Last week, we saw this '87 300TD wagon be shill bid by two no-history buyers up to $15,000. I am willing to bet that it reappears for sale sometime in the next 2 weeks if recent history is any indication.



For example, the now famous deutscheserzeugnis who always runs "private" MB diesel auctions that almost always end up in the $10 region. He listed this '87 300TD wagon which closed for $10,200 on Jul 18th. A fantastic price for one of these cars, especially this one with the $100 paint job. Yet, lo and behold, here it is for sale again. Same ad, same VIN#.



Here's his '85 300TD wagon famous for it's water-filled headlights and non-stock parts, the car is feverishly bid to $9,800 yet somehow does not make the seller's reserve price. Of course, the car is now relisted.



Another not-to-be-trusted eBay dealers, frontline-leasing, sold this '80 300TD wagon for $6,500. But, I swear it was listed 3 times with the bid price being something like $8,600.



This '85 300TD wagon sold in Oregon 3 weeks ago for something in the area of $7,200 or $8,200 using a different seller name, now it's relisted. That last sale was the third time the car had been listed, if I remember correctly. The first time, he said the buyer fell through. The second he pulled early, and then the final sale.



The last month or two, I've noticed that almost all the 300TD wagons selling for $7,000 or more are relisted within a few weeks. While those selling for $6,000 or less are never relisted. Coincidence?

I can't find the expired sales for some of these even though I know I followed the auctions. I wonder if the sellers shill-bid them up to goad someone into overpaying and then if nobody tops their fake price, they cancel the auction. Would that prevent it from showing up in a serach of completed auctions?