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Home / Bay of Plenty Times

Rena lifeboat among top ten most popular Trade Me Motors listings of 2020

Bay of Plenty Times
12 Jan, 2021 06:39 PM3 mins to read

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The Rena lifeboat was one of Trade Me Motors' most popular listings in 2020. Photo / File

The Rena lifeboat was one of Trade Me Motors' most popular listings in 2020. Photo / File

A reminder of the 2011 Rena maritime disaster made waves on Trade Me last year.

An original lifeboat from the stricken Rena cargo ship which grounded on the Astrolabe Reef off the coast of Tauranga in 2011 was listed in September and attracted 94,402 views.

It eventually sold for $9800.

Trade Me Motors revealed its most popular listings of 2020 this week and the unique lifeboat, which had been a centrepiece in Pāpāmoa's popular bar The Island - previously the Pāpāmoa Tavern - as a children's playground, came in at number nine.

At the time, Kerry Bollen, who had worked at the bar since it opened almost five years ago, said the main reason for bidding farewell to the relic was their rebranding to The Island as well as the health and safety aspect for children.

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"At the end of the day, it's a lifeboat ... it just wasn't safe enough for the kids."

Bollen said they did not know what to expect when they put the historic artefact up for auction and had no expectations of how much it would sell for.

Kerry Bollen of The Island, previously the Pāpāmoa Tavern. Photo / File
Kerry Bollen of The Island, previously the Pāpāmoa Tavern. Photo / File

Topping the list of most popular listings was Jonah Lomu's SPL Wagon, touted as the loudest car in New Zealand.

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Trade Me's Ruby Topzand said Lomu's star power was a theme last year with his former mansion in Maupuia taking out the top spot in our most viewed properties of 2020.

"Lomu had the 1997 Nissan Patrol SUV fitted with state of the art speakers that can reach 163 decibels, in a world record attempt in 2000 for the loudest car. Trade Me members from all over the country were keen to get a glimpse of Jonah's wagon," she said.

Jonah Lomu's SPL Wagon. Photo / Supplied
Jonah Lomu's SPL Wagon. Photo / Supplied

Coming in at second was the Kelly Tarlton's shark bus.

"The team at Kelly Tarlton's aquarium decided it was time to release their old shark bus back to the wild and New Zealanders thought it was simply fin-tastic," Topzand said.

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"The fishy listing had 195,000 hits before it sold to insurance comparison company Life Direct for $31,500."

Kelly Tarlton's shark bus. Photo / Supplied
Kelly Tarlton's shark bus. Photo / Supplied

Trade Me Motors top 10 listings of 2020

1. Jonah Lomu's SPL Wagon, Wellington, 226,000 views, asking price $49,990.
2. Kelly Tarlton's Shark Bus, Auckland, 195,804 views, sold for $31,500.
3. 1993 Toyota Supra RZ Coupe, Wellington, 162,103 views, asking price $74,990.
4. DIY Tesla Cybertruck, New Plymouth, 137,590 views, sold for $999.
5. Futuro - UFO Spaceship House, Christchurch, 104,621 views, asking price $0.
6. 1973 Toyota Land Cruiser, Christchurch, 99,862 views, sold for $42,000.
7. 1969 Holden Monaro GTS, Masterton, 99,244 views, sold for $58,000.
8. 1997 Mitsubushi Time Machine, Auckland, 96,894 views, sold for $2020.
9. Rena Lifeboat, Tauranga, 94,402 views, sold for $9800.
10. 2020 Nissan GTR Premium Lux, Wellington, 88,058 views, asking price $182,995.

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