That photo is also #2 when you do a Google Image Search for "orange tesla roadster" so the seller may have found it that way. However, if the seller is reading this: Welcome! Please introduce yourself!
Starting bid $150,000? Seems more like the person isn't really ready to part with it unless a tidy profit could be realized.
You're right. That google search is also linking to here, so the seller likely did get the image through TMC, but might not be a regular. $150K is a bit much... that last charity auction closed at $120K.
An Ebay listing will get a lot more eyeballs than that charity auction though it's debatable whether enough of those eyes have big wallets. Bidding psychology says there should be a zero dollar starting bid and to set the reserve at 150K. Number 191 before delivery, Orange/black seller in Atlanta From the Tuesday ad:
Well it looks like there is profit to be made by those with a car in hand. Ended with buy it now at 160K.
Another auction mistake. Why have a "Buy it now"? Why not let the bidding go? The quick sale says it would probably have gone higher. Maybe the owner was happy with breaking even. Many Ebay sales like this fall through so we should keep an eye on this. Moderators, can we make this Ebay sale a separate thread? Something like "Roadster #191 on Ebay"
That was fast. Well congrats to the buyer and seller. Too bad we miss out on the Friday pics. I'm assuming that was VIN 191 and not actually the 191st production car. .
From : eBay Motors: Other Makes : Tesla Roadster (item 230328861102 end time Mar-04-09 03:53:19 PST)= VIN: 5YJRE11B881000191
The 'buyer' was a brand new ebay account with no bid history. Many sellers of big ticket items insist on an established account with a long history to avoid bogus bids.
True, but I don't think that it matters much in this case. The buyer is probably a wealthy individual who doesn't shop on eBay. The fact that he has no bid history may actually be a good thing. If you're going to buy my Tesla for $150k +, I don't really care how many Barbie dolls you've bought on eBay. I'll probably use an escrow service anyway to be safe.
The roadster auctioned off for charity raised $160k first time then was donated back and sold again for $150k... and that one stuck.
As far as we know the eBay one sold properly as well. I was just saying that a no history bidder has a higher chance of being bogus than one with a longer eBay history.
By "donated back" I thought the auction winner decided not to take delivery and let the charity keep the money. By re-donating the car to the charity, the winner is giving the charity the opportunity to make the same money all over again when they put it up for bid the second time. In the second round of bidding it's probably going to win at a slightly lower price because the bidder who came in 2nd in the first auction can now make the same high bid they did the first time the car was up for auction but not have that winner outbidding them. I find it almost incomprehensible that someone would buy a Tesla and give it away, but to each to his or her own taste. That second round of bidding must have been an extra thrill for the winner.