‘There’s some outstanding cars here:’ Collector car auction taking place in Regina

A wide variety of collector cars sit freshly washed and polished, ready to be sold this weekend at the Regina Auto Auction.

This will be one of most biggest auctions in Saskatchewan in recent years, with millions of dollars worth of cars up for bids.

Craig Collingridge, part of the auction team that readies each car for the spotlight, said the crew has already done auctions in Winnipeg and Regina, and will be expanding across Canada for more shows.

Some of the collector cars available at the Regina Auto Auction on Sept. 17, 2022. (Gillian Massie/980 CJME)

Collingridge hopes to make this auction the Barrett-Jackson show of the north.

“It’s Saskatchewan’s own collector car auction. You don’t need to go to Phoenix (where Barrett-Jackson is held); we’ve got it right here,” said Collingridge.

The cars have been available for viewing since last week, but the auction officially begins Saturday.

“There’s some outstanding cars here,” said Collingridge, who pointed out his favourite, a 1937 burgundy custom Ford pickup truck.

Collingridge says the auction is the perfect place for people who are just getting into collecting, for people who want more cars in their collection rotisserie, or for those in pursuit of owning a luxury car.

Some of the hottest cars on the block are 2015 and 2018 Porsche 911 GT3s, both of which are expected to go for well over $200,000.

More than 100 cars are on the lot, and together, they cost about $2.5 million.

“It’s a hard pick. There are so many nice ones,” said Collingridge.

Mustangs, Rolls-Royces and Thunderbirds are some of the cars that will be popular to buyers.

Some of the collector cars available at the Regina Auto Auction on Sept. 17, 2022. (Gillian Massie/980 CJME)

“I always say there’s nothing like the thrill of a live auction,” said Collingridge.

Although this is an expensive car show, Collingridge said it’s also a good show for beginner collectors, with some vehicles going for between $5,000 and $7,000.

“It is nice,” said Collingridge. “You are not going on Kijiji to look at one particular old vehicle and being disappointed because it’s not what you thought.

“There’s all price points, so there’s something for everybody.”

Having done his fair share of auctions over the years, Collingridge said it is always exciting seeing a faceoff between two bidders.

“You might end up paying more than you want to, but that’s just part of the auction,” he said. “That’s why some of the sellers love bringing the cars to the auction, so two people might just get caught up and pay more than it’s worth.

“You’ve got to be careful, but at the same time, you just can’t overspend on a good car.”

Admission to get into the event is $10.