Turners Cars has been successfully holding classic-car auctions at its Christchurch branch for many years. They’ve been good for classic-car enthusiasts on the east coast of the mainland, but haven’t been an easy option for those wanting to sell or buy around the rest of the country.
Recently its first nationwide classic-car auction was held, which created an opportunity for the whole country. It used the power of an online auction format, with its whole network of 11 branches spread across New Zealand in which car owners could display their treasures, and it proved a big hit with sellers and buyers alike. Even those for whom moving their car was problematic could be involved, as photos were taken where the car was based, and posted online.
The auction was a success, with buyers spread right across New Zealand. The standout car was the legendary low-mileage 1958 Studebaker which was sold in Palmerston North for $56,000. It proved quite a talking piece, and had many visitors to the Turners Palmerston North branch while it was on display.
There were some other great examples sold, including a ’57 Ford Custom, a 1960 MkII Zephyr, a great 1959 Morris 1000 and more, through to ‘modern’ classics such as a 1980 Ford Cortina and a 1984 Holden Commodore. The oldest car sold was a 1948 Vauxhall 12, which reached $4520.
Due to the success of the online auction Turners Cars will run another exclusively on turners.co.nz. Turners Cars is calling for entries now — visit turners.co.nz/classic. The auction will run from November 25 to December 5, with cars available to view throughout November.
Judging by the interest generated from the online auction in July, over 100 cars are expected to be put up for sale — which should make for plenty of opportunity to find the vehicle you’ve been looking for, or perhaps a great project to start?
