Ebay auction for Challenger SRT8 # 2 now underway

[ResumeSpeed]

Auction Link: Challenger No. 2 Ebay Auction

Specifications:

Model / Sub Model: Dodge Challenger SRT8
Year: 2008
VIN / Limited production: TBD / #2 out of a Limited Production
Special Feature: Vehicle will arrive with a limited-edition numbered dash plaque indicating build No 2.
Number of Miles: New
Exterior Color: HEMI Orange Exterior with hood stripes
Interior Color: Not yet announced
Number of Cylinders: 6.1L HEMI V8
Transmission: 5-speed automatic transmission with Autostick®
Number of Doors: 2
Condition: New
Warranty Specifics: A vehicle warranty as available on other Dodge cars will be available on date of delivery.
Condition of Title: New – Never been titled
Options: Not yet announced

Vehicle is being auctioned by Chrysler, LLC.

Winning bidder agrees to have their picture taken with the vehicle, and they also agree to let Chrysler use their picture and/or their likeness for promotional purposes.

Q. Will a Letter of Authenticity be provided?
A. A limited edition dash plaque will be included with vehicle delivery.

Q. What is the estimated delivery time?
A. Barring unanticipated circumstances, the expected delivery time to the agreed upon dealer is May, 2008.

Q. How many miles will be on the Challenger #2?
A. The vehicle will be delivered new.

Q. Is bidding open internationally?
A. No. Only legal residents of the United States (including Hawaii and Alaska) are eligible to bid on this particular auction.

[XJameson]

Originally Posted by ResumeSpeed

Transmission: 5-speed automatic transmission with Autostick®

[rlgiv]

Originally Posted by XJameson

I read in an article.............I think it may have been the new Mopar enthusiast that it would be available with either the autostick or an auto trans.

[Dodgedude]

Ya know I'm not too fond of Ebay or Barrett-Jackon, (I LOVE THE CARS!)
but I could almost see the method to the madness if the money was going back to the company to bail itself out financially, not to sell themselves to the highest bidder, and give it all to Charity????????? Someone enlighten me here!!!! OOOr maybe funnel some money into a 2dr Charger project... and then watch the profits multiple exponentially... I mean what's really going at Chrysler anyway???

[Ragamuffin]

Originally Posted by Dodgedude

Ya know I'm not too fond of Ebay or Barrett-Jackon, (I LOVE THE CARS!)
but I could almost see the method to the madness if the money was going back to the company to bail itself out financially, not to sell themselves to the highest bidder, and give it all to Charity????????? Someone enlighten me here!!!! OOOr maybe funnel some money into a 2dr Charger project... and then watch the profits multiple exponentially... I mean what's really going at Chrysler anyway???

Y-ahh- I agree with you too; brother !!Personally, I think this is very pathetic that a major automaker has to
stoop to a new low by going to eBay ;;for a major publicity stunt ; a
major automaker which just went private [[ Yes, isn't this/that ironic
Private going out of its way via a public entity ] all to gain some
very,very inexpensive publicity !!! As most or all of you know Cerebus is
not lacking in funds and neither is the Great & Powerful { OZ
eBay ! Listen to this : I just looked/read the auction and it states > .* This unique opportunity is open exclusively to Dodge Dealers only.< : what kind of _ rap is this ? Putting a/the Challenger up for auction on eBay and limiting bidders/buyers to only Dodge Dealers. I'm wondering if this might be against eBay policy and possibly a FTC violation ?!? Also, one of the current bidders has a 89% feedback rating : must not be one of those 5 Star rated dealers ! !! P.S. the current high bid is at $75,000 [guess that dealer has buck$ and needs a large tax write-off !!P.S.S. - Oh y-ahh ,one more point -- ' Winning bidder agrees to have their
picture taken with the vehicle, and they also agree to let Chrysler use
their picture and/or their likeness for promotional purposes' - : Hah
-: the person who is the winning bidder seems to be giving
him/herself to Chrysler and eBay for FREE { I mean paying them for their
benefit }!!!

[DartSportDude]

As I believe someone else stated, another new Challenger will be auctioned off at this year's Barrett-Jackson event. However, it is my understanding the proceeds from that sale will go to charity. Do we know for sure that is not the case with the e-Bay auction as well?

Also, since when did e-Bay purchase Barrett-Jackson? I live in Arizona, and this is the first I've heard of it. I can't see Craig Jackson selling his auction house to anyone! This must be a mistake.

As far as "cheap publicity," hey -- I'll take it. Chrysler needs to start making some noise, and this is a good way to do it. I think the new ad campaign (stressing Chrysler's heritage of automotive industry "firsts" is a smart move, too.

[cjcuda]

You guys need to chill out! Chrysler is auctioning the first three production units and giving all of the proceeds to charity. What is wrong with that??? So Chrysler gets some publicity out of the deal, what's the problem? In the Camaro discussion, people were whining that Dodge wasn't doing enough to promote the Challenger. I think it's great - the more publicity and fanfare, the better. It just gets the Dodge and Challenger name out there to more people.

[Ragamuffin]

Originally Posted by DartSportDude

Do we know for sure that is not the case with the e-Bay auction as well?

Also, since when did e-Bay purchase Barrett-Jackson? I live in Arizona, and this is the first I've heard of it. I can't see Craig Jackson selling his auction house to anyone! This must be a mistake.

As far as "cheap publicity," hey -- I'll take it. Chrysler needs to start making some noise

I believe it's for charity too . Yes, this is my mistake. eBay owns Kruse Int'l Auctioneers ! Well, yeah it's on eBay's front page and with over 100,000,000 registered users ; Chrysler might have to up Challenger Production numbers to say 300,000 units per year ?

[DartSportDude]

Barrett-Jackson is an awesome venue to promote the new Challenger. I go to this event every year, and it is the epicenter of the performance car world! If I were running Chrysler, I'd have the new Challenger plastered over inch of that auction site. I'd do an updated remake of the old "Sheriff" TV ads from the early 70s and have them running during the auction on the Speed Channel coverage.

Cmon Chrysler, you practically invented the muscle car -- it's time to take credit for it and shove the whole idea of modern muscle back in the faces of GM and Ford!

[DubleDex]

Technically, based on the terms of the sale, Cerberus doesn't really have a financially troubled Chrysler. Not only did Daimler sell it at a ridiculous bargain ($8 billion-ish when they had bought it for $34 billion-ish), but Daimler also agreed to keep ALL its debt and ALL its pension. That's how bad they wanted to get rid of it. (Obviously, they have to make sales to be good - but the company isn't in nearly the bad shape it was before it was sold... at least financially. Getting folks to buy the cars, well, that's the test.)

As for using ebay for publicity, why not? Traditional marketing is not nearly as effective or powerful as it was even as little as 10 years ago. There are a million different messages bombarding people from every angle at every minute of the day. For people who aren't enthusiasts and aren't interested, a TV commercial or billboard probably won't work.

On ebay, at least Chrysler has the people who WANT the message COMING TO THEM. If you see that auction, you either searched it out yourself, or at least followed a link someone else gave you. You ACTIVELY sought the information - and the more bids/looks that this auction gets, the more proof Chyrsler has that people are interested.

As for the charity... if you think that it's a "cheap marketing ploy" now, imagine what you'd say about a car company auctioning off their own car and KEEPING the profits? People bitch about the MSRP on cars, and you think Chrysler would make out by keeping $75k or more that someone paid for an auction vehicle? Man, the general public would be PISSED if that happened.

IMO, this is a GREAT way for Chrysler to generate interest for the Challenger, gauge interest in the Challenger, get some much needed publicity at a bargain-bin price AND help out some charity. It's all good.

Congrats to whoever shells out the cash and gets to drive one of the first Challengers around. You've supported a great company, you've helped a charity, you've given yourself some bragging rights and you've gotten the word out a little more.