#115 - MM - Can You Buy What You Cant Touch

Hey, guys. Happy Monday to you. Hope everyone is having a great, great week thus far. Luke, I know it's getting harder to talk, get inventory. We talked about it. We've been trying to find it. It's a little weird these days, right? I mean, physical auctions might be going away. We might not be in the lanes anymore. They might get rid of auctioneers. I mean, I hear all sorts of weird stuff like, what is the industry going to. Is it all going to be trade rev and acb? And is that the future of inventory sourcing?

I don't think it is. I don't think it's possible. It might be possible. I don't think it's possible yet. We may see a hybrid form, maybe, but there's so many cars. It's hard to get all the cars out, I think quick enough without having a big fiscal auction. They don't have it. They don't have it done yet. So as much as Mannheim, Odessa may want to get rid of a lot of those drivers, I'm not sure they can do it yet. And a lot of that extra help. I think we'll be there one day, but I don't think it's yet. Hopefully we'll get some news soon that Manhattan's gonna open back up.

But tell me pros and cons, though. I mean, physically being at the auction, standing in the lane and bidding, is that an advantage, disadvantage to the buyer or seller? I mean, what's the big deal? Why can't we just proxy bid everything?

I think it's always an advantage for the seller, for buyers, not a commotion.

Right. Or buyers not to be there.

Right. I think the seller has the advantage because. Well, I think there's advantages and disadvantages, but the biggest advantage I think is that you're not able to actually feel, see the car. The condition reports aren't there yet. They're not as good as they should be. They don't have enough pictures. I think Mannheim could take some real. Some real knowledge from ACV and the amount of pictures they have, but just.

Take a picture of the second row. That's all I want, man. Just the second row so we know.

If it's got buckets or not. I've been preaching that for years. But, you know, I think there's advantages for the sellers. I think there's disadvantages for sellers, but still I think the advantage is seller when you're not in the lane. And the disadvantages is the buyer. So I think we're gonna go back, but.

But I would almost say it's, it helps the seller when you're physically there. Because I do think dealers get caught up in the emotion and the ego of being the winner on that car. Right?

I mean, there's, there's plenty of ego.

How many times have you gone in and said, I'm, I'm not going over ten grand on this car. Ten grand is my max. And then you get bought into, whoa. Everyone wants this thing and you go over your max.

It happens online too. So it used to be, it was, it used to be. It was only at the physical location that we wanted to prove our manhood, but now it's, it's getting into the online space too. So, you know, I hope the lanes come back because it's been a real bear to buy cars. And in my opinion, cars are bringing crazy money.

And you love driving 12 hours and spending nights in a hotel room. Hang out at the auction and buy cars.

I don't mind it. It's not something that I want to do every week, but every three weeks I can probably do it because I can buy so many cars within that, that period. That, and I can. Okay, so I can buy, let's say 20, 25 cars within a 24 hour period, 48 hour period, and then I can backfill it with the stuff I can buy online during that time. I think it works for me.

Yeah, it's.

I'm having real issues and I've been buying online for. Since it started. I'm having real issues finding the exact car and then putting the right number on it. And maybe it's just right now because the markets are a little nutty, that might be the case. I don't know.

Yeah.

Well.

All right, guys. Everyone have, have a lot of luck online these days buying your cars and hope everyone comes out successful this week.