1954 Commander At Pebble Beach - Wayne Carini

[Peddler]

On Wayne Carini I will just say that I have met him a few times and has always impressed me with his automotive knowledge and his love of cars. As recently as a couple weeks ago he judged the Avanti at Amelia Island, he was interested, knowledgeable and charming. In the conversation he said he has always been a Studebaker fan and talked about his Starlight Coupe that "was one of his favorites". He was nice enough to say that this was the nicest Avanti he had ever seen and loved the color combination (Avanti Gray with Red and Fawn). While all of the automotive television shows are somewhat scripted I think his is pretty genuine and gives a lot of coverage to a broad range of cars. In the end he is a car salesman just like one of my best friends who I buy all my new cars and trucks from, I love him, but I take everything he tells me about cars with a grain of salt.

[tim333]

Am I ever so sorry I gave my opinion, geesh.

[t walgamuth]

Am I ever so sorry I gave my opinion, geesh.

No worries, Tim. Some have different impressions. You are always entitled to your opinion.

[Bob Andrews]

Another episode he told a widow who was asking his advice on selling her one-owner 60 Impala convertible how much “he loved it and would take good care of it.” All he did was flip it.

Just for the record, you’re either making that up or remembering it wrong. What actually happened was, the lady commissioned Wayne to sell the car for her at auction. He never did own it. In fact, it sold a lot cheaper than I thought it would. I couldn’t understand why he didn’t buy it himself, I would have.

I guess that’s part of having a TV show; people judge you based on a TV persona and then remember things they want to remember them.

[tim333]

I guess I remembered that instance wrong Bob, it was another widow and another car.

[t walgamuth]

Just for the record, you’re either making that up or remembering it wrong. What actually happened was, the lady commissioned Wayne to sell the car for her at auction. He never did own it. In fact, it sold a lot cheaper than I thought it would. I couldn’t understand why he didn’t buy it himself, I would have.

I guess that’s part of having a TV show; people judge you based on a TV persona and then remember things they want to remember them.

Now that you mention it I do remember he and she at the auction together.

[Bob Andrews]

That was a beautiful car that needed nothing. I believe it sold in the low 30s. It was a steal, but in the end the client was happy.