ORLANDO, Fla. – A panel of past presidents and Hall of Famers from the National Auto Auction Association shared their memories, histories and stories during NAAA’s World Remarketing Convention here.
Three of the panelists were past presidents and Hall of Famers: Jay Cadigan, Bob McConkey and Charlotte Pyle. Other panelists included Hall of Famer (and Used Car News columnist) Tony Moorby and Past President Jack Neshe.
NAAA Executive Director Paul Lips moderated the discussion, kicking it off by asking about the start of simulcast and online sales.
Pyle, who along with her husband Joe, own Mountain State and Capital City auto auctions in West Virginia, hearkened back to when she first heard about simulcast at an industry conference.
“Never in our 30+ years of business did we realize we’d be selling automobiles to folks in California and all across the country,” she said. “I think it really changed the way we do business.”
Starting out, she and Joe had no computers, just using forms in “triplicate” and the old credit card machines.
While cars will continue to run in the lanes, online sales “have been an enhancement to all of our auctions,” Pyle said.
Technology also brought about the evolution of off-lease sales to online, Lips said.
“I remember when I first came to this country in ’82,” Moorby said, “one of the first people I went to visit was a fellow named Bob McDevitt of Avis leasing.”
At the time, Moorby’s group had two sales in Nashville and Kansas City.
“After a little interview, Bob sat there scratching his head, saying, ‘A couple of limeys down south? I don’t know so much.’”
Eventually, he bought in to the idea and whenever Moorby’s company bought another auction, McDevitt would help seed that auction with fleet vehicles.
“I think it rather changed the industry’s outlook, because back in the early ’80s, auctions were very comfortable just dealing with dealer vehicles.”
McConkey, CEO of McConkey Auction Group, said off-lease business was different when he started in the 1980s.
“Even the repossessions – GMAC would, out in front of their office, just have a bunch of cars lined up with sale prices on them just to sell them piecemeal. The auctions weren’t part of their ecosystem.
“But the big expansion in the auction business was really the program car, not the off-lease car,” McConkey said, “when the manufacturers started to build cars to do short-term leases back to the rental car companies and then inherit them back.
“That’s when we saw a couple of million extra cars enter the market and it really expanded the auction business.”
Moorby added that this “was one of the best programs to teach the manufacturers the value of used cars and how it was worth the manufacturers supporting the way they were sold and how much they were sold for, so that they could keep their leasing numbers as low as possible, bridging the gap between new-car prices and used-car prices on late models.”
Condition reports (CRs) and vehicle grading have also seen an evolution in the auction business.
“One of the biggest challenges an
auction faces is the CR,” said Neshe, who spent years with ADESA Boston. “Are we writing them too heavy, are we writing them light? What are we doing to get them fair.
“It’s always been tough to find that middle ground that’s fair to buyer and seller. Along came AutoGrade and I think that took a lot of responsibility off the CR writer and put the CR writers all on a level playing field.”
The pandemic proved the importance of this development with the “flip from in-lane buyers and sellers to online buyers and sellers,” Neshe said.
“Even though it took pressure off the CR writers, the CRs are only as good as the input. But with the training they’ve been getting I truly believe the CRs are getting better and better every day.”
It helps the buyer know what he’s getting and helps the sellers decide whether doing extra recon can get
Continued on page 8
Political News
10/14/2024
Independent Dealers Make Their Case on Capitol Hill
By Jeffrey Bellant
NIADA President Michael Darrow joined more than 100 fellow dealers in Washington D.C. last month to lobby lawmakers on Capitol Hill about the issues important to the industry.
“It’s my favorite event of the year,” said Darrow, who owns The Auto Finders dealership in Durham, N.C.
Darrow spent his time with fellow members of the Carolina Independent Automobile Dealers Association and its acting Executive Director Marty Coates.
In total, the NIADA contingent of dealers held more than 100 meetings with lawmakers or their staff during the three-day event, Darrow said.
This year differed from previous years in that typically, a lot of past years’ meetings involved legislative staff rather than the elected officials.
“The beauty is that we got to meet
with a lot of lawmakers this year,” he said. “We had anticipated that they would be in their home districts, but since they were trying to get that continuing resolution (to fund the government) so they were in town and they took a lot of our appointments and it was really rewarding.
“I think everybody (CIADA) met with was a House Representative and not an aide or staff person.”
Other dealers from the NIADA group also got to meet with actual lawmakers during the visit, too.
Top of the agenda was the Federal Trade Commission’s CARS (Combatting Auto Retail Scams) Rule, a set of regulations that NIADA says will make car sales more burdensome for dealers and for consumers.
The rule, originally scheduled to go into effect this summer, was delayed after dealer trade associations, including the NAIDA, filed a lawsuit to overturn the rule.
The issue was still being litigated
at press time.
Sen. Tommy Tuberville (R-Alabama) was the featured speaker at the NAIDA’s PAC Dinner.
Darrow said the CIADA group met with a lot of lawmakers from the Republican side of the House and Senate and most were in lockstep with NIADA’s position.
“In fact, one representative – as soon as the issue came out of our mouths – said, ‘Next issue. I’m with you on that one,’” Darrow said.
In previous years, the entire NIADA contingent would bring in an official from the FTC or other Consumer Financial Protection Bureau to speak before the whole group.
“We broke up into groups of 10 or 12 dealers and one group would go to the FTC and another would go to the CFPB,” he said.
Darrow said at the meeting with the FTC there was a department head and three or four litigators and the 10 or 12 dealers on the other side.
“The point I made, while we were talking was, ‘No offense, but just about everything you are trying to regulate here is already covered by law, if not federal law, then state law, DMV or banking commission. There are so many layers already covering these issues. I didn’t see a need for more regulation covering the same issues.’”
Darrow said by the end of the meeting the officials did thank them for bringing up dealers’ concerns.
“I think we did score some points by letting them know that there are a vast, vast majority of dealers doing it the right way and wanting to do it the right way and this is what is being taught in the state (associations) through compliance and continuing education.
“I think that surprised them that this was something that was already being taught (by the associations) and those were best practices.”
AAASavannah_UCN-Sep.pdf 1 9/4/24 2:54 PM
NAAA Awards
By Jeffrey Bellant
ORLANDO – The National Auto Auction Association presented two of its most prestigious awards during its World Remarketing Convention this month.
NIADA honored Larry Tribble, chairman and owner of Southern Auto Auction, with its Industry Pioneer Award and it also inducted Chuck Redden, CEO of AutoTec, into NAAA’s Hall of Fame.
Garrison Hudkins, president of Southern Auto Auction, presented Tribble with the award, praising him for his humility, as well as his commitment to technology, including being part of the founding of AutoIMS.
Hudkins also praised Tribble for his “unwavering, steadfast commitment to people.”
Tribble was also one of the founders of the NAAA scholarship program and has offered a profit-sharing program for 40 years at Southern. Tribble served as NAAA president in 1998 and was inducted into NAAA’s Hall of Fame in 2007.
Tribble talked about how important the NAAA was to his family. His father was NAAA president in 1964 and Hudkins, his son-in-law, was president in 2023.
Tibble talked about trips he made to Japan and Holland, learning about how different businesses worked in those countries and how they relate to U.S. auto auctions.
His support of technology and its place in the industry, doesn’t push out the importance of physical lanes.
“We still believe at Southern that live competitive bidding combined with online bidding gets you the most money for your vehicles,” Tribble said. “If we keep to that, to some degree, we’re going to be around for a lot longer. And maybe we’ll look different, but we’ll survive.”
Tribble added owners should always be a student of their business and look to implement new ideas.
“No. 2, I’d like to remind everyone to give back to everyone that works for you,” Tribble said.
NAAA President Craig Amelung presented Redden with his award and described him as a “friend to al-
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most everyone in this room.”
As CEO, Redden is responsible for the strategic leadership of the company’s objectives and growth. His primary focus is on AutoTec’s transformation into an integrated data services provider that continues to exceed the expectations of its longterm partners. Redden joined AutoTec in 2000.
Prior to joining AutoTec, Redden was a commercial loan officer with AmSouth Bank and served as navigator onboard the U.S.S. Harry W. Hill (DD-986).
Redden is actively involved in his home community in Alabama. He has served on the boards of Baptist Health System, Monday Morning Quarterback Club, McWane Science Center and as a deacon at Mountain Brook Baptist Church, and as president of the Rotary Club.
“This is my 25th NAAA convention and for 25 years, I’ve seen friends and leaders that I’ve admired and learned from recognized for this award,” he said. “I’m not sure I deserve to be on that list.”
He wanted to accept the award on behalf of his team at AutoTec.
Wholesale News
Used Vehicle Prices Dip, Retention Values Remain Strong
By Jeffrey Bellant
Wholesale used vehicle values took a turn for the worse, dipping 0.5% in September from August, based on a mix, mileage, and seasonally adjusted basis, according to the Q3 Manheim Used Vehicle Value Index (MUVI).
Jeremy Robb, senior director of economic and industry insights, said the non-seasonally adjusted price change month to month revealed Q1 didn’t have the normal increase in values.
“Then we experienced more depreciation each month in Q2 than we normally see,” Robb said.
“That’s when the sky is falling mantra was front and center.”
However, as lease maturities contracted in July and that, with a tighter retail supply of used vehicles, caused more demand at auction, Robb said.
“Values increased in July when they normally decrease, and they increased with a greater velocity in August than usual,” Robb said. “September showed a decline, but the decline was lower than normal.”
Year over year for September, all vehicle categories remain lower, but the pace differs.
“On the downside, pickups performed the worst, falling by three points more than the index overall and sedans also fell more than the market,” Robb said.
SUVs performed best.
Robb said sales conversion rates at auctions are the best leading indicator for prices overall.
After July 4, conversion rates rose steadily, peaking in late August, while at nearly 59% in the index, higher than the last few years.
Q3 showed the growth in sales
rise from 13% year-over-year to 15%, with inventory growth also increasing from about 15% in Q2 to 16% at the end of Q3.
“On the inventory front, we continue to see a bit more supply in the entire wholesale market with higher repossessions and off-lease check-ins being turned in at Manheim,” Robb said. “With those moves, days-supply declined a bit in late July and August, and then began rising in September ending the quarter at 27.1 days.
“That puts it at 2.2% above the same time as last year, but still three days below 2018, indicating a somewhat tighter marketplace.”
Retention values at auction have been relatively flat at this time compared to other years, Robb said.
The average 3-year-old unit has depreciated 36% in total since it was sold as a new vehicle.
“Those values are a bit below the last few years as we have been normalizing,” Robb said.
“But here’s the key point. We’re still well below historical levels, which would be close to the 50% range.
Consumers continue to see used-vehicle prices that are lower year over year, which is supporting higher retail usedvehicle sales.
According to Cox Automotive’s vAuto Live Market View data, the average retail listing price for a used vehicle, at $25,278, is now lower by 0.7% over the last four weeks and lower year over year by approximately 6%.
Used retail vehicle sales in September were down compared to August, but higher year over year by 9% and are expected to finish 2024 at 19.9 million, up 3.1% year over year.
10/14/2024
State AGs Target Dealers
ers suggested that their asking price was the manufacturer’s suggested retail price when in fact their asking price was significantly higher than
Just two days later, on August 1, 2024, the Maryland AG filed charges against a dealer, alleging that the dealer engaged in unfair or deceptive trade practices by, among other things, deceptively charging consumers more for their vehicles than the prices for which they were advertised, including for already installed equipment and dealer markup, and by financing the sale of added voluntary protection products in an unlawful manner. The AG also alleged that the dealer deceptively packed vehicle sales transactions with unwanted equipment and products, charged consumers a fee that the dealer misleadingly called a “sales commission” and “optional,” when the fee was not a commission and consumers were unaware of their option to not pay the fee, and failed to disclose and itemize all goods and services that consumers are paying for when they purchase a new vehicle and the cost of those services and products, as required
While the court filings and orders do not detail each dealer’s precise sales practices, it is significant that all three actions raise concerns similar to those that the Federal Trade Commission has repeatedly expressed in its efforts to finalize the CARS Rule and that we have heard from other federal and state law en-
The common allegations highlight state enforcers’ heightened scrutiny of dealers’ sales practices, particularly when the sales involve add-on VPPs. If your dealership is not already taking steps to review and improve vehicle and VPP sales practic-
“That makes a difference in money to the seller and to the auction,” he said. “Not to mention a little money to the auction to get that work through the shop.”
Lips added that communicating the data back and forth with customers improved the indsutry .
“I think with the advent of companies like AutoIMS,” Moorby said, “it was really a reflection of the willingness to share data.”
Moorby said he had a great deal of respect for Manheim’s Darryll Ceccoli, even though he was a competitor.
“I would say to Darryll, ‘I love you like a brother, but I’d slit your throat for one more car,’” he said. “But he started to expound the sense of sharing data. He always called it ‘not re-inventing the wheel that was already round.’”
AutoIMS came around to help auctions tap into information they had that they really hadn’t done anything with.
Moorby said his company needed someone to make sense of all that data, so they hired Tom Kontos. So, Moorby’s teams started sharing information through client advisory boards, becoming a two-way street.
Lips added that AuctionACCESS also resulted in a big change as everyone came together to share dealer credentialing.
Cadigan, who was a general manger with ADT and Manheim auctions during his long career, said that in the 1970s, the dealer registration department was one of the biggest departments in the front office.
“If you wanted to buy or sell a car, then you had to bring a stack of papers with you – licenses, bank accounts – you name it,” Cadigan said. “They wanted a footprint of your
baby’s foot. You had to bring everything.”
“AuctionACCESS changed everything, because everybody was connected. It was like walking into a store with a credit card that’s accepted everywhere.”
The industry has also periodically gone through spurts of consolidation and it’s no different today.
McConkey said the auction industry is built on the American economy, but also on the backs of what were independent auctions.
“Over the years, the amount of greenfields that have been started by the auction chains, whether current chains or chains in the past, is pretty minimal,” McConkey said. He added that Manheim had a few auctions in the Northeast and really didn’t have an expansion strategy.
“It has been a beautiful thing for all of us in that Manheim was there through all the mid-’70s, where if
10/14/2024
somebody wanted to sell their business, they could call (Manheim) and sell their business.
“That’s really the way it was.”
Then Anglo-American and GE Capital became players and everything became more competitive, he said.
“The fact is, the evolution of the chains has been good for the industry, because there have been standards introduced and been forced on all of us, whether we were independent or not,” McConkey said.
“We also had more sophisticated leadership at NAAA.
“NAAA, back when I was a kid, was a lot of poker and a lot of late nights and not that much business.”
When the chains came in, a lot more business got done, he said.
“I think the future is still bright as the independents and the chains continue to cooperate together going down the road,” McConkey said.
Retail Markets
10/14/2024
GEORGIA
Paul Nicholas, owner, Friendly Auto Gallery, Cumming, Ga.
“I’ve been in the auto business for 23 years. I’ve owned my own dealership for nine years.
“I was a pilot when 9/11 happened and I was teaching an individual how to fly. He invited me to become his pilot, and in return, he would teach me the dealership business. I worked at franchise dealerships then became an underwriter for a credit union for three years, and that’s when I was presented with the opportunity to purchase Friendly Auto Gallery.
“In Georgia we were part of what were considered essential businesses during COVID so we worked through it. It accelerated the move to online business.
“We have more customers
now who are trying to do 100 percent of the deal online. If they’re good credit that’s possible. But if they’re subprime or near prime it’s always easier, and better, to get them into the store.
“We usually keep 60-70 cars in inventory. During COVID we were selling 50 a month but now we’re down in the low 30s.
“It’s typical for our customers to ask for an import, but they’ll take a domestic, especially if it means better financing options.
“I was in the franchise world for 12 years so I’ve been fortunate to have made a lot of relationships, so I haven’t been to an auction in person in many, many years.
“It’s not that we look for a certain amount for a down payment, but most of our customers need to put down $1,000 to get by.
“I used to spend about
$600 on reconditioning. Now I’m spending about $1,000.”
“I like for our cars to be under 12 years old with mileage under 120,000.
“The last car we sold was a Dodge Ram with around 130,000 miles. The selling price was in the upper teens.”
NORTH DAKOTA
Cody Heiser, owner, Heiser Motors, Dickinson, N.D
“My grandfather started this business in 1970, but my dad, Larry Heiser, made it what it is. He’s retired now.
“What I would say about COVID is that anybody could’ve been in the business then. There was a lot of government money. It was easy, you have to try now. I feel bad for the people who got into this during COVID and now it’s hit them in the
face.
“We typically have about 40 cars in inventory.”
“We probably have about a third each when it comes to cars vs. trucks vs. SUVs.”
“When it comes to imports vs domestics you would have to go on Google maps to find the nearest import dealer, probably 500 miles in each direction. The customers might like them, but the repercussions are a long trip.
“We do our buying pretty much all online. Here, if you want to go to a sale in person, you’re driving four hours minimum.
“We tell people they should put down 10%. Some people do zero, I think in this world you’ve either got money or you don’t.
“This country is going toward no middle class. You either have money to walk in here and buy everything on the lot or you’ve got to bor-
Compiled by Ed Fitzgerald
row 200 bucks for the down payment.
“That middle ground is really disappearing and it’s sad.
“As far as reconditioning sometimes we get vehicles that don’t need anything. And the next car you’ve got to break down to the floorboards to redo it.
“In this market I don’t buy stuff that’s next to new. A next-to-new pickup is 40, 50, 60 grand.
“I’m watching an auction right now and there are diesels that are bringing 70, 80 grand.
“My tip to someone just starting out in this business: pack your lunch.
“If it were easy, everybody would do it. Don’t plan on going home at 6 o’clock to hang out with your family.
“The last car I sold was a Ford Escape. It was a 2014 with 170,000 miles.”
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Wholesale Markets
10/14/2024
NEW YORK
Kyle Tracy, general manager, Expressway Auto Auction, Dansville, N.Y.
“I would say my sister Lyndsey and I in the last 10 years have (moved into leadership) here. My Uncle Jeff Tracy and my father Scott Tracy still have a lot do with the business, but they’ve kind of turned the reins over to us.
“Our volumes have been good but our sales percentages have been better. We’re averaging 300 to 350 vehicles. We’re selling 65%, which is really good for us.
“Right now, we’re running 300 dealer cars, so I hired TPC Management and they’re helping me get into the fleet world now. We’re looking to keep growing the sale and to see what happens.
“For the repossessions that
we do run, I’ve seen that number go up. I think the quality of cars that we’ve gotten are better. They are like 1- or 2-year-old models. People are just turning them in. People are just having trouble paying their bills.
“For in-lane on sale days, we probably get 150-160 (bidders) with another 50 to 60 online. We use Auction EDGE for online sales.
“We have a great in-lane presence.
“Our average sales price (across the block) is about $12,000 to $13,000. I think every year it probably goes up 8% to 12%.
“SUVs are hot. That $15,000 to $20,000 retail car is what people are wanting. (Vehicles) that are just under 100,000 miles and the 2016 to 2018 model range. That’s the sweet spot our dealers are looking for.
At the end of October,
we’re going to have our anniversary sale. We opened in 1967. We’re hoping for 600 to 700 cars.
“My grandfather, Dick Tracy’s tradition was a chicken barbecue back in the day. He passed away back in October – we lost our legacy. So we wanted to keep the chicken barbecue tradition going for him. That was his thing.
“I’m feeling good going into the fall market. We’ve gained a lot of momentum in the last six months. So, I anticipate we’ll keep the momentum. Especially with Jiles Wanna at TPC, getting us some lease accounts.”
PENNSYLVANIA
J.C. Gaughan, account executive, North East Pennsylvania Auto Action, Scranton, Pa.
“We’ve been in business for 25 years; I’ve been work-
ing there since I was a little kid. My father, Jim, is the owner. He’s been so great. He knows a lot of stuff about the industry. He’s done so much for the auction and for the community. He’s really a mentor for me.
“I just graduated college three years ago and I’ve been working in the business ever since. I’ve been traveling around trying to reel in some cars.
“We run about 400 to 450 a week. Our sales percentage is about 60% to 65%.
“Our retail buyers love coming to our auctions because we do try and help our buyers. We want them to know that they are appreciated. We know the focus in the industry is on the sellers a lot of times, but we don’t forget about the buyers.
“We have a lot of dealers who come in buying one or two a week and others buy-
Compiled by Jeffrey Bellant
ing 15 to 20 a week.
“On the retail side, there has definitely been a downturn, but the guys who put the work in and know what they are doing, those guys are doing a great job. They’re figuring out a way to make a smaller business work.
“I really think that if a dealer knows how to market and wheel and deal, they are going to be successful.
“For average selling prices in the lanes, our sweet spot is between $8,000 and $15,000.
“Now, if you have a gem in there, we’ll sell cars that are $60,000, $70,000 or $80,000. But the majority of those sales are between that $8,000 and $15,000.
“With what we have to offer and the people we have working here, I think we’re going to continue to do some good for the industry. I’m excited for the fall.”
ADESA Boston November 8, 22
508-626-7000
ADESA Charlotte November 14
704-587-7653
ADESA Chicago November 8
847-551-2151
ADESA Cincinnati/Dayton November 12
937-746-4000
ADESA Golden Gate November 12, 26
209-839-8000
ADESA Indianapolis November 12, 26
317-838-8000
ADESA Kansas City November 12, 26
816-525-1100
ADESA Lexington November 21
859-263-5163
ADESA New Jersey November 14
908-725-2200
ADESA Salt Lake November 5 801-322-1234
ADESA Tulsa November 8
918-437-9044
ADESA Washington DC November 6 703-996-1100
Columbus Fair November 13, 20
614-497-2000
Manheim Atlanta November 14, 20, 27
404-762-9211
Manheim Dallas November 5, 6, 20
877-860-1651
Manheim Denver November 6 800-822-1177
Manheim Detroit November 14 734-654-7100
Manheim Fredericksburg November 7, 21 540-368-3400
Manheim Milwaukee November 6, 20 262-835-4436
Manheim Minneapolis November 27
763-425-7653
Manheim Nashville November 19, 20 615-773-3800
Manheim Nevada November 15 702-730-1400
Manheim New England November 12
508-823-6600
Manheim New Jersey November 6, 20 609-298-3400
Manheim Atlanta November 14, 27
404-762-9211
Manheim Dallas November 5 877-860-1651
Manheim Milwaukee November 6 262-835-4436
Manheim Nashville November 20 615-773-3800
Manheim Nevada November 15 702-730-1400
Manheim Palm Beach November 20 561-790-1200
Manheim New Orleans
November 6, 20
985-643-2061
Manheim Orlando November 5, 12, 19, 26
800-822-2886
Manheim Palm Beach November 20, 21
561-790-1200
Manheim Pennsylvania November 1, 8, 14, 15, 22, 29
800-822-2886
Manheim Phoenix November 7, 21
623-907-7000
Manheim Pittsburgh November 6 724-452-5555
Manheim Riverside November 5, 7, 19, 21
951-689-6000
Manheim Seattle November 13
206-762-1600
Manheim Southern California November 14
909-822-2261
Manheim Tampa November 14, 21
800-622-7292
Manheim Texas Hobby November 14, 27
713-649-8233
Southern AA November 6 860-292-7500
Manheim Atlanta November 14, 27
404-762-9211
Columbus Fair November 20
614-497-2000
Manheim Dallas November 5
877-860-1651
Manheim Milwaukee November 6 262-835-4436
Manheim Nashville November 20 615-773-3800
Manheim Nevada November 15 702-730-1400
Manheim Orlando November 5 800-822-2886
Manheim Palm Beach November 20 561-790-1200
Manheim Pennsylvania November 14
800-822-2886
Manheim Phoenix November 7, 21
623-907-7000
Manheim Riverside November 7, 21
951-689-6000
Manheim Seattle November 13 206-762-1600
ADESA Boston November 8, 22
508-626-7000
ADESA Charlotte November 14
704-587-7653
ADESA Golden Gate November 12 209-839-8000
ADESA Salt Lake November 5 801-322-1234
Columbus Fair November 13, 20
614-497-2000
Manheim Dallas November 6, 20 877-860-1651
Manheim Pennsylvania
November 14
800-822-2886
Manheim Riverside November 7, 21 951-689-6000
Manheim Seattle November 13 206-762-1600
Financial Services*
Manheim Fredericksburg
November 7, 21 540-368-3400
Manheim Milwaukee November 20 262-835-4436
Manheim New England November 12 508-823-6600
Manheim New Jersey November 6, 20 609-298-3400
Manheim Orlando November 12, 26 800-822-2886
Manheim Pennsylvania November 1, 15, 29
800-822-2886
Manheim Pittsburgh November 6
724-452-5555
Manheim Seattle November 13
206-762-1600
Manheim Southern California November 14
909-822-2261
Southern AA November 6
860-292-7500
Manheim Atlanta November 20 404-762-9211
Manheim Dallas November 5 877-860-1651
Manheim Milwaukee November 6 262-835-4436
Manheim Palm Beach November 20
561-790-1200
Manheim Pennsylvania November 14
800-822-2886
Manheim Riverside November 7, 21 951-689-6000
Tony Moorby Disconnected Jottings From
I was recently enjoying some reminiscences with some friends and the discussion turned to ‘first cars’ or cars that we enjoyed the most
Having been in the business all my life, I’ve had the benefit of all kinds of motoring enjoyment, often at someone else’s expense, either as a ‘demonstrator’ or as a company car.
Earliest forays into the motoring world were actually on motorbikes – my twin brother and I got around on small sporty Hondas. We rode quite a long way to school, about 25 miles, and soon got fed up with turning up like drowned rats from London’s rainy weather.
We seconded mum’s car, as she hated driving and never used it; a 1958 Ford Anglia two-door in a dog’s vomit shade of light green, an 848cc side-valve four-pot
which left this mortal coil at 40,000 miles after having guzzled more 20/50 oil than gas! The result of failing big-end bearings (and I suspect the flogging we gave it on a daily basis). The threespeed gearbox howled like a banshee and had no synchro in first gear.
We shared a 1965 Austin Mini van with a seat conversion in the back and it was put to uses which were never intended by the manufacturer! We acquired it with 22,000 miles and sold it with 89,000 – it turned out to have been “clocked” in the first place! We loved it.
We went our separate ways for work and love lives and Robin bought a Renault 4, which he thought was very bohemian and his taste in cars never recovered! I went for reliability and went backwards to a 1961 VW Beetle of indeterminate
By Myles Mellor
color – greige with a matching plastic interior. As with most Beetles in those days, it was built like a tank and continued to run in spite of almost seized king pins and a backfire that launched a tailpipe like a Scud missile.
A garishly bright blue 1963 Standard Eight didn’t last long as the steering and suspension needed an overhaul and were beyond my financial or technical capabilities.
Three Mini Coopers followed in quick succession, the first being discarded with a rotten rear sub frame and the others got started up with go-faster kits, wide wheels and straight through exhaust systems.
They were all the rage at any strata of society from me to the Beatles, Bridget Bardot, Peter Sellers and the like.
After three years on a
management-training program at a Vauxhall/Bedford dealership in London I was packed off to GM’s European business school in Luton, Bedfordshire for a three-month residential diploma course. I was granted my first company car for the purpose; a brand new 1971 Vauxhall Victor SL. I felt like I’d made it!
My passion for cars has led me in many directions. My first company car in America was a 1982 Mercury Marquis from Budget Rent-a-Car’s Florida floating fleet – to me, it was huge.
A Lincoln Mk V Coupe was even bigger.
I’ve always indulged a passion for Land Rovers from Defenders to Range Rovers of various vintages and still own a 1997 AA Yellow P38 Range Rover, driven since new.
I had a Rolls Royce at one
time: a long wheelbase Silver Spur. Just like a boat, it was a great day when I bought it, an even better day when I sold it and a money pit in between. Today, a small fleet graces the garage – a 1998 Morgan Plus 8, my Land Rover and a Jaguar F-Type R – all yellow!!
Tony Moorby
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