The story of this car begins with a scam listing on Facebook, posted by a page impersonating Japwreck in WA. When I enquired about a cruise control combination switch, they quoted a flat $500, including postage. Something felt off, so I checked the listing more closely and noticed a Gmail address. I called the actual company, and sure enough, it was a scam that had been running for over 12 months. Fortunately, I saw today that Facebook has finally taken the page down.
Determined to track down the car in the photos, I searched everywhere and eventually spotted a business logo in one of the images. A reverse search on Facebook helped me identify the depot, and from there, I worked out that the car was up for auction at Pickles in Townsville. As I write this, the town is experiencing severe flooding.
The car has sustained a front left impact but looks repairable. At just $200, it would be a bargain for anyone looking to get into an HSV cheaply. The only challenge is getting it out of the flood zone. Until then, I’ll keep an eye on it.
This car surprised me, as I hadn’t yet seen a red SE. Of the 234 built, this one is an automatic with under 200,000 km on the clock and, overall, appears to be in good condition. Sadly, I expect it may end up scrapped. Based on the VIN data, I believe this car is #080/234 or close to it. However, I can’t confirm that 100% without clearer photos of the build and order tag.
YouTube Video of the last auction
