A seller can't just cancel the auction after the fact and put it back on Ebay because he made a mistake. Once the auction ends the deal is done. Just like when you win an auction, the finish of the auction results in a legally (acording to Ebay) binding contract between the seller and buyer. Unless there is some out in the wording of the auction, like subject to buyer inspection or something similar, the winner owns the car as of the close of the auction provided they complete the transaction, ie money changes hands, and the seller has to sell it for the agreed to amount stated at the close of the auction.
If the seller had cancelled all the bids, and cancelled the auction prior to the close then he could have relisted it.
If the buyer reneges, I don't beleive there is any legal requirement to go down the list of bidders and ask them if they want it. Most people do it because these people expressed interest in the item, by bidding on it, and the seller feels this is the easiest way to get rid of whatever it is. There is only one binding contract per auction, anything else is courtesy. Of course in this case the seller was probably glad the buyer initially backed out.
I've contacted a seller after the close of an auction and asked them to get in contact with me if the buyer doesn't come thru before. Check back about a year ago in the Motion Section, about a possible 69 Motion Corvette. I did it because it was local to me, and the car had been in the local auto trader the week before the auction. Don't know who the winner was, or if the car was anything special or not, but the car was picked up by 10AM on Monday, following a Sunday auction close.
https://www.yenko.net/ubbthreads/show...true#Post20452
Looks like some laywers are going to make some money off of this deal.