Missed your chance to buy a limited-edition Tesla

[Fairportfan]

Not sure which of the "human nature" threads this goes in, so i'll put it here.

The iPhone 5 isn’t the only new high-tech toy to pop up on eBay for exorbitant prices, as one industrious individual has taken to the online auction site in order to sell their soon-to-be-delivered all-electric luxury sedan.

The seller, a reservation holder based in Portland, Maine, placed his Tesla Model S Signature Series on eBay for a staggering $145,000 with an entry bid requirement of $138,500. The vehicle is scheduled to arrive on October 14.

So did anyone actually place a bid? Nope. And we can’t say we’re all that surprised. While a few enterprising folks are likely to sell the iPhone 5 for some ridiculous, inflated price, this seller’s Tesla didn’t fare so well, garnering zero bids.

As a quick recap, the near top-of-the-line Model S ordered directly from Tesla starts at about $95,400 (excluding a $7,500 federal tax credit). In addition to being your neighborhood’s electric car cock of the walk, that $100,000 will nab you a Model S Signature Series with an 85 kWh battery, zero to 60 mpg in 5.6 seconds, and an estimated range of 300 miles. You’ll also get the second most powerful version (the Model S Signature Performance takes that crown with 362 horsepower, 32 pound feet of torque, and a top speed of 125 mph).

“This may be the only chance in the next few years to acquire one of these amazing, limited edition, game changing vehicles,” the seller wrote on his auction post. But rather than turn to eBay, simply placing a $5,000 deposit will reserve you a spot in line for a Model S. Of course that will require a degree of patience as there is currently a 6-12 month waiting list.

Note that he doesn't yet have the car - but he's not selling his reservation; oh, no - he's "pre-selling" the car:

This is a pre-sale for our 2012 Tesla Model S Signature. This is not a sale of a reservation slot -- Tesla will not allow reservations to be transferred, and it takes a lot of machinations to get around that prohibition. This is the sale of the specific car described below. It is one of the very early deliveries.

and

This is a one time only auction and this car will not be offered again.

There were 1,000 of us who put up large deposits for the Signature a long time ago (in our case 2009). Other than the reservation holders, this may be the only chance in the next few years to acquire one of these amazing, limited edition, game changing vehicles.

Since it didn't even get bids, is he gonna drive it, since he says it's a "one-time auction"?

[ShneekeyTheLost]

Considering Model S retails at $65,000, he was basically asking for twice the market price for the car. Not a good deal regardless. It would be like trying to sell a 2012 Shelby 500 for the same price. No one would pay that.