Contrary to what some folks think, we’re not just a place that makes or sells custom Batmobile model parts. Our charter/mission/scope here is to try to cover all aspects of Batmobile (and other Bat vehicles) model or toy collecting. We spend a lot of time talking about upgrade parts and such, but as we spread our wings and enter into PMB! V 2.0 this Spring, we’re bringing other aspects of our world back into focus.

I notice interesting Batmobile items for sale or auction on the web all the time. Sometimes they’re cool. Sometimes they’re um…suspect. I like to try to separate the wheat from the chaff and share it with all of you. I call it  “Batmobile Baywatch.”

Today’s offering is this interesting gem. (Please note that these links are  time-sensitive and so – may not be still around when you get around to reading this. So I’ve grabbed a screenshot.)

Purported to be a “1/12th 1966 batmobile” and then further described to be “special order-built to order” it invites many questions. Here’s the full auction description:

“THIS IS A BEAUTIFUL MASTERED OF THE FAMOUS 1966 BATMOBILE IN A HUGE 1/12 SCALE. THIS MODEL COMES WITH DETAILED TURBINE ENGINE, OPENING DOORS, OPENING HOOD, OPENING TRUCK, LIGHTS.

THIS A SPECIAL ORDER-BUILT TO ORDER MODEL ONLY

PLEASE ALLOW 4-6 WEEKS FOR DELIVERY!!!

COMES WITH A FULL MONEY BACK GUARANTEE AND A 10 YEAR WARRANTY..

EXTREME REPRODUCTIONS

MIKE/DON”

It also has an opening bid of $750.00, a Buy-It-Now of $825.00 and, perhaps most interesting – it only has one photo up and it is a rear shot of the Hot Wheels 1:18 Batmobile.

Wow, a 10 year warranty.  My JEEP doesn’t even have that.  Plus it has an opening “TRUCK.”

Okay. So, as far as I know, I don’t know Mike or Don or any place calling themselves “Extreme Reproductions.” It could be somebody that we know.  And who knows, MAYBE they really do have a 1/12th custom, made to order Batmobile they make and sell. But to put an eBay auction up for this type of thing, at that kind of price, with only a user feedback rating of 12, with a single  shot of something we all recognize as NOT a 1/12th OR custom model of any sort – – well that’s going to get us talking at the very least.

I’ll admit this right now. I have certain snobbish, judgmental leanings. For example,  I look at typing an entire auction description (or an email message etc.) in “ALL CAPS’ as the digital equivalent of a Southern accent “shouting”.  Maybe that’s how they solicit custom stuff in Oregon. I watch Portlandia, but I’m certainly no expert on Pacific Northwest sales techniques. But even if you give Mike and Don the benefit of a lot of doubt here – Let’s look past the ALL CAPS and spelling/grammar concerns. Let’s suspend our concern about the “12” eBay feedback rating. Let’s ignore the $750.00 starting bid. Let’s pretend we don’t know that eBay policies prohibit pre-selling of items that are further than 30 days out from purchase date. And let’s not dwell on the fact that they only have  ONE photo up of a 1:18 Hot Wheels Batmobile when they’re selling a custom 1:12 model. Let’s look past ALL of that…

Well see, that’s where it all breaks down. Because we can’t look past all that. Maybe the all-caps thing. But to everything else up there, we give a hearty “What’s Up With That?!”  I’ve contacted the seller. I will report back any followup we get from these folks. As I said before – Who Knows? It MIGHT just be the coolest big Batmobile model that we’ve ever seen! But until we get some more info – I wouldn’t advise hopping  on that $825 buy it now button.

-S