on Ebay: Cardinal Ratzinger's VW Golf

[Kellanved]

In German - sorry.

http://cgi.ebay.de/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&category=68191&item=4545301886&rd=1

http://www.spiegel.de/img/0,1020,465033,00.jpg

[Kellanved]

1. English Article: New Pope's Former VW on eBay

BERLIN (UPI) -- A Volkswagen Golf that its owner says was previously owned by former Cardinal Joseph Ratzinger is on the online auction site eBay.

The current bid on the gray, five-door 1999 Golf is more than $1 million, not bad for a car that owner Benjamin Halbe, 21 years old, paid $13,000 for in January.There have been more than 200 bids on the vehicle so far on eBay's German site.

"I had no idea," Halbe, who is from Germany's Sauerland region, told Deutsche Welle radio.

The car dealer had told him the car had been passed on with an ecclesiastical blessing.It was only after he read his new car's service history, did Halbe realize who the previous owner was -- the current Pope Benedict XVI.

...
http://news.monstersandcritics.com/daily/weirdworld/article_7009.php/New_Pope's_Former_VW_on_eBay

[Kellanved]

2. One last kick: the Times chimes in: For sale on eBay: used Popemobile

Bidding has gone crazy on German eBay for a nondescript grey metallic Volkswagen Golf said once to have been owned by the new Pope.



A section of the car registration documents reproduced on the advertisement show that the car has had one previous owner - Josef Kardinal Ratzinger.

The seller claims that this is the same person as the Cardinal Ratzinger who was installed as Pope Benedict XVI last week.

The Pope is not known to drive, but it is implied that he was driven around in the car by a chauffeur. The two litre petrol vehicle has 47,000 miles on the clock.

A frenzy of unrealistic offers on German eBay has reached more than one million euros, although the site administrators say that the highest genuine bid so far is 41,564 euros (£28,100). They are now carefully monitoring all the bids.

...
http://www.timesonline.co.uk/article/0,,20709-1590979,00.html

[Zuni]

3. doesn't he have a special vehicle? something more pope-ish?

[Kellanved]

5. I believe he got rid of the glass;

alas, for sale seems to be what used to be his car for trips incognito.

[Zuni]

9. oooh, like a spy?

sounds exciting.

[Kellanved]

15. indeed

What secret missions did he execute for the Vatican?

[peekaloo]

4. He's getting rid of that for a golf cart with bulletproof glass?

[LeftyDarthBrodie]

6. I see his choice of vehicle never changed

From his days in a certain youth group until now he prefered vehicles made by the people's car company.

[Zuni]

10. dude, he was a kid and most german kids of his age were in that group

Give it a rest

[LynneSin]

7. Damn and the holy potato is still at $7.75

http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&item=6172774744

I just don't understand

[Kellanved]

8. The potato doesn't have aircondition

I believe that's the reason. :shrug:

[Zuni]

11. oooh...the Holy Potato is in Maryland

to be so close to a miracle makes me feel closer to Heaven :silly:

[bullwinkle428]

12. Why did I immediately think of the Seinfeld episode

where George bought the LeBaron convertible that once belonged to JOHN Voight?

[Misunderestimator]

13. Oh for God's sake.... so to speak...

:eyes: Some lucky person will be the proud owner of a cheap-ass car that's been blessed by Ratzinger... when they could have fed a village for a generation on the money.

Is it at least bulletproof? And does the exhaust come out black or white, based on the occasion?

[Kellanved]

14. I believe the windscreen washer can be operated with holy water

.
And as the current owner is serving his civil service (instead of military service), I am quite sympathetic.

[tammywammy]

16. Speaking of Volkswagens and the Pope....

VW is in line to try and build the next Popemobile. Spy shots show it as a converted Touareg.

http://www.thecarconnection.com/index.asp?article=8513

[ChavezSpeakstheTruth]

17. I must have that!

[ima_sinnic]

18. yeah? BFD. my 1967 Ford Fairlane was owned by the Virgin Mary

-- bids please?

[Kellanved]

19. Do you have a proof ?

Like an official paper or a spot of mold looking like her?

[derby378]

20. That is just so wild

Stylin' and profilin' in the Pope's old ride. Woo-hoo!! Pimp it!

[Kellanved]

21. but €60,000 for a six year old Golf?

:crazy:

[derby378]

22. I think too many Americans would do the same thing

How many of us (not necessarily DUers) were willing to shell out major € for a grilled cheese sandwich or a tortilla chip that supposedly had the Virgin Mary's face on it? Wild.