Quality to the fore

You won’t get a rotter past ACA’s eagle eyeÉ

How has this year been for Anglia Car Auctions?

Lyn and I are very happy with this year’s sales financially and we’re actually enjoying the auctions, too.

What do you think is the secret to your success?

We know that people like the cars to be driven through the sales hall – that way, they can hear the car start, hear it running and see it running. We also put in video screens, which people seem to like. I also genuinely believe that any classic sale is a bit of theatre – you’ve got to put on a show rather than treat it like a regular car auction, but today’s classic sales aren’t like shooting fish in a barrel like they used to be. Our attitude is to take each auction as it comes.

How many cars have you sold in 2017?

We sold around 950 classics in our sales this year. We’ve set the calendar for next year, and while we’ve been offered some off-site venues, why would we leave our sales halls empty?

Was there any upturn/downturn in the quality of cars you were being offered?

No, I don’t believe so. We do try to view most entries, though. We did, for the first time ever, reject a Porsche 911 from our November event due to the terrible quality of its ‘restoration’.

Are any makes and models falling out of favour, and any especially coming into favour?

Makes and models going in and out of fashion is a constant in this business, but it’s difficult to sell bad cars. I do get a sense that pre-war and more traditional classics are coming back in to favour. Good cars always sell well.

Do you see ACA doing another 300+ blockbuster in 2018?

I think my wife will divorce me if I let 300 in again! Seriously though, we have capped the past two auctions to 200-ish and both ourselves, the staff and customers appear to prefer a shorter day. And we’re busy up to the end if we offer around 200 cars. I never say never, though.

We saw a few in-and-out auctions occurring this year. Is there room for more auctioneers in the market, or do you consider it well served already?

I think there are too many auctions now. There are some good ones and some awful ones, too. Maybe when I retire I should write a book and spill the beans!

‘Any classic sale is a bit of theatre’