The quirky two-door convertibles depreciated over time, with one changing hands for $38,000 on the car-auction site Bring a Trailer in 2018.The run-up in prices lined up with a pandemic-induced frenzy in the collector-car market as enthusiasts turned to their vehicles as an escape, Brian Rabold, vice president of automotive intelligence at Hagerty, told Insider.A sexy, quick, and fun-to-drive car that's become an important piece of EV history, the Roadster also has a distinct appeal among fans of Tesla and of the wider electric-car movement, he said.In just the last five years, Tesla has matured from a shaky startup to a $700 billion company with a global presence and an army of loyal fans.Part of the Roadster's appeal is that it's unlike any new electric car available today, said Pete Gruber, who runs Gruber Motor Company, an independent Tesla repair shop in Phoenix, Arizona that specializes in Roadsters."