Debated where to post this, General or here, but I figured since it’s a For Sale issue I would publish here. I have been on the hunt for a C3 BB coupe or vert (SB a possibility depending on equipment, engine, etc) and decided to go to Mecum in Harrisburg yesterday; first time there, very cool, a lot of nice cars and I had targeted 3 to bid on after I crawled underneath all of them. But then I started to watch the process and got discouraged.

One cannot start a car, drive it, the only time you can see it run is in the staging area the day it hits the block. I have a real problem with this. Once the hammer drops, if you are high bid, you own the car. Spending $40-$60k on a car that you cannot drive, see a cold start on, hear run until right before bidding is not the way I buy cars. So, I backed off completely, not returning, going to keep checking here and on Hemmings and if nothing by Carlisle I will check out what is there.

Interested in different or similar perspectives, that’s why I posted here, thanks.

 

I think you made a very good decision.

 

I attend the Indianaplois auctions every year and also am one of the guys that drive the cars across the block.
All the cars are on the property several days in advance for bidders to crawl all over for inspection. If you want to start one all you have to do is find a Mecum employee....usually a blue shirt......and they will be happy to help you.
Not positive but I think, if the owner is present, they MIGHT allow you to at least drive around the property. Not sure about that but I think I've seen that happen. In addition, the cars are in staging at least a day prior to when they go across. Any of the green hat drivers can help you with starting the car as long as there are no special instructions with that vehicle not to.

 

If thats important to you find one for sale you go look at it in person do all the things you want. Some dont want to spend the time & money flying all over looking at some peoples misrepresented Corvettes.The look the car over before auction .Talk to the owner. Watch the driver start& drive the car & ask him questions of how it starts &drives.

 

well said.

 

That is a method, however I want to drive whatever I am going to buy, especially a 50 year old car.

 

I don't blame you, I would too.
But I have to ask......then why did you go to an auction to buy one?? This isn't an "issue", it's how all car auctions work.
There is plenty of opportunity to inspect and hear it run but a test drive at a car auction isn't "normal" procedure for any of them.

 

My first time at Mecum I was not aware one could not drive the cars, I thought there was a way to do so. Won't be going to an auction anytime soon, my mistake.

 

I participated in the 2025 Mecum Kissimmee auction.
I have a 55 chevy step side custom pickup that ran there.

Worse choice I ever made.
Not worth the $4200 it cost to for a "good auction day", and transport (unfortunately back to my house as well) and fees.

I rather it take a year to sell it in Hemmings or eBay etc...

I, 1000% percent agree with the OP. Who in their right mind will spend six figures on a car that can't be test driven, or put up on a lift to see what the bottom looks like ????
*** they will start the vehicle for you when its being displayed prior to the auction day/time - just have to find one of the guys who watches over the vehicles.

The only thing the auctions are good for is over inflating the values of vehicles.
I think the prices so over valued it has finally gotten to the point where no one can afford to bid on a vehicle.
kinda wish they would go away and we all go back to selling cars the old ways

Plus I have a real problem two sided commissions on a sale.

Just my two cents...

 

"I think the prices so over valued it has finally gotten to the point where no one can afford to bid on a vehicle."

I would argue that the prices (cars) are over-valued because there are in fact people who can afford to bid on them.
I'm not one of them.

 

Auctions are for people with money to burn. A terrible place to buy most cars. Shill bidding is a problem also.

 

Moving to General Discussion from Classified Ads section.

 

So if the prices are so high at the auction why did you bring your truck home. Prices cant be to high for the buyer &too low for the seller.

 

Having driven all different types of cars (including many various generations of corvettes) for almost 10 years at was originally the RM auction in Ft. Lauderdale, I can tell you that for the most part you are buying a "pig in a poke" so to speak. There are pretty much very few exceptions. First and foremost, in my opinion, there are very few, if any, real "bargains". Secondly there is a reason that there is a full crew of mechanics that know just about every trick you can think of to get every car to run (regardless of how well), across the stage. I even once drove a mid 30's ford coupe that was beautifully prepared body wise, but it wouldn't start when it came time to move it in line toward the stage. Upon further examination (by one of the on site mechanics), when they tried to jump it, it was determined that the starter was attempting to get it's power from a very under powered motorcycle battery that was the size of the usual battery you would find as backup in a garage door opener or home alarm system. There was a little metropolitan that one of drivers was interested in until several of us opened the door to see all the bottom rust that fell out onto the ground basically exposing the entire now missing door bottom. Further examination produced the same condition of almost disintegrated frame rails only visible if you crawled under the car. It wasn't too unusual to have a car fail to move after crossing the stage because the automatic transmission gave up after apparently being thrown together just enough for a very short drive. As the expression goes, "Run, Forrest, Run". The auctions make for a great car show but not very much more in the "bargain" classes, in my opinion.

 

I prefer to drive any car prior to purchasing. My impression of Mecuum and other auctions I have attended is that alcohol fuels some of the inflated bidding. It's also my impression that if difficult to get a real "deal"- too many people with knowledge of the vehicles value. This plus commissions and transportation costs. Also, there are a lot of bidders with a lot of money as well as classic car dealers in attendance. Ive noticed a reluctance of pairing up of the owner and potential bidders over concern of "side" deals outside of the bidding process.

I go to several auctions a year. I have bid on several cars over the years but never came close to becoming the high bidder. I attend because to me the auctions are a very nice car show and it's usually a "man" trip with some of my car buddies.

Although the auction process doesn't work well for me it does work for many people-most of the cars in the auction are sold.

T

 

A lot of people have negative comments about buying at auction. Im not one of them.

In a perfect world, I’d prefer to drive a car first, too. However, I’ve never been one to eliminate one venue or another (private seller, dealer, auction, etc) because in my opinion theres advantages and weaknesses to each of them. And Ive bought Corvettes from every type of seller.

I bought my last split window from Mecum in Indianapolis. I was able to research that car to great lengths before I decided to even look at it. The ad and pictures posted gave me every opportunity to see who the previous owner was, to research him in detail, and even found a ton of info about him and the car online that stretched back years.

When I went to the auction site, I went to the Office where I asked if I could look at any paperwork and documentation associated with the car. I was able to check out a bunch of stuff, including the recent CCAS certification for the engine. There were also even more photos and info I didnt have before. A staff member had to sit with me to assure I didnt walk away with anything. That was fine with me.

I laid under, inside, around and over that car for multiple days. I did the best Corvette examination I could, inside a nice indoor setting, and it was better than any inspection Ive ever performed for a potential buyer. I was also able to watch the car start, run, drive around and listen to it. I may not have been able to drive it around the block, but frankly with a car like this, I was more interested in the numbers and correctness of the car and the fine details that determine value than whether it smoked a little or started right up.

I was also ready to fully prepare what I was going to pay for this car, or bid to. That included fees, premiums, etc. There was no “on the block panic” or last minute calculating or decisions. And that brings me to another thing… people love to go on and on about ghost bidding or whatever. I couldnt care less about such things. First, most chandelier bids are under the reserve which doesnt affect anything. And, if a ghost bid takes me past what I intend to bid, then Im out anyway. It doesnt matter if the ask is made by a bidder’s buddy or jacked up by a greedy seller in their driveway. I know what Ill pay and what I wont and the price is right… or its not.

I love this car and was very pleased with this auction purchase. If people want to dog auctions because of not driving it around the block or arbitrary biases or not being informed enough to buy this way, then thats fine. But its a valid way to buy the car you are looking for if you are armed with knowledge and do your homework.

 

I have only been to one Mecum auction event. It was during the preview days before the sales. The sales results showed IMO that the prices on the desirable cars with more bidders were "right" in line with the market. The less collected vehicles were the only "bargains" as I saw it. Less interested bidders meant lower prices.

 

The perception most people have is that the auction bidders are "alcohol fueled" rich guys overpaying for their personal toys.
The reality is 90% of the bidders / buyers are dealers earning a living buying and selling cars. Yes, there is a small percentage of "regular" guys like us looking for their dream car and I would agree alcohol may fuel the bidding process in those instances.
For the most part the people buying at the auctions know what they are doing and know the value of the cars. The sold prices absolutely reflect current values minus possibly a few bargains or something overpaid for.
Regarding the condition of the cars, that has nothing to do with the auction house, they are just an outlet. They don't claim to "qualify" the cars in any way. Just like buying in any setting its buyer beware.

While to guys like us these are cool car shows and a great way to walk around, have a couple beers, and look at cars. To most of the buyers these events are a day at work. They travel to the different auctions and bring / go home with 5, 10, 20 cars per auction as a way to earn a living.

 

I've only been to the BJ auction in Las Vegas. I was suprisied at the different level of cars quality wise. Many to me top of the line hot rods but many that looked like they should be on the local used car lot.
The other question I have is where do all the sold cars go? To dealers or into private collection or to off shore destinations?

 

It's a car auction, there are cars of all types and price ranges.

Where do the go? Mostly dealers.