BaT Auction Success Story: the VTEC Kicks Back In — Explained

This Success Story comes from BaT member curlyjoe, who won this JK Wrangler Rubicon Hard Rock Edition from gb70 in a March 2025 BaT auction:
I recently won this 2016 Jeep Wrangler Rubicon Hard Rock Edition on Bring a Trailer, and the entire experience was fantastic. My 17-year-old daughter has always dreamed of owning a Jeep, so I decided to surprise her as a reward for her hard work in high school and her acceptance into a great college. This Jeep, with only 17,000 miles, finished in stunning Granite Crystal Metallic, was the perfect choice.

BaT member ardee2002 won this 1993 Volkswagen Corrado SLC VR6 from BaT Local Partner lromanosky in a November 2025 BaT auction, and he wrote in to tell us about it:
After 35 years of waiting, I finally won a 1993 Volkswagen Corrado SLC VR6. When I won this 41k-km example in December 2025, it was fulfilling a Gen-X dream. Born in the late 1960s, I grew up in the peak malaise era, followed by the rise of Japanese sports coupes from the 1980s. Being 6’4″, I never seemed to fit in contemporary Integras and 240SXs, so my university car was a Mk2 Golf—basic, sturdy, and fun. I developed a love for German engineering that never left me.

This Success Story comes to us from stevec1456, who completed a fly-and-drive adventure with the 2000 Lexus LS400 Platinum Series that he won from Lroling in an October 2025 BaT auction:
We paid a little more than what I thought was the going rate for a reasonably low-mileage Lexus LS400. But it appeared to be a well-maintained car capable of driving cross-country, which was exactly what we had in mind. We flew from California to Florida and picked it up, then started our 3,000-mile, 12-day adventure.

BaT member IMK67 recently wrapped up his first track day with the 2006 Porsche Cayman S that he won from Snowcapmotorsinc in a September 2025 BaT auction, and he wrote in to tell us about his experience:
I’m subscribed to a few categories on Bring a Trailer, primarily motorcycles but also a select number of cars. One afternoon, while at my desk at work, I received a one-hour reminder notification for a 2006 Porsche Cayman S on my watchlist. It was a model that hadn’t been on my immediate radar, but I’d been considering a track-focused project car. I was seeking a strong chassis with reasonable mileage and solid prior ownership.

This Success Story comes to us from BaT member Shasta_McNasty, who won this 1985 Porsche 911 Carrera Targa from carl48 in an August 2025 BaT auction:
It was Jeremy Clarkson’s fault, really. I was perfectly happy with my 2001 Boxster S. I still am, in fact. It’s a great car. But I had a niggling thought in the back of my mind—put there by Mr. Clarkson—that a Boxster is not a 911, every time I drove it. The engine may be in the correct place in the Boxster, but it’s in the wrong place in the 911. Yes, the Boxster has way more luggage space for a long weekend away than a 911. And yes, the Boxster is a much better value than a 911. But in the end, it’s not a 911, and it was impossible to escape the feeling that Porsche artificially crippled the Boxster to ensure the 911 remained the more desirable car. I had a similar feeling pulling up next to Corvettes as a former Camaro driver. So it was probably inevitable that I would eventually get a 911. In late 2023, I seriously thought about buying one. But which one? I considered water-cooled cars, but I have a soft spot for air-cooled vehicles. Five of my six motorcycles were air-cooled, so why not get an air-cooled 911 to match?!

This Success Story comes to us from BaT member RandyV, who won this 1986 Mercedes-Benz 190E 2.3-16 from ShawnAlpina in a September 2025 BaT auction:
I was 22 when I first learned about the 190E 2.3-16 on the pages of Road & Track. On Thanksgiving Day in 1985, I saw my first one in person at Mercedes-Benz of Hunt Valley. It was love at first sight. The car was finished in Smoke Silver over a black leather interior and had a five-speed dogleg gearbox. There was another young man at the dealership lot that morning eyeing a different car, and we struck up a conversation about the Mercedes with the wing. I remember telling him I was anxious for the car to turn 10 years old so I could (hopefully) afford it. I had been driving a 15-year-old BMW 2002 at the time and was longing for something more mature-looking that would likely still offer a similar driving experience.