Barrett Jackson has a SNAFU

[NOJIMMY]

Seems the car collector-expert Keith Martin had a bit of a Barrett-Jackson issue:
he was stripped of his press credentials and ejected from the auction (allegedly
for making disparaging comments about the Barrett Jackson auction company). He denies ever
doing it...

Craig Jackson said "He can come and view the auction anytime, but he can't
sit in our media center and bad-mouth us while eating our food".
Jackson claims that Martin had a vendetta against the company because
he had been fired two weeks earlier from his role as commentator on Speed Channel's
live coverage. Jackson also claims Martin was dropped from Speed for inaccuracies
in his commentary during the broadcasts, and because of his article in Sports Car
Market suggesting that the muscle car boom was losing steam and warning
readers about questionable bidding practices.

Martin said "No one ever complained to him in the 10 years of broadcasting",
and others with Martin said Jackson's statements are untrue/didn't happen.
The New York Times also was unable to uncover any witnesses proving
Jackson's statements.

Martin subsequently attended the Barrett Jackson auction with a paid admission ticket.

...and in a related but different story it was reported that the Car Market itself has:
-RetroMod vehicles prices are slumping/crashing
-Cloned vehicle prices are slipping/crashing
-Documented Muscle Car vehicle prices are constant/holding their own (stress "documented/original/authetic" muscle cars)
-Large 50-ish "chromed-winged-luxury cars" are in demand (via baby boomers),
especially convertibles.

The above trends were supposedly gathered from the four AZ auctions which recently took place:
-Barrett Jackson
-Russo and Steele
-RM
and Silver Auction.

Larry Brown

 

[windowlicker]

Re: Barrett Jackson has a SNAFU

That's interesting. The kind of price appreciation in the collector car market we have seen of late can't be sustainable.

 

[NOJIMMY]

Re: Barrett Jackson has a SNAFU

That's interesting. The kind of price appreciation in the collector car market we have seen of late can't be sustainable.

...others on this board may correct me, but it seems that the car market if very complex.

a) the older baby boomers "seem" to want cars of their era (muscle cars or luxury cars)
but they are very knowledgeable, and know which ones appreciate/depreciate.

b) the new/young adults "seem" to be migrating past the japanese muscle cars
to european (higher priced cars) as the grow older

c) the true collectors (those individuals who made lots of bucks in the stock market
or as heads of companies, sports figures, etc) pay large $$$$ (millions) for limited
documented cars, but have very narrow tastes/preferences.

Its often asked if our vehicles will appreciate, or be valued later. And while
we dont know, its interesting that Delorans, TT-Supras, TT-Vettes, 442 Olds, AMC 390s,
some years of pontiac goats, rare cosworth vegas, and such aren't prized
like "conventional" muscle cars. So it seems like a gamble to try and figure
out "collectables".

Barrett Jackson had Indy Corvette Pace Cars which didnt do very good as sellers.
But suicide 4-door Lincolns did extremely well, as did old iron like Imperials, Cadillacs
Chryslers, and Desoto's (but Mercurys, Buicks, and Crown Vics dont do well).

Whether its finicky buyers, or being in the right spot/right time, or what,
its quite possible that our energy crissis, legistation, insurance companies,
and Sema/maintenance will pay a greater roll in car purchases (IMHO).
I just found it interesting that "Politics" at Barrett-Jackson also played a part this year.

-Larry