New Haven Independent

“I hope we get it,” said Stan Narowski. “It’s a kind of present, for the holidays, for Greg.”
It’s not as if the Narowski family do not have other vehicles. They do —- other cars, backhoes, tractors, snowmobiles, a variety of other machines that Narowski utilizes in maintaining his own property and those he manages. He has bought many of these vehicles and other machines at public auctions in Orange and elsewhere. This was the first auction of vehicles seized for non-payment of taxes, where real inspection and road-testing have not been possible.
“We came by earlier with a mechanic,” said Narowski, “but you couldn’t see much. There was no key. We looked it over. Like we did some other cars. Lifting up hoods, where it was possible. Kicking tires. You never know. It’s like a pig in a poke. Anyway, we hope we get it. Greg needs a second car. He’s only 16 but he’s been driving since he was 5!”
(Your reporter is absolutely certain the elder Narowski was referring to how Greg, a college-bound sophomore at Platt Technical High School in Milford, simply tooled around safely in large, abandoned parking lots.)
So why would experienced auction-purchasers like the Narowskis bid on what is in effect not only a sealed auction but a blind one?
The likely answer was provided by Antonio Lopez, a partner in Lou’s Motors, located on Washington Avenue in New Haven, and another bidder.
“In regular auctions, you know what you get,” said Lopez. “But here you buy not even based on faith, based on something less than faith, but you are fairly certain to get it cheap enough.”
Lopez had a lot of faith. He bid on the same VW as the Narowskis, as well as on two Honda Accords and on one Civic. Dealers such as Lopez also appeared to be in the preponderance of bidders. Another dealer, who, like Lopez, was unable to stay for the bid opening. He submitted two dozen sealed bids at 3:45 and asked for more envelopes, which he filled out until the supply at the Greater New Haven Auto Auction nearly ran out.
So, it was now nearly 5 o’clock, and who would get the VW? Narowski, the private party, or Lopez the dealer? Another lucky party?
If it were up to Joanne Hanley, the manager/owner of the Greater New Haven Auto Auction, she preferred the dealer. While she was happy to be cooperating with state marshal Jerry Juliano in coordinating this first ever auction of state-repossessed vehicles —-the first auction at Greater New Haven Auto Auction open to the general public — she felt that allowing the public to participate in what is normally a dealer-only wholesale business is not quite fair to the used car dealers, her primary customers.
“I can’t go into a wholesale plumbing supply house,” she suggested, “and buy parts. I’m just not sure that opening the auction to the public, even for these repossessed vehicles, is not undercutting our customers, which I don’t want to do.” The Greater New Haven Auto Auction has auctions open to dealers only Monday nights and Thursday days. While Hanley and Stevens have cooperated fully, keeping the showroom open on Saturday, when it’s usually closed, and fielding many phone calls, at this writing it’s not certain if you’ll have a chance to get the repo-ed car of your dreams here in the future. “We shall see,” said Hanley. “We shall see.”
What was already clear, however, was that the number of sealed bids was quite impressive, causing a delay in tallying results. Since each sealed bid envelope that was submitted, whether by dealer or member of the public, contained not only a copy of the bidder’s driver’s license, a signed copy of the bidder’s rules, but also a certified check for $250 ($100 of which was non-returnable processing fee for the bid, and the balance for storage if the vehicle is not picked up, or against the purchase price), Greater New Haven Auto Auction was being helpful — but not exactly operating in a pro-bono capacity.

“Here’s One For $12!”

As 5 o’clock neared and as the Narowskis waited, Hanley still was huddling with state marshal Juliano, general manager Kevin Stevens, and others as the bids were opened.
“Here’s one for $12!” one of tabulators yelled out. That clearly would not cut it.
From the couches where the Narowskis waited, two other sleepy and somewhat cranky bidders lounged, and the nervous talk continued:
“I wanted to check to see if there was an oil leak, but, hey, when I looked under the hood, there was no dipstick.”
And the winner of the VW? The Narowskis.
They picked up the car Tuesday. With luck and maybe a twist or two of the wrench, they’ll be able to drive it home — and beyond.

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