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First Tesla on ebay

FLXX

Member
Feb 9, 2008
48
0
It was no fake. It think it was removed because of a link to the Tesla Website. Ebay doesn´t allow links in their listings. It was for a 2008 Tesla with colour, options, etc. login date by end of the month. Expected delivery date in 3 months. Starting bid was $110,000 with no reserve.
 

bobw

Tesla Reader
Sep 7, 2006
322
13
Dallas, TX
I thought the reason for selling it (garage space needed for ping-pong table) seemed a bit thin. A more convincing reason would have been something like "my portfolio just tanked and I can't finance it."
 

SteveF

Member
Jun 20, 2008
153
0
San Francisco, CA
I agree the "ping pong table reason" seems suspicious. I can't imagine a person who, having made the committment necessary to plunk down at least $30K for a deposit to buy this car, could be so easily swayed off that decision. Another scenario is that, like a ticket scalper, the person figured there was an opportunity to realize a nice profit on the investment.
 

tomsax

Member
Jun 19, 2008
896
117
Sammamish, WA
Our contract from January, 2007, says, "Once you have joined the Tesla Roadster Club, your membership is not transferable."

So, yeah, you can't sell your reservation slot. If you do and Tesla finds out, they would have the right to cancel the contract. That's not something any rational buyer would want to risk.
 

vfx

Well-Known Member
Aug 18, 2006
14,790
40
CA CA
I never saw the ebay listing so I don't know how it was worded but if the guy takes delivery he can do what he wants with it.
 

FLXX

Member
Feb 9, 2008
48
0
I never saw the ebay listing so I don't know how it was worded but if the guy takes delivery he can do what he wants with it.

Yes, it was something like a pre-contract. Funds into escrow account, real deal after the person that ordered takes delivery.

More will show up on ebay soon, it´s always the same, a manufacturer can´t avoid the immediate trading after first cars have been delivered. Once some regular buyers (not the founder series) have taken delivery, first cars will be availible on the "open" market. There will be a markup but I don´t think that it will be huge like some would expect. The bad economy will have some influence for sure.
 

graham

Active Member
Dec 2, 2007
1,573
3
Aptos, California
I will have to look at my paperwork again (it has been over a year, of course) but the deal between an owner and Tesla is your "deposit" was not really a deposit on a car, but buying a membership into the Tesla Owner's Club, where you would be given the chance in the future to buy a car at the price that just so happened to be less your club membership. And there are a bunch of restrictions involved being a member of the club like it is not-transferrable. If you are no longer interested in the car (club) you must sell your membership back to the company.

This probably somehow limits their liability with taking money for a car which they didn't actually provide immediately. (and limits scalping). There may have been a clause that said I would not sell the car immediately after receiving it either, I forget. Regardless, if the ebay seller actually had a deposit on a car, he should have known better than to put the car up on such a public place as ebay if he truly wanted to get around Tesla's restrictions. More likely it was a scam.
 

TedK

Member
Dec 19, 2007
26
0
Remember the Mazda Miata debut? People scooped those up and tried to sell them at a profit. Didn't work out for them and I would be very suprised to see anyone turn a profit after purchasing from Tesla AND paying tax & reg then selling it at a higher total price to someone who also must pay tax to register the car(at least in CA). Maybe a scant few who just have to have one now...........hard to imagine at this price level. If I am paying $100,000 for a car it had better be equiped exactly as I would have ordered it! I guess one way around the duplicate tax prolem would be to agree with your buyer ahead of time and register the car initially to both parties with an "or" between the names on the title. PITA
 

FLXX

Member
Feb 9, 2008
48
0
I wonder what part of "non transferable" didn't translate?

You can´t transfer the order directly from Tesla to someone else. But you can make a pre-contract. Once you take delivery you can sell it to anybody you like.
 

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