The January auctions,
booked early.
January is the busiest fortnight of the collector year: Barrett-Jackson and the Arizona sales in Scottsdale, Mecum in Kissimmee. The transport is bought in November and December, because by January the enclosed trailers heading that way are already full.
Why the booking happens two months early
Every enclosed carrier in the country points the same direction in the second week of January. Arizona and central Florida absorb more enclosed capacity in that fortnight than any other two weeks of the year, and the trailers are committed well before the catalogues are final. A car booked in November travels on a planned load. The same car booked on the first of January travels on whatever is left, if anything is.
Brandt runs its own enclosed trailers out of Austin, which sits between both destinations — roughly a day to Scottsdale, two to central Florida. That position is the reason the return legs are worth asking about: a trailer going out loaded for an auction has room coming home, and a car bought at the sale can come back on it.
Going to sell
A car crossing a block is photographed at pickup and delivered sealed, which matters when the catalogue description and the condition report have to agree. Consignment deadlines run weeks ahead of the sale, so the car is usually wanted on site before the gates open to the public. Tell the specialist the auction, the lot deadline and the consignment number if you have one, and the pickup is planned backwards from the date the house needs it.
Coming back having bought
This is the half people leave to chance. A car bought on Saturday afternoon needs to leave a crowded lot in a town with no capacity left, and the queue for a spot starts at the hammer. The usable move is to book the return before you bid, on the assumption you win: an unused booking is cheaper to cancel than a car sitting in Scottsdale for three weeks.
If the car does not run, say so. Non-running lots load on a lift-gate and winch rather than under their own power, and that changes which trailer goes.
What it costs
January is the one month of the year when enclosed rates to these two destinations are set by scarcity rather than distance. Quotes given in November hold; quotes given in January reflect what is actually left. Brandt quotes each move individually and in writing, and the price does not move after it is given.
Questions on this
When should I book transport for the January auctions?
November or early December. The enclosed trailers running to Scottsdale and Kissimmee in January are committed weeks ahead, and the capacity that is left in the first week of January is both scarce and expensive. Booking early costs less and travels on a planned load rather than a leftover slot.
Can you collect a car I buy at the auction?
Yes, and it is worth arranging before you bid rather than after you win. Tell the specialist the auction, the dates and roughly what you are chasing, and the return leg is held. If you do not buy, the booking is cancelled. A car left behind in Scottsdale after the sale is the expensive outcome.
Do you go to Barrett-Jackson and Mecum?
Both. Scottsdale is about a day from Austin and central Florida about two, which is why Brandt runs loads in each direction across that fortnight. Delivery is to the auction's receiving area, your hotel or a private address, whichever the house and your schedule allow.
What if the car does not run?
It still goes. Non-running vehicles are loaded on a lift-gate and winched rather than driven on, and they are strapped by the wheels with soft loops the same way. Say so when you request the quote, because it decides which trailer is sent and how long the load takes.
Can the car be delivered straight to the auction?
Usually, at a time the auction house confirms. Consignment windows are fixed and the receiving areas are busy, so the delivery slot is agreed with the house in advance rather than on the day. Give the specialist the lot or consignment number if you have one.
Start the quote right here.
A firm written price within two hours, 9AM to 9PM, seven days.
A Brandt specialist will call you within two hours.
