We've told him that several times.........to no avail.........

For the record, I didn't mean to imply that EVERY seller enjoys the benefit of shill bidders, but it IS a common and widespread practice in ebay and always has been.

Herb Phillips doesn't use shill bidders AFAIK. He doesn't need to. The presentation is so extraordinary that he commands a premium price for the vehicle.......whether it's worth it.......or not.

But, I'll tell you.........if you or I listed it the week after it is sold.......we would get about 60% of what he gets.........with a typical e-bay presentation using e-bay photos and an "e-bay description".

He's the master.......learn from him if you intend to be a seller at any point in the future.

Oh, he's OK. It does help to have a loyal following.

I'm not certain I buy in that the mileage shown on the wagon is actual (Herb does seem honest enough though). The reason is that if you look at the button that you mash to lower the drivers side front window it is completely white indicating alot of usage. In addition, the drivers seat is showing wear that you typically do not see on a 79k mile vehicle.

My '85 300D (with 87k miles) looks better than the one that is currently at ~$12k. Maybe I should clean it up and put it on ebay - I am seriously thinking about it (and really going through with it this time). It even has a new air conditioning evaporator and head gasket.

__________________
Jim

My wife really likes that car and I'm really giving that car some thought but I'm worried about the mileage. The odometer numbers don't line up very well but it may because it is about to turn at the ten and ten thousandths place. Engatwork, I know which one it is, but I don't see the knob you are talking about in any of the close up photos.

Kevin
240D

Here is the pic from ebay. I have pointed an arrow to the pushbutton that is worn through. This is typically seen on high mileage cars and I find it quite surprising to see it worn through like this on a car with under 80k miles.

Attached Thumbnails

 

__________________
Jim

Herbert must be sleeping with the seller of the red one. Same location, same auction format (with music), and even the same dealer plate.

At least it does not appear that they are bidding in each other's auction

Red one: http://cgi.ebay.com/ebaymotors/Mercedes-Benz-300-Series-300-TD-Beautiful-300TD-Turbo-Diesel-Wagon-in-Memphis-27pix_W0QQitemZ4629406016QQcategoryZ6330QQssPageNameZWDVWQQrdZ1QQcmdZViewItem

LOL........yeah, that's hilarious. Must be one of Herb's mechanics over at the dealer.........LOLOL.

Well, that one's gone. Auction ended early, car no longer for sale. Hope it goes to a good home. The quest continues...

Kevin
240D

"Q: Can you turn off that music, please?
A: turn down your volume if you don't like it"

At least I'm not alone!

The answer would simply be that the original switch went bad, and the replacement came from an older car. There is always a "feasible" answer.....

__________________
Jimmy L.
'05 Acura TL 6MT
2001 ML430 My Spare

Gone:
'95 E300 188K "Batmobile" Texas Unfriendly Black
'85 300TD 235K "The Wagon" Texas Friendly White
'80 240D 154K "China" Scar engine installed
'81 300TD 240K "Smash"
'80 240D 230K "The Squash"
'81 240D 293K"Scar" Rear ended harder than Elton John

It's also possible that the car was used for many short trips. They would have used the window more often than usual.

I hate it when sellers do that. There's a certain strategy to winning an auction at the best possible price (and it does not include inanely bidding throughout the auction in order to be the high bidder, but that's another point). The auction is set to end at a specified time - that's part of the auction conditions met by all bidders and it, like any other auction rule, should be adhered to by sellers as well as by bidders. The specified end time is the most critical time for all players since it is in the last second that a winner is determined. No bid before the end means anything other than determining what level the price may reach, or rather, defining the playing field.

Many sellers certainly are not hesitant to make threats of action up to and including legal action if bidders break those rules even while those same sellers may call the game before the real players have entered onto the field.

Did Herbert sell that car for $8100.00? You can bet all you have that he did not. Instead some buyer who feels he is too good to compete with the minions simply called a high offer in to Herbert and he took it. It's very much a jerk thing to do in an auction, and I use "jerk" instead of a stronger profane word.

If all they want is an advertizing venue then why don't they stick to the newspapers? This was no auction at all.

I know there will be another chorus of "it's his car to sell how he sees fit". To that I say 'bull', if he wants to sell it, then sell it for a price he likes and don't pretend that he's auctioning it to the highest bidder.

Herb does that all the time. Actually, nearly all sellers do. If someone walks up with cash........equal to their reserve or a bit more.........they just let it go.

It's part of the business. The seller can never be assured that his reserve will be met.

You.......too.......could have called Herb and made an offer prior to the end of the auction. Most serious sellers will consider it.