Anyone ever look at the Brightwells on line car auctions. I live quite close to the auction site in Leominster UK and we went along to kick tyres.

In the main auction the interest was XJS but in another more mundane auction there were three XK8 up for auction which has since dwindled to two. Maybe the really crap one was with drawn.

Will they make the usually accurate estimates? Jaguars for sale I hope the link works.

 

I know they have been trading for years as recognise them but never bought from them.

I'm guessing the cars were no good when you went along or not what you are looking for?

 

A friend and I fancied an afternoon out and to take a look at the cars and compare the description on the web site. I was interested to look at the XjS there and thankfully I much prefer my XK8, no 70's vibe! Assessing the people there was interesting as well.

I haven't followed the results closely but prices on classic cars which was the auction we actually looked at with on-line bidding only seem to be lower overall. There was a fake 30's Bugatti there based on 70's saloon which went for a lot and would be fun. Some lovely big Mercedes, Austin 7 which always seem to do well and a brute of a Mustang equipped to race. The best buys are often from estate sales where sometimes there is no reserve, they just want rid. There was a beautiful and cheap Rolls and a lovely Bentley but I couldn't afford to run it. There was also a Rolls that stank of dead rat. That will be cheap I bet.

They have a very good reputation but also apply a 12% buyers fee which including VAT becomes more like 15%. They grew from Russel, Baldwin and Bright of Tenbury Wells. My great uncle was the Baldwin bit and I recall my cousin auctioning trays of bedding plants in his youth. They've come a long way.

 

That XJR looks good for the money it went for - assuming the engine temperature isn't actually what the gauge is showing.

 

Reading the description the auctioneers remark upon various warning lights but that could be a flat/weak battery, in that sense they are honest and in person they seemed very helpful. After all they only want happy buyers. If I recollect correctly I lost interest due to lacquer peel.

Could be a nice car at the money - but why wouldn't I wait and get one with no peel?

 

Because if it is cheap enough minor cosmetic issues aren't difficult to sort out. Maybe I missed it, but I couldn't see the mileage listed anywhere, which of course would be a big factor in deciding if it is worth buying.

 

About 64,000 miles from MOT history but with a potential overheating and peel?

I thought lacquer peel was quite hard to deal with?