Used 2006 Diesel Jetta Fetches $35,000 At Auction!

Bertel Schmitt
by Bertel Schmitt

Reporters gasped at the $160,000 a hand-built custom Ford Mustang went for at the auction in Scottsdale. The same reporter nearly had a heart attack over the $4.2 million a rare 1955 Mercedes-Benz 300 SL Alloy Gullwing fetched ( it could have been $4.62 million, accounts by the same reporter differ.)

The media missed the sensation of the day: An oil burning six year old Jetta sold for $35,000.

The 1.9 liter 6-speed red Volkswagen race car had competed in the Speed World Challenge Touring Car Series. The proceeds went to the Austin Hatcher Foundation for Pediatric Cancer.

The absolute star of the show: A 35hp 2007 New Holland “Boomer” tractor. It went for $535,000, the fact that it was signed by Jay Leno did not reduce the price. Its proceeds went to the Fisher House Foundation. (It may have been signed by President George W. Bush. Accounts differ again.)

Bertel Schmitt
Bertel Schmitt

Bertel Schmitt comes back to journalism after taking a 35 year break in advertising and marketing. He ran and owned advertising agencies in Duesseldorf, Germany, and New York City. Volkswagen A.G. was Bertel's most important corporate account. Schmitt's advertising and marketing career touched many corners of the industry with a special focus on automotive products and services. Since 2004, he lives in Japan and China with his wife <a href="http://www.tomokoandbertel.com"> Tomoko </a>. Bertel Schmitt is a founding board member of the <a href="http://www.offshoresuperseries.com"> Offshore Super Series </a>, an American offshore powerboat racing organization. He is co-owner of the racing team Typhoon.

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  • Silverc10 Silverc10 on Jan 23, 2012

    They said on the broadcast that the Jetta has come through the auction for several years. The $35k is essentially a donation, as each year winning bidder donates the car back to the charity after the auction. Over $176 million in sales - some recession, huh?

    • See 1 previous
    • Geggamoya Geggamoya on Jan 23, 2012

      @JMII I would too if i had one hundred million billion dollars. I would drive the cars as much as possible, and wouldn't have so many that i couldn't drive them regularly. I would have one in the living room though. Maybe a North Korean Chollima tractor hanging from the roof upside down. I watched some of the RM auction from Arizona a few days ago and found it reasonably interesting. Some cars sold for 30k, some for millions.

  • Vegasgti Vegasgti on Jan 23, 2012

    Bertel, I was watching the Scottsdale aucton on Saturday. The 1954 Gullwing I saw cross the block sold for $2M, NOT $4M. What were you smoking?

    • Brokeguy Brokeguy on Jan 23, 2012

      This is auction season in Scottsdale, RM and Goodings also hold auctions at the same time as Barrett-Jackson, the main difference being RM and Goodings are not televised live and Barrett-Jackson is. The quality of the cars is different as well, with RM and Goodings often getting more top-line collector cars than Barrett-Jackson, who usually get more musclecars and 50's iron and has a mix similiar to Mecum. I've been watching way too much Discovery HD (now Velocity) and can't afford the bidders fee anyway.

  • MaintenanceCosts It's not a Benz or a Jag / it's a 5-0 with a rag /And I don't wanna brag / but I could never be stag
  • 3-On-The-Tree Son has a 2016 Mustang GT 5.0 and I have a 2009 C6 Corvette LS3 6spd. And on paper they are pretty close.
  • 3-On-The-Tree Same as the Land Cruiser, emissions. I have a 1985 FJ60 Land Cruiser and it’s a beast off-roading.
  • CanadaCraig I would like for this anniversary special to be a bare-bones Plain-Jane model offered in Dynasty Green and Vintage Burgundy.
  • ToolGuy Ford is good at drifting all right... 😉
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