Barrett Jackson Swirl-o-Rama

DFTowel · 01-01-07, 10:29

Has anyone else noticed the deplorable condition of many of thes big bucks cars being auctioned at Barrett Jackson these last couple of days? When the cameras get close the swirls are glaring! I can only imagine how bad they look in person.

I think out of the several dozen cars I've watched so far only 2 or 3 seemed swirl free.

Hey, Moe! · 01-01-07, 10:48

I've been watching too much TV because I've been under the weather, but that means I have caught some of the B-J cars.

Yeah, you are right. Don't have a reason for it, though. Perhaps someone else will chime in.

GregCavi · 01-01-07, 10:52

+1 I have noticed as well. When you pay that much for a car, it better be pretty damn well swirl free.

Greg

calgarydetail · 01-01-07, 11:04

I get angry while watching that. I want to go and detail the cars... ohh well maybe one day

blkZ28Conv · 01-01-07, 01:40

That's the problem with HD TV!!!

It only demostrate how "anal" and "perfectionist" we (Autopians) are about a vehicle's finish. Not a bad thing but sometimes it causes us to loss the forest from the trees.
Swirls withstand, B/J does have some wonderful vehicular history crossing the stage.

Surfer · 01-01-07, 01:50

You'd think at the very least they would use a glaze, most auction houses usually have a detailer(s) on premises. Same thing in magazines, I flipped through that Celebrity Car mag, forgot the name, you would see all the Bentley's, Lambos, Vipers etc in the pics with swirls galore from the camera flash.

jdoria · 01-01-07, 04:23

They should rename that to, "Pipe-Dream Auto Auction".

Anyone here ever been to a real car auction? I mean a dealer only like Manheim or Adessa?

Totally night and day comparisons.

Kanchou · 01-01-07, 04:29

well, not many of us are dealers, i'm willing to bet.

most dealers wouldn't trouble with the cost of detailing cars unless it was their personal ride.

busyguy · 01-01-07, 04:57

I'm not a dealer either but i did go to a dealer's auction with a buddy.

YES, they are two completely different atmospheres. You could urinate and spit on the dealer auction cars and no one would care...not even the buyers.

Scottwax · 01-01-07, 04:58

I was similarly stunned at how horrible the cars all looked at the Peterson Automotive Museum. Even the John Buttera cars with eleventy billion dollar custom paint jobs had horrible cobwebbing and the paint on pretty much all the vehicles there looked really flat, as though they have never seen polishing or waxing. Real shame, amazing automotive history on display.

jimmie jam · 01-01-07, 06:50

i have been going to BJ now for 11 years. this has always baffeled me. the reason is that many sellers/buyers are dealers. they have no "personal" attachment to the vehicle. it's inventory, it's clean and then it's gone. the other reason is during dry winter conditions at westworld and all the traffic (auto and foot), alot of dust is kicked around and a perfect finish can be destroyed in a flash. only the anal and proud sellers take care of their cars until the last minute. all car have been "no reserve" now for around 3 years. when its goes on the block it gets a new owner and alot of them don't care or have a clue. just my opinion.

p.s. have you checked out the finish on the overhauling cars??? clean but swirl city.

Mikeyc · 01-01-07, 06:52

I miss watching the auction. When I moved I switched from DirecTV to Comcast cable. Comcast charges extra for Speed Channel ($10 a month). I wasn't going to pay that to get basically one more channel.

I did go a couple years ago to an exhibit of Ralph Lauren's cars at the Boston MFA. I was surprised how swirled these cars were. Some of them are Pebble Beach winners.