Buffett's car sold on eBay
2006-09-24 13:58
Omaha, Nebraska - An eBay bidder bought Warren Buffett's Lincoln Town Car for $73 200 (R556 686) on Friday, almost five times the 2001 vehicle's worth.
Along with the car, the winner will get Buffett's "THRIFTY" license plate and an engraved plaque bearing the investor's signature. Buffett also will pick up the winner at the Omaha airport when he or she comes to claim the car.
Proceeds of the auction of Buffett's car go to Girls Inc, a national nonprofit youth organisation that provides educational and recreational programs to girls, particularly those in high-risk, underserved areas.
The winning bid was submitted by "billzanker". In 2004, Bill Zanker, president and founder of The Learning Annex, paid nearly $60 000 in an eBay auction for lunch with media mogul Rupert Murdoch.
A message left for Zanker at his New York office was not immediately returned, and it was not clear if he was the winner of the Buffett auction.
The Learning Annex sponsors seminars around the country on topics including computers, personal growth, business and career opportunities.
In February, the company paid Donald Trump $1.5m to appear at a "real estate wealth expo".
Buffett's light gold Town Car has just 14 000 miles on it. Buffett said he quit driving it about three months ago when he bought a Cadillac DTS.
The Kelley Blue Book retail value of the car is about $15 000.
Bidding started on September 13 with an opening bid of $25 000 and closed on Friday afternoon. During the auction, 63 bids were placed by 19 people.
Buffett's spokesperson, Debbie Bosanek, said he was unavailable to comment.
In June, someone paid $620 100 on an eBay auction to dine with Buffett in New York, with the proceeds going to charity. The lunch was the second-most expensive charity item ever sold on eBay, according to an eBay spokesperson.
The most expensive charity item ever sold on eBay was a Harley Davidson motorcycle autographed by celebrities that Jay Leno offered last year. That bike raised $800 100 for the American Red Cross' tsunami relief effort.