research what your type of car has been selling for at the auctions. Make sure you’re comparing apples to apples.”
Jerry’s Chevelle on display at the Palm Beach Auction site prior to its moment on the block.
Another crucial element to their success at the Palm Beach Auction was that the men knew the importance of being with their vehicles during the time they were on display at the event. “Work the car,” says Don. “Be at your car the whole time the auction’s open. I was handing out flyers and talking to everybody – they could hear my enthusiasm.” Jerry wholeheartedly agrees. “The bottom line is that I spent four days there, with my car,” he says. “Talking to every person who came to see my car, sharing my heart. People understand passion, and when you build something with passion.”
Of course, the moment of truth comes when the vehicles are under the spotlights on the auction block and the arena is packed with Barrett-Jackson’s pre-qualified and motivated bidders. This competitive and adrenaline-packed environment provides a true snapshot of the collector car market at that point in time. In the case of Don and Jerry, their two vehicles ended up being among the top 10 sellers of the 2019 Palm Beach Auction: Don’s Buick taking top honors with a sale price of $412,500, and Jerry’s Chevelle bringing in a very satisfactory $253,000.
The moment of truth for Don’s custom Buick at the 2019 Palm Beach Auction.
Both men are very happy they chose to do business with Barrett-Jackson and say they’ll definitely be back. “Barrett-Jackson gave me the best opportunity and put me in the best spot to succeed,” says Jerry. “I provided a great product, shared the product, did everything I could do, and Barrett-Jackson put people in the seats, did the marketing and sold the car. It was a great collaboration.”
“Everyone working for Barrett-Jackson – from the person who checks the car in when it comes off the trailer right through the marketing team and the person working with titles – is first-class all the way,” adds Don. “It’s a finely oiled machine.”
To learn more about selling a vehicle at Barrett-Jackson or to complete the online Preliminary Consignment Request Form, click HERE.