Monterey Car Week was a blast, and not just because I got to watch David’s face light up as our simple country boy took his first taste of caviar (don’t worry, this didn’t change David, on the way home he enthusiastically burst into our Mazda CX-5 loaner with teriyaki beef jerky and classic nacho cheese Doritos). I also had the opportunity to take in a few auctions in the presence of co-founder Beau Boeckmann and his pals, who are all experts on the subject.
Of course, some of us lack the scratch necessary to participate so let’s assume, as a thought exercise, that your Aunt Milty handed you $300,000 on the condition that you had to spend it at Pebble Beach. You see, your Aunt Milty was a helluva gal, but she earned all that money tending to her haberdashery in Mamaroneck and never got to enjoy it. She doesn’t want you to make the same mistake. Enjoy life! Buy a car that runs.
We’re going to set a few ground rules:
- Add 20% to the final cost to account for buyer’s premium, taxes, et cetera if it’s not listed.
- If a premium is listed just take the premium
- If there’s no sale price listed, take the lower estimate and add 20%
- You can buy as many cars as you want or as few, so long as it adds up to $300k or less
- We’ll assume you brought your friends with you so you don’t need to worry about transportation, et cetera
To help, here are links to some of the main auctions. A couple require logins to see results:
In order to give you some encouragement and guidance, I will show you how I might spend the money, although I keep finding new cars and changing my mind:
 1991 Corvette ZR1 – Mecum Auctions (LOT F103)
I have a soft spot for C4s and a red ZR1 is near the top of my list of Corvettes I will one day own. It’s got the strange and wonderful quad-cam V8 developed by Lotus and built by Mercury Marine. By modern standards its 405 horsepower isn’t a ton, but it’s plenty for what this is supposed to do.
Final bid: $35,200
That’s $42,600 with the 20% add-on and leaves me with $257,400.
1984 Ferrari 400i – RM Auctions (LOT 304)
Photo courtesy of RM Auctions
I’m a family man and I’d be a poor father/husband if I got something I couldn’t bring my two loves along in. Like ice cream cake at a 1st grader’s birthday party, Pininfarina 2+2s from this era are irresistible to me. They are the Fudgie the Whale of Italian coupes. I’m slightly partial to the Fiat 130, but a 400i will do quite nicely. It’s exotic without being showy, retro without being ironic, and it has pop-up headlights so I can forgive the GM-sourced 3-speed.
Sale Price: $89,600
That’s $107,520 with the 20% add-on and leaves me with $149,800.
1968 Porsche 911 2.0 Coupe – Bonhams (LOT 112)
Photo courtesy of Bonhams
A 911 is always going to feel like the right purchase and a classic short-wheelbase original with under 75,000 miles is hard to ignore. Porsches are plentiful, of course, but this one is within a reasonable range and I’m just a complete sucker for the burgundy-over-black color. I could easily live with this.
Sale Price w/ Premium: $104,160
So that’s $45,640 to spend.
2000 Ford Excursion – Mecum
Photos courtesy of Mecum
With the money left there are a lot of interesting choices, but now I have now put together a fleet of German, American, and Italian two-doors. Camping with my family is something I enjoy and, reasonably, one of these vehicles may need a tow at some point. This was part of the low-mileage collection, which would be hilarious above 100,000 miles for almost anything other a Powerstroke turbo-diesel. I got to take a peek at it during the auction and it seemed in good shape. The price is also fair, compared to recent sales.
Sale Price: $29,700
That’s $35,640 with the 20% add-on and leaves me with $10,000 to spend on some new tires and gas.
Check out those listings at the top of the post, and show us in the comments a list of cars that you’d like to buy for a total of $300 large.
[Editor’s Note: I had the chance to watch an absolutely incredible auction go down at RM Sothesby’s. The car was beautiful, the price was out of this world, the buyer was interesting, and the room — oh god, you could hear a pin drop. It was tense, but exciting. I can’t wait to tell you more. Until then, humor us with your theoretical car purchases! -DT]
Top photo courtesy of Bonhams
I want Gooding Lot 148, the 1960 FIAT-ABARTH 1000 MONOPOSTO DA RECORD ‘LA PRINCIPESSA’, but that car is going to be auctioned and there is no price listed. Not sure if it will be under $300k. But if it were, I’d buy it to use it s a mold to make a replica of the body, and start building hyper-efficient monocoque sports cars with crap tons of power.
So, some backup choices:
-Goodings Lot 143, 1960 FIAT-ABARTH 850 RECORD MONZA- $89,100
-Goodings Lot 45, 1956 LOTUS ELEVEN SERIES I LE MANS 85- $100,000
-Goodings Lot 6, 1974 LOTUS EUROPA TWIN CAM SPECIAL- $28,600
First step would be to update my daily driver/family mobile which I couldn’t do at the auction-house, would have to go to the dealer…
1. 2022 Taycan 4S Cross Turismo, comes out to ~ $134,000 with options and tax
Then comes the dream car (hey, to each their own), and this one fits the bill quite nicely…
2. 1962 Lotus Elite Series 2, Sotheby’s lot 1184, $87360 (incl. 20%)
Finally, a weekend cruiser. Has to fit the whole family. Has to be a convertible. Has to fit my perverted car ideals.
3. 1967 Citroën ID19 Cabriolet, Sotheby’s lot 109, $72,192 (incl. 20%, at today’s exchange rate)
Which leaves me $6448 which I’ll need for the cheapest Corolla I can find so I actually have a functional car.
Well I’m married so my first choice is a Porsche 911 for her. She’s always wanted one and here’s her chance.
The Quail has a blue 66 that looks nice.
https://www.bonhams.com/auction/27509/lot/66/1966-porsche-911-20-coupe-chassis-no-303501-engine-no-903546/
$224,000 Premium leaving me $76,000
Now for me. Disturbingly, there wasn’t much of an offering for my taste. Luckily I found this over at Mecum’s Auction.
https://www.mecum.com/lots/CA0822-519739/2001-chevrolet-silverado-ls-pickup/
A beautiful long bed Silverado. 2001 4×4. A solid work and play truck if I ever saw one. I had a 2002 extended cab Z71 before so I know what I’m getting into.
I can’t find a price on Mecum’s so I’ll gamble 50K for the truck and another 10K for the paperwork and such. That will leave me enough for a nice set of Goodyear Duratech tires.
We’d have the perfect suburban family setup.
A car for groceries and a pickup for Home Depot.
Well, that was easy for me: 1965 Alfa Romeo Giulio Sprint GTA 1600 sold at Bonham’s for $280k. I remember being told years ago that ‘You’re not a proper petrolhead until you’ve owned an Alfa’, and it’s the same age I am, so I could wear my ‘1965 Model’ hat motoring in it. Plus, it’s flat-out beautiful, but not so rare that I couldn’t learn to just cringe instead of cry when pinged by gravel on the roads I like!
It likely says quite a bit about me that I feel more in my element looking at Shitbox Showdown than most of the listings here, but here goes, in order of “holy shit I need it”:
– Gooding Lot #189: 1984 Mercedes-Benz 300 SD – $73,920
– Gooding Lot #108: 1990 BMW M3 – $104,832
– Bonhams Lot #18: 1969 Citroën ID20 Familial Wagon – $62,720
– Bonhams Lot #19: 1973 Volvo P1800 ES Sport Wagon – $47,040.
Total: $288,512, leaving me with the moolah I need to procure enough Paqui Haunted Ghost Pepper chips to contaminate every CX-5 in sight for years. (Can you tell my MIL drives a CX-5? Maybe that particular one gets all the chips…)
Alternatives I would have considered, if Aunt Milty could have stretched her budget by just a few grand:
– RM Sotheby’s Lot #306: 2003 Aston Martin DB AR1 – $309,120 – peak Zagato coachwork in my controversial opinion;
– Bonhams Lots #46 and #28: 1958 BMW Isetta 600 and 2002 BMW Z8 Roadster – $302,400 – his and hers, in that order.
So far no one has gone for the 996 GT3. Interesting…
This was surprisingly easy because Facel Vega. Quail was one-stop shopping for me.
1960 Facel Vega Excellence EX1 (future proje– I mean, family sedan): 53K
1962 Facel Vega II (Classy coupe ftw): 129K
1995 Aston Martin V8 Vantage V550 (It’s not a 600 trim, but it’s red and still has twin superchargers): 101K
283K total.
The remaining 17K might be enough to source some of the Hellcat components for the Facel V– err… uh. What I meant to say was: 17k would be enough to buy matching handbags and shoes! Yes, that’s it.
Had to get the V550!
First, let me just say that I am deeply disappointed in the so-called “Monterey Jet Center Auction” for not having a single jet airplane available for sale. Why even have the word “jet” in your name?!? I would have even settled for a Chrysler Turbine Car… in fact, I would have preferred a Turbine Car. Although now that I think about it, you can’t get much jet airplane for $300k, so maybe it’s best that they’ve stuck to cars.
Second, even though I recognize that this is an exercise in fantasy, I can’t help but to keep some of it grounded to reality. One constraint that I just can’t shake is the fact that I am a one-car man. I have nowhere to store a “sometimes car” so I am drawn to vehicles that I could conceivably drive every day. And why limit your fun to the weekends anyway? Pick something you can enjoy every day!
With that in mind, I’d likely go with the Audi R8 from the aforementioned Jet Center. According to the listing, the previous owner was Juan Pablo Montoya (Inigo’s brother?), so the price is probably inflated for people who might care who that is — not unlike George Costanza buying Jo[h]n Voight’s LeBaron, but with the $300k budget I’ve been given, I can afford to overpay a bit.
The estimate on the listing is $125k-150k, which at the top end is only half of the budget, but don’t you worry — I have plans to liquidate the rest.
The car is a boring gray color, and I like colorful cars, so the first thing I’d want is to get it wrapped in a more exciting hue. My first thought is that purple/green MystiChrome color that they used to paint Mustangs back in the ’90s, but that might be taking it too far, so maybe a nice dark British Racing Green.
But don’t bother wrapping the rear bumper. I’ve got plans for that. Have you seen how cool all the pipes and mechanicals look under there with the bumper removed? I’d toss the opaque bumper and get a custom translucent smoked gray replacement made. Then I’d get some custom lighting installed among the pipes and innards to show it off. Why not make the whole thing glow red when I hit the brakes so that those driving behind me have NO EXCUSE to rear end this masterpiece. I’ll look like some sort of automotive firefly when I’m stopped at a red light! Maybe add other optional colors in there for use when parked at car shows.
Last, but not least, it’s a manual, so I’d have to learn how to drive stick. I’ve had a fantasy for a long time about buying a $500 car on CraigsList just to learn how a manual transmission works and then getting rid of it once I’ve become comfortable with the skill. I could do the same here, but if we’re sticking to the rule that the cars must be purchased from Pebble, then I’ll get the cheapest manual that they have (that $15k Fiat might be the one) and then giving it away when I’m done using it to learn.
That should just about dispose of $300k.
Perfect budget amount.
I am buying one those electrified $300,000.00 CadyLaks.
It is the future!
With a little more coin I’d go for the “1930 Alfa Romeo 6C 1750 Gran Sport Spider in the style of Zagato” from RM. Since I have really no coin at all, I’ll day dream about it and the 1966 Meyers Manx from the same place.
Bonhams Lot 49
1952 Jaguar XK120C Competition Roadster
$190,400 inc premium
Bonhams Lot 18
1969 Citroen ID20 Familial Wagon
$62,720 inc premium
Bonhams Lot 55
1967 Alfa Romeo Giulia
$42,000 inc premium
Total=$295,120
Most of those Jag XKs on here are had to pass by. Such a great design.
There are so many better ways to use $300K to obtain a unique ride, that I can’t really recommend auctions of this sort at all. These auctions are for people with stupid money, who are willing to pay over premium price, just because they are bored. And of course spectators, who come to smell the leather and gasoline, and dream of what it would be like to be a Prince of the House of Saud. There is value in that as well.
Owners groups, private collectors, people that used to work for manufacturers or design houses… they will have interesting machines that aren’t really ‘for sale’ as much as cherished souvenirs that they might let it go to a friend who is an enthusist, who would appreciate them, and maintain them. It’s like, a really good bottle of wine is less likely to found in a warehouse, than from an old Italian guy who once bought a whole bunch of cases when he owned a few restaurants back in the day. That sort of thing.
So this year? I’d be a voyeur. That’s it man.
Between the ridiculous buyers premiums and what they hit up the consigners for, what a racket.
One car, the Z8. I covet this.
https://www.broadarrowauctions.com/vehicles/jc22_046/2002-bmw-z8
1967 Corvette 427/435 $75k + 20%. Marlboro Red is awesome. Side pipes. Convertible. Estimate seems cheap honestly. Wonder what it actually sold for.
2007 911 Turbo $80k + 20% Daily driver I guess.
1997 Ferrari F355 $100k + 20%. Got the gated shifter. Yellow, although I’d really prefer my Ferrari to be classic red on saddle. I can be Nicolas Cage in The Rock, except I won’t destroy it.
Alright, this is $306, close enough. I didn’t want to make a Mecum account to see the hammer prices there. But easily spent the money at the Jet Center.
Interesting. Since most of the one that caught my eye went well over the price. I got myself down to two options.
Option 1 – 1965 CHEVROLET CORVETTE 327/375 FUEL-INJECTED ‘BIG TANK’ COUPE which leaves me 43k to keep it running and fueled.
Option 2 – 1972 Skyline, 1990 BMW M3, and 1966 Manx leaving me 37k to play with.
Being an old school gear head, the 1965 Vette just called to me. Huge motor, big noise. rumble, etc. My mind went to “There is no replacement for displacement”.
Plus less storage costs vs 3 more cars.
Matt, we’re gonna have fisticuffs now, because I wanted that ZR1. Give me that Lotus motor damnit!
So that puts me at $42,600, let’s go shopping hardcore style.
I miss having a fun bike. Gimme lot T5 from Mecum, a 1973 Triumph Trident. For just $3300.
$45,600 spent. And now I have a cool motorcycle. Sweet.
I like AMC, but slim pickings there. But wow, that Rambler 770 (lot T9.1) is stunning. Sold for $11,400!
Just $57,000 spent and now I have a Corvette, a motorcycle, and an American muscle convertible.
Shit, guess I should buy something to haul them, shouldn’t I?
I’ll take Mecum lot T159, a 2000 Dodge Ram 3500 RV conversion with 5.9 Cummins for just $40,920.
$97,920 and I’m ready for a weekend of camping at the track. Sweet.
Wait, I could buy a real race car.
Lot 91 at Bonhams – a genuine 1972 Lola T290. For just $109,760 including the premiums!
$207,680 spent and we’re gonna spend it all damnit!
I love the color combination, so I’ll be taking Mecum lot T152 too. A 1992 Porsche 968 convertible in midnight blue over tan. Oh, and it went cheap. Just $15,840!
$223,520 and uh, how many cars have I bought again? Oh dear.
I guess I’ll take lot 3 at Gooding, a Porsche 996 Carrera 4S in Atlas Grey Metallic with the Aerokit and X50 packages. Just $67,200 including premiums.
$290,720 spent. I think we’re done.
… oh wait! Mecum INCLUDES the buyer’s premium! I still have another $20,000 to work with!
So we’re gonna add on Mecum Lot T24, a Mercedes-Benz E55 AMG, just $7000, and lot T74, a 1999 Lincoln Mark VIII at just $10,450. Okay. NOW we’re done.
I saw that Mark VIII and thought a lot about finding some room for it! Great list.
I legit almost picked up a black on black one locally. TWICE. There were tons of them around here, so finding two in genuinely great shape at under $6k isn’t even remotely unheard of.
Then I got the insurance quote and, uh, yeah.
So I bought a Saab 9-3 Viggen instead.
A Mark VIII for more than a E55. Wild.
Tip for anyone wanting to save some time, just go to the Bonhams site. Best selection of cars under the $300,000 budget and a decent selection of cars that sold for less than 6 figures.
Also, Mecums and Monterrey Jet Center need logins to access results.
I’ll do it in one. 1963 Jaguar E-Type listed at Gooding for $250,000. The 20% brings us to 300k even.
(I would absolutely not buy only a single car with $300k, but I am at work and didn’t want to look too long. It’s pretty nice, though.)
Excellent taste!
I mean, it’s Pebble Beach, so like $50k is probably getting spent on a hotel room for the week… So I’ll take the remaining $250k and just buy the nicest 911 I can get. I’m a simple man.
OK, got it figured out. The trouble I have is that I have very limited space on my property, with 4 cars and a trailer already, and essentially no flat level surfaces that aren’t already occupied by one of them.
But I could build an addition out the back of the garage with room for one very special car. This addition would also have a rooftop deck with French doors opening out from the master bedroom. I would have to move some fencing around and possibly relocate my wife’s greenhouse, so I’d have to take that into account, but a small car could make the turn safely; it would just take some careful maneuvering. This is about a $100,000 project to do it right, leaving me with $200,000 for the occupant of this new garage space.
And from what I see in the listings, there is only one possible choice for me in that range: this 1959 MGA Twin Cam from Gooding & Co. It’s gorgeous, properly rare, and would be a delight to drive on the three days a year I dared to drive it anywhere.
https://www.goodingco.com/lot/1959-mga-twin-cam-roadster-1/
This is the right answer. Do the job properly.
While I could make an extensive spreadsheet calculating buyer’s premiums and remaining balances to carefully calculate what cars I could have purchased assuming my own bids didn’t drive the price up further, the reality is that with only $300,000 to spend, it’s all going to hookers and blow.
Name checks out LOL
The James Hunt special
Hell of a way to spend 30 minutes
That is simply too much gamble with the family in that terrible Ferrari. I feel like you could do better.
Sure, show me! There’s also a slightly nicer 400i for sale, which I could move around a bit.
You might like this one
https://www.carandclassic.com/car/C1470395
Did they have a cherry first generation Mitsubishi Montero there? Maybe a primo SAAB 99 EMS? If the answer is no, I would’ve kept my fat $300,000 in the bank.
Sounds like math/research homework, now my head hurtz
I hope he didn’t get any of that gas station cheese sauce on the nachos. That can actually fertilize the caviar and he’d end up with a belly full of little orange mutant sturgeon.
Also, tell us more about the car in the lede pic.
Looks like a slightly tired Facel Vega.
Facel Vega Facel II.
Thanks. I should have caught that, but my brain went straight to a customized pagoda era SL and wondered if it was some bespoke coach job.
It is this car.
https://www.bonhams.com/auction/27509/lot/26/1962-facel-vega-facel-ii-coupe-chassis-no-hk2-a106-engine-no-ty8-212-127/