Cobra on Ebay for $1 No Reserve!!!!

[capfel]

David,

Are your cars on eBay auctions "ready-to-drive" (or rollers) or do they need to be built? I would think some people are willing to pay more to skip the waiting lists and the production queues.

Chuck

[clayfoushee]

Capfel,

"Ready-to-drive" and "roller" are entirely different terms in the hobby car world. The former is like a car you pick up at a new car dealership. A "roller" means that it "rolls" on a chassis with wheels. A roller needs the engine and trans installed, as well as the final wiring, plumbing, and set-up (alignment, etc.) Kirkhams on e-bay sold by the Kirkhams are rollers.

The Kirkhams build magnificent, well-equipped rollers. But, you must purchase the motor and trans, as well as other miscellaneous parts and then, either arrange for final assembly or do it yourself. So the price you're seeing is way under what it will take to complete the car.

A manufacturer of replica Cobras (including Shelby) cannot build "ready to drive" cars because they would have to comply with modern Federal safety and emissions standards. That's why you have to make arrangements for the engine and trans, as well as final assembly yourself.

[capfel]

Clay,

I understand the difference but didn't know that Kirkham only sells rollers due to the Federal regulations as you pointed out.

The point I was really trying to make was "does the eBay purchase skip the production queue" instead of waiting for the roller to be ordered and built.

Thanks for your input.

Chuck

[clayfoushee]

Chuck,

I haven't seen them sell one on e-bay in a while because they're very hot right now. But yes, in the past when they have offered one on e-bay, it's been available fairly quickly. The last one was a "hybrid" between and 289 FIA and a 427, so a bit of an experiment.

Shrewd marketing......

The reason most people are willing to wait in the queue is the wide variety of options that people like to choose among.

[luke-44]

TTT

Vandan ...hang in there...I can only imagine how you and your wife are feeling, about where the $$$ bid is on your car right now........ ...I admire you....I don't think, based on your posted picture, you fit the mold of the typical Cobra owner.

Rest assured....the serious action starts in the last 24 hours....there are a lot of people sitting in the grass right now watching your auction.....I stick by my first comment...I like a guy who does it with no reserve.... another "bid of $25k" was nothing but a "tip" to the audience on Club Cobra....we are 1 step up on the Ebay general world....guys...nothing more........$25k guys.....geeeezzz...

I happen to think you took a lot of unfair criticism on this posting......probably because the eBay format is a really touchy subject right now. I myself recently posted about a bogus B&B auction, as well as the $200k eBay Shelby Mustang...a semi-related subject.

I can assure you David Kirkham did not mean to hi-jack your thread in any way... he was pretty clear about it from the git go.....the problem is, when he speaks, it is with some authority, and people are always willing to offer a reply to him..resulting in your "sell a Cobra" posting getting off track to an "eBay no reserve auction" debate....

I for 1 hope you get as much as you can for your ride.....I think it looks dam'n nice..........and don't let it go for the wrong price (email me). I also think there is really more than 1 serious buyer at the $25k declared number.

I also hope your future situation changes, and you come back into this wacky Cobra world in the future...

Keep your chin up... and....good luck....

[Dsprint2000]

Winning bid $20,101.........

David

[Lowell W]

Rest assured....the serious action starts in the last 24 hours....there are a lot of people sitting in the grass right now watching your auction.....I stick by my first comment...I like a guy who does it with no reserve.... another "bid of $25k" was nothing but a "tip" to the audience on Club Cobra....we are 1 step up on the Ebay general world....guys...nothing more........$25k guys.....geeeezzz...

Regardless of the intended meaning of the above passage, I thought I detected something malodorous concerning this auction and apparently I was correct. The "local offer" of $25K either wan't serious or was an outright fabrication by the seller. Misrepresentation either way on someone's part...

Yep: the bottom line was $20,101.00....or was it...?

Perhaps it's just my suspicious nature, but I found this interesting, too: The auction ended on April 21 and, even though they live approximately 111 miles apart (according to Yahoo maps) both "buyer" and "seller" posted positive feedback indicating their mutual satisfaction on April 24, within three minutes of each other.

On the other hand, perhaps the car really did sell for $20,101. In that event, I extend my congratulations to both apparently satisfied parties.

[Mike Simard]

Also odd is that one of the bidders seems to have the same last name as the seller but that one wasn't the winning one.
One thing I look for in fishy Ebay auctions are other bidders that have name similarities to the seller, If you see one and it has a history of bid retractions, you can assume it's a phony name created by the seller to bid their own items up and retract if they go over a legitimate buyers max.

[The Dreamer]

Geez, First, the guy says he has a no reserve auction with a little catch ($25K offer). Everyone jumps on his case. Then, he actually sells the car for less than the mentioned offer. Yes, it could be a scam, but it could also be legit. I follow the keep it simple rule. It would be an elaborate effort to run up 81 transactions (and take some time) just to pull this off. For what, to keep a car I don't want and sell a short time later to look just as suspicious. Why don't we give our fellow CC member the benefit of the doubt and not assume he is guilty before we know, especially since we didn't buy or sell the car.

[Lowell W]

Yes, it could be a scam, but it could also be legit. I follow the keep it simple rule. It would be an elaborate effort to run up 81 transactions (and take some time) just to pull this off. For what, to keep a car I don't want and sell a short time later to look just as suspicious

It could be a scam? On ebay???? Nah...

"And for what?" Oh...well...maybe to RUN THE PRICE UP ?

I mean, it's not like there haven't been any Cobra-related ebay scams in the past.

[luke-44]

Originally posted by Lowell W
Regardless of the intended meaning of the above passage, I thought I detected something malodorous concerning this auction and apparently I was correct. The "local offer" of $25K either wan't serious or was an outright fabrication by the seller.

Lowell - I can assure you I don't know this guy from Adam, and my intent here is certainly not to defend someone I don't even know - my only interest was in hoping the guy got a good dollar for his car, for the general good of all of us.....this guy said in another posting he stuck to his word and sold it for $20k - I guess it wouldn't be the first time somebody backed out of a verbal offer....Why not accept what the guy says straight up? ....until proven otherwise, all you are doing is questioning his reputation, through unfounded speculation, because he chose eBay as a selling venue. His eBay reputation rating is 100%, by the way - same as Kirkham Motorsports.

Originally posted by Mike Simard
Also odd is that one of the bidders seems to have the same last name as the seller but that one wasn't the winning one.

Mike - This sellers nane was Vandan Amin. With these bidder names, I don't understand where you are coming from...

theheavylifter( 81), scovamin( 0 ) ,replicaking( 21),
wallypotamus( 0 ),cappy1836( 0 ),austinakeblue( 0 )
kodiakeider( 30),yumistehle( 3 ),azironmac( 52)
rickstriker2000( 34),cobrapromotions( 20) ,ebjunkee( 344)
henniganr( 19), jared_46701( 53)

Was it the 1 bid from "scovamin" that raised the price $1000 you are referring to? Boy, that seems like a stretch.....

I still say - cut this guy a break...seems to me he just doesn't fit the mold of an eBay scam artist.

This is a lot different than phony auctions with scam artists based in foreign countries demanding prepaid deposits....let's not confuse the issues. eBay can be a great place to do business.

[Mike Simard]

The seller's last name is Amin and the username of a bidder ends in amin.
I really don't care about this auction other than to point out that there are certain things to details to look at before you place your faith in a seller. You may be puzzled that I would make that connection but its prudent to err on the side of safety when dealing with Ebay.
BTW, the reason to look out for irregularities like that is not to look for the outright scams you can spot a mile away but to look for sellers BIDDING ON THEIR OWN ITEM so that the winning bidder will pay them MORE MONEY than they would have otherwise.

[Excaliber]

I choose to believe the deal was straight up, at this point until shown otherwise. Not enough evidence for me to conclude it was a "shill" bid or worse. Maybe,,,,,, maybe not!

Wether he did or didn't have someone offering $25K is irrelevant to me. A classic (and moral, correct and legal) tactic to try and get a higher dollar for your sale.

"Well, I'll let the car go for $20K, but my neighbors brothers mailmans sister offered $25K. And I'm SURE there are others just waiting to bid more. But for you, my friend, maybe less."

Classic used car salesman if you ask me, no foul, I EXPECT that! Buyer beware, be suspicious, it's all part of the sales game. Someone got a nice car for $20K,,,,,, (or, did they)?

[vandansamin]

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