Question: what happens to explain a succession of increasing bids in a row from one bidder, without any bids in between by other bidders? I don't understand why someone would bid up three times in a row -- $1000, $1200, $1500 -- unless they're being 'bid up' by someone else.

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http://webwench.net/albums/new83-300...1700.thumb.jpg
1983 300D-T
348,000 miles

Excellent question.

E-bay does not show the computer generated bids. It only shows the proxy bid. Take a look in the bidder's list and look for a higher bid that was put in prior to the sequence that you are speaking about. The bidder your are referring to is trying to chase the proxy bid.

Now, if the bids you are referring to are the current high bids, then the individual is simply raising his proxy bid. For some reason, if you raise your proxy bid, e-bay leaves the lower proxy bid in place.

Example:

Bidding starts at $10.

You bid $300.

Auction shows $10.00. Next bid is $20.

I bid $20.

Auction shows your bid at $30. and my bid at $20. Next bid is $40.

I bid $40.

Auction shows my bid at $20., my bid at $40. and your bid at $50. Next bid is $60. Your $30.00 bid is removed from the list. All of your bids are removed except the highest bid, which is the bid of the second highest bidder plus the bid increment.

Thanks, BC.

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http://webwench.net/albums/new83-300...1700.thumb.jpg
1983 300D-T
348,000 miles

Who want to guess what it's going to go for?

My guess is $3790.

No I'm not bidding.

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1984 300Sd 210k

Former cars:
1984 300D 445k (!!) (Strider) Original (and not rebuilt) engine and transmission. Currently running on V80 ( 80% vegetable oil, 20% petroleum products). Actually not, taking a WVO break.
1993 300d 2.5 275k. Current 120/day commuter
1981 300SD 188k (Hans) Killed by a deer

I don't think so. There are only two serious bidders and, fortunately, one of them has stopped bidding.

My guess is that it will sell for $3100.

We'll see. I've been shocked before.

It would surprise me as well.

The safest way to Ebay is as follows: Decide the maximum amount you will be willing to pay for the car and use the free service AuctionStealer to enter your bid in the last 10 seconds of the auction. That way nobody gets a chance to see that you've outbid them. It also prevents you from getting caught up in "auction fever" if someone outbids you. You decide once, and only once, how much you are willing to pay.

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Rick Miley
2014 Tesla Model S
2018 Tesla Model 3
2017 Nissan LEAF
Former MB: 99 E300, 86 190E 2.3, 87 300E, 80 240D, 82 204D Euro
Chain Elongation References

I would never put a bid in until the last 10-30 seconds on anything I want to buy.

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1999 SL500
1969 280SE
2023 Ram 1500
2007 Tiara 3200

Even with the low mileage, I think prices in the $3000s are too much for a car in this apparent condition. I could be all wet, though.

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http://webwench.net/albums/new83-300...1700.thumb.jpg
1983 300D-T
348,000 miles

Just as an update, the VIN that the seller listed is not a valid VIN. I've emailed him as well as Ebay about this. This was a couple of days ago. And I asked for his Tel # so car could be looked at and he has yet to respond to either. Sooo, doesn't look too promising.

Charlie

Me too. I've been able to place bids with 3 seconds to go, just synchronizing the auction's end using my computer clock and DSL.

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'83 240D with 617.952 and 2.88
'01 VW Beetle TDI
'05 Jeep Liberty CRD
'89 Toyota 4x4, needs 2L-T
'78 280Z with L28ET - 12.86@110
Oil Burner Kartel #35

http://i16.photobucket.com/albums/b1...oD/bioclip.jpg

I thought one should always stay away from these cars with the air cleaner in the front/CA models?