We're saying the same thing. Prices are higher now, after the market bottomed out.

 

Classic car auctions are strictly intermediaries. The transaction is still exclusively between the buyer and seller so there is really no recourse. A PPI is an excellent idea. Someone on here once posted "The best money I ever spent on a Jaguar, was the $300 I paid for a PPI on one that I did not buy." The difficulty is just getting a PPI scheduled inside the seven days before the auction ends. Most sellers just aren't willing to mess with it because they know there are multiple bidders willing to take a chance so why go out of their way for one that isn't. Its not much better at in-person auctions like Mecum or Barrett Jackson because the cars are already lined up inside the convention center (or tent or whatever) and you can't take them out for a test drive. At least you can look at them, but best you can do is talk to the volunteers at the auction and if you are lucky, talk to the one who actually drove the particular car into the tent and maybe he could tell you if it started easily, idled smoothly, etc. But half they time, the batteries are dead and they just push them or tow them with a golf cart anyway. Auctions are just risky because its so hard to get all of the information you need.

I actually prefer to buy/sell through consignment dealers. They keep office hours so its easy to schedule an inspection. And they always start out asking way too much so that means its probably still going to be there for a while even if I can't make arrangements to travel right away. But the best thing is that a car dealer is more than an electronic intermediary. They have possession of the car, their salesmen are selling the car and consequently they taking many of the more significant risks. For example, imagine if a classic car turned out to have been stolen more than three decades earlier and changed hands several times. Its a civil matter at that point. Imagine trying to sue and get all the individuals that possessed the car over the previous thirty years to reimburse each other all the way back to the first victim. But a dealer would give your money back or make arrangements to get a bonded title if you really wanted to keep it. On the flip side, if you are selling a car individually and get a bad cashiers check, you're just out of luck. But if you go through a consignment dealer, you get paid no matter what and they take that risk. They also do all the paperwork, take care of shipping the car and they can sometimes get a higher price than otherwise because they'll offer financing. Its a little higher commission than you'll pay through an online auction but I think with all they do, its well worth it.

Unfortunately as buyers, we don't get to choose how the car is sold, rather the sellers choose. We just have to buy whereever it is offered. Sellers love online auctions though because its relatively easy for them, they know the car will sell even if they don't show it to anybody in-person, they know about how much to expect and particularly know exactly how long it will take to get their money - just one week. Its really a seller's market.

 

I bought one of the FRB XKR-S’ posted by the OP, I think I probably overpaid by a few thousand $$, but car was local and saved on shipping. Been watching FRB XKR-S’ since approx 2017, and could have bought a few cars in 2018-2019 for less, but so far enjoying this one.

 

You couLd always get a lawyer...

But u know how much that would cost..
Buyer beware.

Also talking on the phone will also give you a little insight on the seller..

Google search etc...