What to Know About baT Auction Success Story: the VTEC Kicks Back In
BaT member WrayG3 won this 1995 Honda Del Sol VTEC, which came to BaT for the second time in April 2025 with The_Dude_Abides. WrayG3 recently wrote in with an update:
This particular Del Sol caught my attention the first time on Bring a Trailer in November 2023, a year and a half or so before I acquired it as a BaT Alumnus car in April 2025. The first time it showed up, I had just started a family and a new business (G3 Motorsports), and the timing wasn’t right to add another toy. I sat back and watched the car move on to its new home. I’ve been a Del Sol owner since 2004, currently own a 1995 Si that was my first car, and this example was my holy grail. Being a one-year-only color, Isle Green Pearl was the rarest of the bunch and only available on B16 VTEC Del Sols.
Disappointed that I had missed what was likely a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to win a single-owner, low-mileage, well-documented, and all-original example, I set alerts across multiple platforms and kept my eyes peeled for another Isle Green Pearl, VTEC-powered Del Sol. These cars just don’t exist anymore. Chatting amongst like-minded friends who still love and appreciate these golden era Hondas, we occasionally looked back at the expired auction and joked about how I had missed out on “the one.”
Nearly two years later, I received an email alert from Bring a Trailer about a newly listed Del Sol VTEC. I took one look at the thumbnail and told myself, “that’s the one!” Little did I know that it wasn’t just a similar car, but it was THE car—the same one I missed out on. I had kicked myself over it and had been trying to hunt another one down ever since. The second owner was ready to move on after having accumulated just ~300 more miles on this EG2. Long story short: I wasn’t letting it go this time. I anxiously watched the auction over seven days, and a small bidding war broke out in the final minutes. I threw one last Hail Mary bid, which forced me to walk away from my computer. To my surprise, I returned to see, “Checking for last-second bids…” with my name sitting next to the current high bid. I had done it—I had won my high school dream car!
Since taking delivery, I have been doing my best to drive, enjoy, and preserve the car for what it is—a time capsule. Ripping the VTEC to 8,200 rpm still hits the same as it did over 20 years ago! A few NOS OEM parts here and there have been installed, but otherwise this one will remain in its current condition, with most of its original patina. Let’s be honest, nobody enjoys driving a flawless car. Some rock chips here and there, the paint-peeling valve cover, and so on, just add to its character.
Being my first Bring a Trailer experience, it was great to have an experienced seller, @The_Dude_Abides, on the other end to walk me through the entire process. He was always available to answer any questions, assisted with setting up transportation, and even kept in touch long after the auction was over. I would recommend—10/10!
We love to see you enjoying your Del Sol VTEC, WrayG3. Thanks for writing in, and congratulations once again!
We’ve also added your photos into an image gallery below for everyone’s viewing pleasure.
If you have a Success Story about a car you’ve bought or sold on BaT, please send a few lines and pictures (or a video) to community.content@bringatrailer.com, and we’ll send you a $50 credit to the BaT Gear Store when your story posts to the site.
We love to hear from satisfied BaT buyers and sellers, and a Success Story feature is a great addition to any car’s history when you’re ready to sell.
