Magdaddy

funny how you know the owner is never gonna sell the car for that $$ isn't it?
98 C4S, slv/gry-heated seats and all, 34k miles, The car was listed on Autotrader for $54K, at a hi end dealer in Deer Park, NY.

I was watching the Ebay auction, and happened to be home when it ended, about 15 minutes ago. Bidding was at $31K with 10 minutes to go-no reserve set, seller had zero feedback. Just for grins and giggles I start bidding, I win the car at $35,300. The seller's name and phone number is on the listing, so I call. "What did it go for", he asks..."aaah, I ain't gonna sell that car for that!" "My secretary made a mistake listing it, it's already been relisted for
$54K."

We had a nice amusing conversation-he seems to think that C4S's are very rare, and that there are hardly any available. So I told him, ya...besides the probably 20+ that are for sale right now at Truspeed/victory/etc, they really are hard to find.

Anyway, it was fun for a few minutes. A guy can dream can't he? Well, now I gotta go drown my sorrow


http://cgi.ebay.com/ebaymotors/ws/eB...torefresh=true

mjsporsche

That car has been for sale for a long time. It must be worth so much that no one is willing to step up and buy it.

CorrdoBrit

I really hate the way some sellers try to back out of a deal. If its a no reserve auction the seller is obligated to sell it at the highest bid price. The oh, my secretary made a mistake bs is just that....bs.

And since he's got zero feedback its probably something he's tried on before, received neg feedback and therefore had to open up a new account. I'd at least report him to Ebay and leave neg feedback. Ebay takes a very dim view of these tactics.

Wilder

Sounds like you're both dreamers and reality lies somewhere in between.

sdcabrio

I would put up a big stink with ebay and anybody else that will listen. How can you list something with no reserve and then decide the winning bid isn't high enough?

Probably forgot to have his friend keep bidding it up. I would think the car is yours for $35,300.

lowside67

It is a legally binding contract that he entered as a seller and you have a right to pursue the completion of that contract!

mesa87

lowside67 is correct, it is legally binding...you could TRY to pursue it but unless you are willing to spend some $$ on attorneys it's a tough one. I had this hassle often on eBay with watches...as they say, ask me how I know. I won a vintage Patek Calatrava for $3700 and the seller game me the same thing...

Here's the upside, the seller will still have to pay for the fees associated with the listing, at least it cost him dinner ;-) small justice!

cheers,

aron in toronto

I've had similar winning results on ebay, although with much smaller $ amounts, on parts listed at no reserve. Once a P-car dealer even refused to honor their side of the deal, saying they weren't going to lose money on the deal even though they listed the auction at "no reserve".

Not much you can do but leave proper feedback if you truly feel you have been wronged.

Magdaddy

I think the most I'll do is forward the conversation and results to ebay. The guy has a nice looking business in Deer Park(Car Tek Enterprise), nice cars.

This particular C4S looks very nice. It is the owners personal car...according to him, he is the theoretical second owner.

I knew the owner wouldn't sell it at that cost, it was just entertainment value for me really. There is always that little voice in your head(alright, my head anyway)that tells you it could be ok. Afterall, I've watched some spectacular cars being sold by members here for MUCH less than they could have gotten for them. Honestly, deals like this do happen quite often. They simply are not on public display when desperate people do desperate things.

Anyway, unless one of you Rl'ers is an attorney, and would like to represent me for free, binding legal contract et all...it'll be nothing more than a funny memory.

The search continues...for a similar car, with more miles, for the same or less money.

matt777

I wonder how he would feel if you bid his price and then said that your secretary made a mistake entering the bid.

Jeff96-993

What? You bought something, go get it for what you agreed to pay. And for what they agreed to accept. If you enjoyed the first part of getting the high bid, you've gotta love watching them squirm on the second part where they actually give it to you for that price. You don't even need a lawyer for it, just enjoy the show.

CalvinC4S

We need to do this on the relist,

mongrelcat

I would pursue it to the fullest extent with eBay. Big mistake calling on the phone though, EVERYTHING in writing, and within the eBay PM system (and archive the conversation because the PMs disappear after some time (30 days?)... If the eBay route fails to work I would still think that an attorney would love to take on such a case. G/L OP.

pcarhombre

I believe that einreb92 had a similar situation where there was a huge discrepancy btw an ad and the product (car). IMM is correct, ebay did nothing to make the bidder/buyer happy or the seller responsible (do a search). If I recall, there was a huge trail of tears and bucket of $$$ involved. For what it is worth, don't rely on the power of an unfeeling leviathan to make people do the "right" thing. In the immortal words of Dionne Warwick, "Walk On By!"

tjangi

+1 but I think the fee is much more than just a dinner. Ebay fees are huge especially on USD 35 k, lets see if Ebay will let him back out from that. At least report him to Ebay and force him to open a new account.