This really happened. I didn't know what was happening until after the auction was over. I used to work for an auctioneer for a little pocket change. We had this auto auction where we were selling cars, trucks, tractors, etc. About 50 vehicles total.
I drove about 1/2 the vehicles and got them in lines for the auction. Note, I drove them. They all ran fine.
On auction day before the start everybody is raising the hoods, checking oil and cranking them up to see how they sounded. I noticed this one guy under the hood of a mustang. I'm answering questions and helping customers so I'm not watching him closely.
About 15 minutes before the start, people start asking all kinds of questions about what is wrong with the mustang. They said it will barely run. This was a pretty popular car and this rough engine story traveled like wild fire through the 200 or so people there.
It got so bad I went and got the keys and wouldn't let anyone crank it anymore. I was afraid the engine would be ruined. Note, this is happening about 5-10 minutes before the start of the auction.
Well, the car iwas supposed to be one of the last cars auctioned. You always hold the best for later in the auction so people will have to stick around. When the auctioneer got to that car someone said it doesn't run right. A few people agreed.
Auctioneer said just make an offer. This was an "Absolute" auction. We were expecting car to sell for around $12k. It sold for $2K. The guy that was fiddling under the hood and first to tell me the car was messed up bought it.
We were expecting the high bidder would have to get a trailer to take the car out of there. The high bidder was one of the last to leave and I didn't see a trailer and wondered how is he gonna get it home. So, I watched him walk across the field to his car. He raised the hood and switched 2 spark plug wires. Got in, cranked it up, and drove through the field to the exit and up the road he went.
I drove about 1/2 the vehicles and got them in lines for the auction. Note, I drove them. They all ran fine.
On auction day before the start everybody is raising the hoods, checking oil and cranking them up to see how they sounded. I noticed this one guy under the hood of a mustang. I'm answering questions and helping customers so I'm not watching him closely.
About 15 minutes before the start, people start asking all kinds of questions about what is wrong with the mustang. They said it will barely run. This was a pretty popular car and this rough engine story traveled like wild fire through the 200 or so people there.
It got so bad I went and got the keys and wouldn't let anyone crank it anymore. I was afraid the engine would be ruined. Note, this is happening about 5-10 minutes before the start of the auction.
Well, the car iwas supposed to be one of the last cars auctioned. You always hold the best for later in the auction so people will have to stick around. When the auctioneer got to that car someone said it doesn't run right. A few people agreed.
Auctioneer said just make an offer. This was an "Absolute" auction. We were expecting car to sell for around $12k. It sold for $2K. The guy that was fiddling under the hood and first to tell me the car was messed up bought it.
We were expecting the high bidder would have to get a trailer to take the car out of there. The high bidder was one of the last to leave and I didn't see a trailer and wondered how is he gonna get it home. So, I watched him walk across the field to his car. He raised the hood and switched 2 spark plug wires. Got in, cranked it up, and drove through the field to the exit and up the road he went.