Posted By:
E, DanielI wouldn't think Solomon, assuming your description of auctioning cars by the thousands refers to modern cars, mass made and never to hold or increase in value. No one really cares if you buff and shine and touch up paint on a 2004 sebring, really all the buyer wants is as pretty a ride in good mechanical condition as they can afford.
Now if you want to talk cars comparable to vintage sportcards, you've got to talk vintage (pre-1970) auto's, and I can assure you that the history of the work the car has recieved in it's lifetime, IF documented and attestd to as honest (much as what is relied upon after grading companies slab a card), is SUPER important to any potential buyer and has a HUGE impact on the prices realized.
When you look at populations of vintage card issues pre-WW11 - that is the only reasonable car comparison you can make, and hardly reflects auctions of cards produced and still available in the tens, or hundreds of thousands.
And lastly, your lament that it is all just too common and we should just give up and accept the actions of dealers - well, that just plainly sucks wind.
sincerely
daniel