Imagine going back in time to a period in your life when you were blissfully content and everything was open roads, top-down cruising and juiced up engines. What if there was a way to relive those glory days and find that sense of elation once again?

If for you, the rumble of an engine in a sweet ride is what drives you, there are no more ‘what ifs.’ In today’s world, nothing is too far-fetched, especially when you work with a company that successfully chases and captures fantasies of the four-wheel kind every day.

Barrett-Jackson may primarily be in the business of auctioning collector cars, but they are also in the business of recreating memories and fulfilling dreams. “We get people who are looking for that car that helps them to relive a moment or a time in their life. It brings them back to a point in time,” explains Steve Davis, president of Barrett-Jackson. “We have a lot of people chasing dreams via a car. The hardest car is finding that car, the very Corvette, that they had when they got married. The degree of difficulty is very, very hard. They will sometimes settle for a car from the same time period. These cars really are memories in many ways.”

With the holidays right around the corner, perhaps there’s a memory you would like to recreate. If you missed the 2nd annual Barrett-Jackson auction held just last month at Mandalay Bay Resort & Casino, don’t despair, there’s still plenty of options for finding that elusive car that takes you back.

The first step is identifying your dream vehicle. One such car might be the sunny yellow 1961 Ol’ Yaller VIII Elvis Presley drove in the movie “Viva Las Vegas”. Yes, there’s no request to outrageous

for the team at Barrett-Jackson as they are very well connected in the car world.

“It came out of a great collection,” Davis explains of Ol’ Yaller, which was one of approximately 400 collector vehicles up for auction at last month’s Barrett-Jackson event. “Where better could you ever sell this car than in Vegas with its Vegas history? The collector agreed and let us have it.”

After identifying what you are in search of, the next step is to establish a budget. Barrett-Jackson can help you with this task by visiting their website (www.barrett-jackson.com) and researching the make and model you are hunting for and educating yourself with regard to prices.

Davis also suggests that you buy publications geared toward the genre of car you are interested in obtaining. “Those publications are designed to enlighten and inform people so that they can buy the best car for the amount of money they have to spend. A lot of people get caught up in a bargain and don’t figure how much restoration will be. Do your homework,” Davis, a lifelong collector car enthusiast, emphatically insists.

Once you have narrowed the field and located your joy ride, it’s important to ensure it’s a genuine classic and fairly priced. When buying a car, market value is very subjective. For instance, if a vehicle was owned by a celebrity, that will change the price as that adds an exclusivity factor. During Barrett-Jackson’s most recent Las Vegas auction actor Bruce Willis choose to put up for auction a 1967 Corvette convertible, 1968 Pontiac Firebird 400 and 1988 Lincoln Limo. Because they belonged to the “Die Hard” star, a premium was obviously included in the price.

To determine market value and guarantee authenticity, Davis suggests you buy from a reputable auction house like Barrett-Jackson. “All you have to do to get a true snapshot of the marketplace is go to a Barrett-Jackson auction. Our event is a no-reserve auction. The last person who bids on the car is going to be the new owner. No matter what you bid on, you have only overpaid by that last bid increment. Everything that we do is absolutely transparent. That’s why our event attracts so many people,” explains Davis.

Davis suggests that it is wise to first attend or view an auction to get your feet wet. “We have a live TV broadcast that goes out to millions of people on Fox’s SPEED channel. Viewers can find out what a car is worth exclusively at Barrett-Jackson because we have a no-reserve, you will get it at market value. Barrett-Jackson gives you a true snapshot of what a car is worth. Then go out to the public sector and see what you could get.”

Davis also recommends getting very well acquainted with the vehicle you want to acquire. “At a Barrett-Jackson auction, you can bid on the car and interact with the owner, check out the car up close, and know you are bidding in an environment that is going to dictate the value of the car that day,” he advises.

Before you pull the trigger and buy your dream car, Davis says you will want to make sure you have the title and paperwork that is actually for the car you are about to purchase. You will also want to inspect everything that has been represented to go with the car and make sure it is in place.

Other red flags Davis recommends to watch out for in the car collecting world:

• Poor documentation
• If it’s too good to be true, it probably isn’t real
• Non-original engines, transmissions, etc.
• Questionable title
• A seller asking for cash or deposit before you see the car
• Auction companies who aren’t transparent should have a code of ethics in place

“At Barrett-Jackson, every car that comes with a VIN # and title is verified by us. We have already had numerous interactions with the seller. There may be items that go with the car that have been promised such as restoration records, ownership documentation, another top, etc.; we check all of that. The most critical component is the documentation. Sometimes that documentation can be 50 percent of the value of the car,” explains Davis.

For those who want to take advantage of all the authentication measures Barrett-Jackson has in place as well as the array of hot rods, muscle cards, woodies and exotics they offer, the company’s next auction is January 18-24 in Scottsdale or you can wait until October 2010 when they will be back in Las Vegas.

“We make our auctions as user friendly as we can. We have up close and personal live bidding. Or you can bid by telephone. If you feel more comfortable on the Internet we also have Internet bidding. If you don’t have access to a phone or Internet, you can even put in an absentee bid. The last option is to have a bidder represent you on your behalf. If you want that car, we have a way for you to get it.”

Although participating in a live auction may seem intimidating, Davis says there is nothing to it.

“There are no rules per say. You just have to go to the office, fill out the appropriate paperwork and make sure the bidder’s assistant knows you are interested in a particular car. The primary thing is to follow the ringman, who is taking the bids from this giant crowd,” he continues, “Everybody has their own strategy. Some people like to sit back, some like to roam around and get on TV.”

Once you have successfully purchased your fantasy on wheels, there’s just one more very essential step that should never be overlooked. “Short of doing due diligence on your car, this is the most important step,” explains Davis. “Collector cars allow you to insure the value of what the car is. It is geared to understand why the value is so high, it’s not based on Kelley Blue Book value.

“You absolutely need to have your car insured because it is special and unique. Keep in mind if a car breaks down as you are on your way to a car show, you don’t just want anybody towing a car with a $20K paint job.”

Whether it’s a cherry red Saleen S7 or an electric blue 1966 Shelby Super Snake that has the power to take you back in time – your dream is just around the bend.