I went to my first Barrett-Jackson show this past weekend. So, this is a late post. Barrett- Jackson fancies itself the worlds greatest collector cars event! And boy did that name live up to its hype. I was awe struck at the cars, the sheer number of people and the event itself. According to the East Valley Tribune 1,163 cars were sold for $88 million over the week long event. This is supposedly $24 million less that last year, so it was a downer in sales, but not in attendance.
Overall I had a very pleasant experience. Even though Steve Belt had offered me a parking spot in his office, I parked in the make shift parking lot on the corner of Princess and Hayden (North Scottsdale) and took the 10-minute shuttle. I was there at 9am so the lines were not long and I didn’t wait for to bus or at the main gate. You could buy tickets at the main gate, but I already had mine (bought over the Internet), so I just walked right through.
The first section was pretty much just concept cars and promotions from Ford. Then followed a range of vendor booths. There were vendors representing a wide range of businesses from car supplies and classic collector paintings to real estate agents and wine distributors! So, it was like a mini mall of sorts. However, the people manning the booths were just fantastic people, friendly knowledgeable and excited to be there.
Once you pass through the vendor booths and the food court, then you arrive at the main event – the auction. I sat at the back with my friends (you need a bidder pass to sit in the main area) and just watched the cars go by and get bought. There is no reserve in this auction so you must sell at the highest bid.
I am by no means a car enthusiast, so I had no idea whether the cars were selling at the right price or not. However, I was impressed by the enthusiasm, the cars (they really looked beautiful) and the organization. After an hour or so I finally understood what the auctioneer guy was saying (Imgoingtobidat$25,000,$25,$25forsomethingthatsworth$27,5,doIheara$27,5…..).
Finally, I strolled over the the last section where all the classic cars were on display. I got quite an education but alas no matter how hard I tried I couldn’t figure out a way to buy one of these classics! Maybe one day once I start making $1million/year I”ll get a Bentley, but for now I’ll have to do with my Hyundai Elantra!
Here are some pictures I took:
