Drama on BAT

"RacinBob" (racinbob)
08/19/2020 at 00:06 • Filed to: None

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DISCUSSION (25)

SBA Thanks You For All The Fish > RacinBob
08/19/2020 at 00:23

Wow. never seen that before... so much for the vetting process going in? Or, did the mob take over?

gettingoldercarguy > RacinBob
08/19/2020 at 00:25

I’ll stick to infinite spring rates thankyouverymuch.

ttyymmnn > RacinBob
08/19/2020 at 00:29

Neat, it comes with an interchangeable radio.

Dr. Zoidberg - RIP Oppo > RacinBob
08/19/2020 at 00:29

I think this is more common than admitted, it’s just this seller is sloppy, has poor photographic skills, and isn’t good at Photoshop. I especially enjoyed one commentariats observation, that the radio was different in two consecutive — and again out of focus photos.

There was an old Toyota pickup on there recently where the seller clearly — CLEARLY repainted it 12 hours before photos and directly over obvious spots of rust, and was calling it original paint. Most common thing I see on there is spraying over the common rust in the bed and not doing an exceptional job of it. The seller (a flipper) feigned ignorace well he doesn’t REALLY know if it was repainted but that’s just what the guy he bought it from told him

See also the 4Runner with the 12k miles or so that was very clearly an example of odometer fraud (and was featured once by David Tracy on FP as the real deal. Oops.)

Well, thank you for reading my cynical blurb.

notsomethingstructural > RacinBob
08/19/2020 at 00:39

BAT is a shithole. Seeing them withdraw an auction is like when the Ray Rice video came out. Like, when domestic abuse is staring you right in the face you think a little harder about all the other ones that aren’t caught on video.

I had incontrovertible proof that a seller on there was misrepresenting a car, because my friend had seen it before it ended up with the dealer. They basically told me I should try asking questions in the comments instead of criticizing the car.

I also caught the seller red-handed operating phony accounts and using them to flag comments they didn’t like. And straw bidding on their own lots. BaT didn’t give two fucks.

Their perspective is they’re a service that connects sellers and buyers despite that they run the auctions and write the copy. At least B-J and southebys you’re pretty much guaranteed the car as-represented. If that sale went through BAT would give zero fucks about any of it as long as they pocketed their premium.

This is a persistent problem on there, and it’s not that they don’t know about it, it’s that they don’t care. It’s a shield for their own liability I’m sure, but the point remains. They were told by their lawyers to not give a shit, and that’s what they’re gonna do.

fintail > RacinBob
08/19/2020 at 00:41

Pretty good work there, I like unearthing that the seller has used numerous names in the past . 126s need to be really super perfect to be worth the big bucks, and it sounds like that one would have been a problem had someone kept bidding.

The radio thing is most amusing (I’d rather have the factory unit restored than install a new anachronism - Becker can even install bluetooth in the old units).

onlytwowheels > RacinBob
08/19/2020 at 00:53

Not quite the scandal the “Kennedy Ambulance” auction was, but not very ethical either.

https://jalopnik.com/the-jfk-ambulance-is-a-fake-5739333

Kinja'd!!!

WilliamsSW > notsomethingstructural
08/19/2020 at 00:53

I’m not sure about BJ and Sotheby, but Mecum is every bit as bad as this.

notsomethingstructural > WilliamsSW
08/19/2020 at 01:21

I’m 99% sure the in-person houses all act as agents of the seller, as opposed to BAT which operates as an e commerce platform much like Uber or door dash. If your order is fucked up door dash isn’t responsible. They’ll tell you to take it up with the restaurant. As an agent of the seller, auction houses bear some responsibility for how the car is represented.

notsomethingstructural > WilliamsSW
08/19/2020 at 01:34

Like, if you read the BAT sellers terms, there is nothing that says they have an obligation to accurately represent the car. It’s insane. It basically says BAT can remove listings if they feel like it. But the sellers have no obligations to buyers or BAT other than to release the car once it is paid for in a way acceptable to the seller (whatever that means), not list the car elsewhere, and give BAT money.

Dead_Elvis, Inc. > onlytwowheels
08/19/2020 at 01:52

Damn, that’s a dive into Old Jalopnik.

Exage03040 @ opposite-lock.com > Dr. Zoidberg - RIP Oppo
08/19/2020 at 03:07

This one?

https://jalopnik.com/somebody-nabbed-this-13-000-mile-1990-toyota-4runner-ba-1840338677#replies

I think the odo was probably legit.

That stories problem was the buyer was a CarMax dude who profited after an elderly lady got completely fleeced when she took it in. Then had the gall to email Tracy about how CarMax orchestrated this ‘ sweet score’ and him beating out another 20 dealership scumbags for the flip despite “not knowing what it’s worth”.

pip bip - choose Corrour > RacinBob
08/19/2020 at 03:45

what a shitshow

promoted by the color red > RacinBob
08/19/2020 at 04:59

I miss the days when BaT was just a small place where we shared Craigslist ads. Browsing the site is fun, but it’s much too rich for my blood.

Tripper > RacinBob
08/19/2020 at 05:43

I actually like how the crowd picks apart questionable cars. Sometimes it’s pedantic, but most of the time things are mentioned that I would have Overlooked, particularly on models that I’m not overly familiar with. At the very least it’s educational, haha.

Cash Rewards > notsomethingstructural
08/19/2020 at 08:20

What BAT was conceived as, and what it is now, have nothing to do with each other. Not surprising they don't operate properly.

BaconSandwich is tasty. > promoted by the color red
08/19/2020 at 08:41

It's to the point where if I see a link to BaT, I don't bother even looking at it, no matter what the vehicle is.

WilliamsSW > notsomethingstructural
08/19/2020 at 08:59

Nope.

https://jalopnik.com/the-curious-case-of-the-fake-1967-corvette-1721955795

WilliamsSW > notsomethingstructural
08/19/2020 at 09:01

Mecum's terms state that you can't rely on what they even *tell you*.

notsomethingstructural > WilliamsSW
08/19/2020 at 09:42

I’m not surprised they say that, but I’m surprised it’s enforceable.

WilliamsSW > notsomethingstructural
08/19/2020 at 09:48

The reality is, you are absolutely on your own buying any kind of classic car, whether it’s private party, BAT, a dealer, or an auction house. You have to do your own homework and decide for yourself. Then price accordingly.

Tripper > WilliamsSW
08/19/2020 at 11:00

This. I like BaT’s format, they have most of the cars I like and contrary to popular belief, there are good deals on there (and other auction sites) . Particularly on “driver” spec cars. Obviously the super high dollar cars get a ton of coverage, but there are more than 100 auctions live at this point. Between that and people just not wanting to understand that a crusty E30 with a manual is worth at least 10-12k at this point (or insert any other popular car that has increased in value)

This isn’t a defense, they aren’ t good at vetting the cars and often they’re bad at dealing with chaotic auctions. Like you said though “you are absolutely on your own” I’m not counting on BaT to do anything but make sure they get my money if they can. I’m only there because they have what I’m interested in at a price I might be comfortable with.

WilliamsSW > Tripper
08/19/2020 at 11:15

The problem with all auction sites is that some buyers come in with some expectation that there is some protection from the auctioneer. And there just isn’t.

Agree with you on BAT. I like the nitpicking comments, and there are a lot of very knowledgeable people in the commentariat. You don’t get that at live auctions.

And you can get reasonable value at either BAT or a live auction. IF you do your homework and aren’t looking for the unicorn, 1 of 1, 500 mile collectors item. But there are a LOT of pigs with some cheap lipstick on them at both, too.

Tripper > WilliamsSW
08/19/2020 at 11:39

Totally agree on the pigs, and doing HW. You’re also almost always buying site unseen with no PPI which I have done a few times but only once at auction.

If you are passionate enough, rich enough, or crazy enough to be ok with that, then you can move on to swallowing the notion that your new car could be an absolute nightmare. Sure you’ve made every possible pre-step to make sure that does not happen, still could.

For these reasons and more I will continue to shop for old Bimmers on BaT. However my eventual 911 is not a car I would be comfortable buying at auction, or site unseen.

onlytwowheels > Dead_Elvis, Inc.
08/19/2020 at 11:52

Kinja'd!!!