Questionable Practices at Bring A Trailer ( BAT ) - Page 3

trader220 · 11-20-2018, 01:30 PM

I have become increasingly frustrated with BAT. They have rejected several cars I sent in which were all clearly in their wheel house. A couple were sub $20k cars and 1 was a mid $70's car. All of the reserves I sent in were low compared to the retail market and inline with the wholesale market. It bothers me when I see yet another 2016 GT3RS which I am sure wont sell, or an endless stream of GT4's.

I agree with you guys.... These guys are missing the boat, someone with some real business acumen could really make that site a huge business. The guys who started it could make a substantial windfall profit too. There are so many advertising opportunities and so many other ways to make the site better and more profitable.

speednme1 · 11-20-2018, 01:40 PM

Both of my buyers were very happy with their purchase...in fact one buyer and I actually became friends till this day and the other buyer and I have communicated several times in the most positive of ways. Not every seller is out to screw a buyer. Bat offers a service but they are limited to what the seller submits about the vehicle. Yes they screen comments, as I’ve seen some really dumb comments that get by. I agree that they should not censor someone who it just trying to look out for a potential buyer but in their defense how do they know when the comment is from a knowledgeable person or a troll. Bat is not perfect but their fees are a lot better than most auction places. Hopefully they will continue to improve or someone will create their own version of an online auction to rival BAT that may satisfy the many that are not happy with Bat current practices.

specialtyoneinc · 11-20-2018, 02:09 PM

If BAT is such a s**t show why do so many of you still submit cars to them? I'm just curious.

trader220 · 11-20-2018, 02:13 PM

I am not saying its such a chit show, I am just saying they're missing the real boat.

sugarwood · sugarwood's Garage

For the record, they never filtered my post.
I still see lots of cars on BAT getting crapped on by peanut gallery.
This notion of BAT censors all negative comments is laughable and outright false.

trader220 · 11-20-2018, 03:07 PM

The only time any of my posts were censored was when some clown was spouting off about how the best game plan for bidding was to place your top bid early and not bid anymore. I tried to explain a little about game theory and bidding strategies but he got arrogant. Having been a floor trader for 20 years I have a little experience in an auction market. Anyway he got so arrogant spouting off about the massive collection he had all bought by single bid early in an auction. I laughed and mocked him. My comment was censored, I couldn't comment for a day or so and then my comments had to be reviewed before they posted for a while.

JMS935 · 11-20-2018, 03:55 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by trader220

The only time any of my posts were censored was when some clown was spouting off about how the best game plan for bidding was to place your top bid early and not bid anymore. I tried to explain a little about game theory and bidding strategies but he got arrogant. Having been a floor trader for 20 years I have a little experience in an auction market. Anyway he got so arrogant spouting off about the massive collection he had all bought by single bid early in an auction. I laughed and mocked him. My comment was censored, I couldn't comment for a day or so and then my comments had to be reviewed before they posted for a while.

That’s the problem though, that they took a side in that debate and then censored you. They shouldn’t have done it, that was wrong. Either completely stay out of it and let it all go, as that’s what the website is supposed to be about, or block both parties if it gets out of control. They did the absolute wrong thing in that situation. My situation was similar, a seller took issue with me calling out his POS and *****ed to BaT about it. My posts get reviewed before they post now too, and some don’t even get posted at all.

pmax · pmax's Garage

Bronco, sigh ....

Sox Fan · Sox Fan's Garage

Wow.

Really surprised about the level of negativity here. I am on BAT everyday and I see a lot of very high quality cars that seem to be represented accurately. Comments I post are visible instantly. I don't see anything better out there as far an online goes.

Any my girlfriend just bought a gorgeous Porsche on BAT - sight unseen and no PPI. Had it shipped from out of state and it arrived better than it looked in pictures. Seller was a joy to deal with.

Only issue I have with BAT is that the bigger it gets the deals seem harder to come by for a buyer. Quite a lot of cars seem to go for a real premium. But that's just capitalism and I'm a capitalist so all good.

pmax · pmax's Garage

Was it a Boxster ?

trader220 · 11-20-2018, 04:34 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by JMS935

That’s the problem though, that they took a side in that debate and then censored you. They shouldn’t have done it, that was wrong. Either completely stay out of it and let it all go, as that’s what the website is supposed to be about, or block both parties if it gets out of control. They did the absolute wrong thing in that situation. My situation was similar, a seller took issue with me calling out his POS and *****ed to BaT about it. My posts get reviewed before they post now too, and some don’t even get posted at all.

My take on the situation was the peanut gallery didn't like the way I called out the guy who was an internet blowhard tough guy. I don't remember exactly but I would bet I made some snarky comment to the loud mouth about everyone on the internet being rich, good looking and having an amazing car collection they bought under the market. He was a real punk, talking about his "collection" and what great investments they were too. Anyway, I think I received enough clicks on the not constructive button to get the axe. Was it partly my fault? Sure. I could not stand that blowhard passing on just blatantly wrong info about bidding strategies. 100% bull crap.

I look at BAT nearly every day but I have rolled my comments way back. I sell cars on BAT and I don't want to hammer someone else's auction and have them roll back on me and spread false bs on any of my auctions.

trader220 · 11-20-2018, 04:43 PM

....with regards to "deals" yea there are some deals to be had and yea some cars sell way over the true market value. BAT's become liquid enough and populated by enough guys that for the most part the stuff trades pretty close to what I think "fair value" is given what's known about the car.

I also think the general populations idea of what "fair value" should be is frequently well off. I like playing with the older Bentley's. I buy em and sell em and know the markets both retail and wholesale well. Nothing crazy expensive, all of them under 50 grand. Yes you can buy a 10 to 15 year old 200 grand car for 25 to 50 grand, that doesn't make it a screaming bargain, that's fair value. I was following a 06 Bentley which I thought sold at dead on fair value. Couple of the peanut gallery were hooting and hollering about what a screaming deal it was. Others listen to people like that and believe the bs.

trader220 · 11-20-2018, 04:51 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by pmax

Was it a Boxster ?

I am not a huge Boxster fan but my goodness you can buy a whole lotta open top Porsche for peanuts these days. Middle miles first gen BOX S's going for 8 to 14 grand. The S is the one to own. Although I am thinking about buying a base and hot rodding it over the winter.

I love cars like that. They're disposable. Buy one with 65k miles, drive the crap out of it as a commuter car that's fun to drive for a few years and short of smashing it up the cost per mile is peanuts. 944's are the same way and they have basically NO price decay.

SalParadise · 11-20-2018, 05:19 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by pmax

Was it a Boxster ?

Bwahahhahahahhaha

Rawknees'Turbo · 11-20-2018, 05:51 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by trader220

I am not a huge Boxster fan but my goodness you can buy a whole lotta open top Porsche for peanuts these days. . . .

Does the peanuts pricing include a ready supply of brown paper bags with accurately placed eye holes?!?!

Matt Monson · 11-20-2018, 05:56 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by trader220

I am not a huge Boxster fan but my goodness you can buy a whole lotta open top Porsche for peanuts these days. Middle miles first gen BOX S's going for 8 to 14 grand. The S is the one to own. Although I am thinking about buying a base and hot rodding it over the winter.

I love cars like that. They're disposable. Buy one with 65k miles, drive the crap out of it as a commuter car that's fun to drive for a few years and short of smashing it up the cost per mile is peanuts. 944's are the same way and they have basically NO price decay.

That's what I did. I bought Macroni's 50k mi 99, drove it for 18 mo and 10k mi and sold it to MichaelB's son for $3k less than I paid. Great little cars.

trader220 · 11-20-2018, 06:36 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Rawknees'Turbo

Does the peanuts pricing include a ready supply of brown paper bags with accurately placed eye holes?!?!

I don't care anymore. I have other cars which I like better but as a DD which I can hammer on and rack up miles its hard to beat.

pmax · pmax's Garage

Quote:

Originally Posted by SalParadise

Bwahahhahahahhaha

What kind of car guy is into Broncos and Boxsters ??

sugarwood · sugarwood's Garage

Quote:

Originally Posted by trader220

I . 944's are the same way and they have basically NO price decay.

Yes, but the risk is a 944 that old and cheap can be neglected and become a huge money pit. A friend of mine has sunk tons of money into his $5k 944. Way underwater.

Sox Fan · Sox Fan's Garage

Quote:

Originally Posted by pmax

Was it a Boxster ?

Cayman S