Advice - Barrett Jackson 2022 - Scottsdale

[grambow]

Looking for any advice for attending the Barrett Jackson Auction in Scottsdale this Jan 2022. I've never been to the auction nor Scottsdale so any tips are welcome. It looks like I will be flying down purely as a solo spectator. Not looking for swanky accommodations, but I don't want to stay in a fleabag either. I will probably rent a car and stay three-ish days. I have just a "normal budget," which I know doesn't say much cuz one person's normal... Not looking to get away cheap. I just need to be comfortable. Hampton Inn level and above hotel is fine. I'll prob just get a mid-size car unless something cool is available. Generally, eating out once or twice a day at sit down restaurants as opposed to fast food and the occasional mid to high tier cocktail. No golfing.

• For those who have been as spectators, did going meet your expectations? Was going worth it?
• What are the best days for seeing the most cars and least crowds?
• Do I need more than one day?
• Convenient hotels to stay?
• Are AirBnBs a thing down there?

Thanks!!

 

[BudgetPlan1]

Went a few years ago, 1 day only on Saturday. Unless ya spring for a more $$$ auction ticket you'll be relegated to standing off to side in the main auction tent which can get packed.

More entertaining was wandering around looking at 100's of cars in tents, vendor displays, mfg stuff. When we went Ford, Chevy and Dodge were giving shortened auto-x rides in Mustangs, Corvettes and Hellcats; short but fun. It's an entertaining spectacle for sure but the least interesting part was the main auction tent on the busiest day/night of the auction itself...just a packed, logistically inconvenient thing if you're a general admission ticket person.

 

[ghostwrench]

I live in the valley (Chandler) and went a couple of years ago - on a Sunday, I think. My experience is similar to BudgetPlan1. I'm a technician at a local car dealership where I got free tickets for my daughter and me, so I didn't have anything but the 30 minute drive invested in the event.

From that perspective, it was pretty cool. Lots of cars to check out. We didn't spend much time watching the actual auctions, mostly looking at all the cars and getting a short, mostly drifting ride in a Charger Hellcat.

If I were to travel to this event, I think I would have like a Saturday and Sunday trip so I could orient myself and then focus on what really interested me. Scottsdale is a really nice area in general and having lived in 5 different states, I think the Phoenix metro area is the easiest to navigate by far. Freeways everywhere and surface streets are mostly in a grid within the freeway loops.

 

[John U]

WOW: A lot to do! TRY TO RENT A CAR NOW! Cars are expensive and hard to get.

I've been going for 6 yrs since moving to Scottsdale for the winter (car season =7 months) and MN for the summer. So far I've confirmed 5 auctions going on that week vs 7 pre covid.
I was gonna recommend the Days Inn in Scottsdale at Talking Stick/Hwy 101 but I see it has closed. A lot of new Hotels have opened in the Talking Stick area. The shopping center there, Pavilions, had a long running car show on Saturdays that was the place to be on auction week Saturday. Covid closed it and it's now reopened in a different format.... waiting to move back in October and get the pulse.... I can walk to it from home.
Phil's in Fountain Hill's is the show to visit on Sunday mornings.

B-J is a great experience. The "lifestyle areas" (boats, plane, motorhome) can take hours to go thru depending on your interests. Last year you needed a bidders pass $$ to even get into the live auction area. To tell you the truth my "posse" and I spend 5-10 minutes in there when we can get in. It's loud and gets boring. Watching at home on TV you have play by play about the car. In person you have an auctioneer's loud banter full time all the time (you need ear plugs).... we stop in on our way out at the end of the day.

We typically visit B-J on a Friday and let the crowds fill it on Saturday/Sunday.

What are we doing?..... looking at the row after row of cars in the tents. In 2019 there was 1,800 vehicles on site! We arrive at opening and it takes up the full morning to view the main tents. Have lunch then visit all the outside tents, vendor booth, manufacturer joy rides etc.

You also have Roger Penske's dealership complex (RR, Bentley, Bugatti, +7 or more etc) to visit minutes from West World (where B-J is held). Russo Steele's "auction in a field" is also nearby just NE of Penske. There are specialty auto brokers and consignment shops all over the area. 100+ cars at many of then kept in air conditioned complexes to visit too.

Griots, Adams, Meguiars etc all have their show semi trucks set up.

Photo's:
2019 Scottsdale Auctions 2019 - Google Photos

2020a Scottsdale Auction 2020 - Google Photos

2020b Scottsdale Auctions Day 2 - Google Photos

2020c all B-J Scottsdale 2020 Day 3 - Google Photos

2020d Scottsdale Day 4 2020 & Pavilions Show - Google Photos

2021 https://photos.app.goo.gl/MjTHGaNqHFcVtTXcA

2021 https://photos.app.goo.gl/GhYEtym74yVPKKKPA

 

[John U]

PS: On your question about crowds:
The weekend before is less crowded.... but many of the cars have not arrived yet. Mid week when the auction has started, the majority of the cars are there. When the auction is in session the cars that have been over the block are staged back in the tents or their position in the main tent and you can see what they hammed sold for. Then you can say "what a steal" or "that guy was drunk" paying that!

By Sunday many of the "common" cars sold earlier in the week have been paid for and are being loaded in the car haulers.... The headliner cars are put back in the main tent for display until it's over.