Breakfast with Mr. Ferrari, Lamborghini & Rob Myers

Posted by pikesan on Jan 15, 2009 in Muscle & Style, Shows & Events | 0 comments

It’s no wonder RM Auction is celebrating their 10th year in Arizona with “Automobiles of Arizona” at the Biltmore in Phoenix, Arizona. Accepting my invitation to their Media breakfast I arrived slightly more bright-eyed and bushy-tailed then the next writer and photographer because this was my first time to look behind the scenes. Tucked in a small ballroom with other friends from the Phoenix Automotive Press Association (PAPA) I got to meet the kind folks running RM and hear what Rob Myers founder and former president ( Ian Kelleher was recently promoted to President) had to say about the state of the Collector Car Market.

Mr. RM took the podium with a smooth stride and turned to show a friendly smile. Here’s a man that enjoys what he does. Reflecting back to 1976, Myers remembered his first trip to Barret Jackson. Back then, he says, “It was a hobby.” He remembered buying a Mustang for about $1000 and driving it back to the RM home base back in Canada.

Now, Meyers estimated that nearly a quarter billion dollars will exchange hands in Arizona this week. Sound crazy? He’s not speculating that RM, Barret Jackson and the other auctions he spoke well of would clear that kind of money, (although the auctions are a healthy $150M chunk of it) he was referring to all the peripheral money and side deals being made all over the valley.

Take a cruise down to the Scottsdale Pavilions on Saturday night during Auction Week and you’ll see a huge turnout of cars with bunches of them for sale. Then, how about the revenue from the hotels and bars? And don’t forget the local classifieds that are jam packed with classic cars for sale because everyone knows, the right people are in town: Buyers. If you can’t sell your car this week, you won’t.

Telling us of a $1M car deal done in the hotel bar, Meyers asks us, mostly rhetorically, “How’s the Collector Car Market? It’s great! Good cars always bring good prices. It’s a good investment too… at least if it’s in my garage, I can’t get Ponzi’d out of it!”

As I listened and took notes between laughs enjoying how well Rob Myers knows his business, he offered more proof of a strong collector car market by casually mentioning the 3 years of work booked for RM’s elite car restoration business in Canada.

RM’s got it all for their clients: Hospitality, a full range of services and of course, they get the cars. In this strong collector car market, I can’t wait to see what the Corvette Grand Sport goes for.