Please register to participate in our discussions with 2 million other members - it's free and quick! Some forums can only be seen by registered members. After you create your account, you'll be able to customize options and access all our 15,000 new posts/day with fewer ads.
If it's a newer vehicle, and being purchased from a reputable dealer, you have redress subject to the laws in the jurisdiction where the transaction takes place. It's no different than buying the car from their lot if you buy it in eBay, in that situation. However, there are usually age and mileage limitations, so that might be worth investigating when you place a bid out of state.
I have come close to buying a couple of vintage vehicles on eBay that do not have the same protections, since they are generally exempt from implied warranties. I had them inspected by a third party company and did not buy one because it had a couple of flaws that when fixed and including shipping would have pushed the price to a regular retail price.
The other one was an outbid at the last minute and IMO the vehicle was not a good deal, very close to market price, and then I had to pay to ship it, so I didn't up the ante. Whether or not that was a shill bidder, I have my suspicions since the vehicle was relisted within a couple of weeks due to a "non-paying bidder." And, the seller contacted me to let me know it was up for bid again, to which I replied that I wasn't interested as I had the second highest bid and that was a fair price for the vehicle. I never heard from them again.
I also look at the feedback profile to see how the seller performs as a buyer and seller. If they do not have much feedback, but are a dealership, I will look at it differently than I would someone with 0 feedback score who listed the vehicle as their first eBay transaction.
You can do a search within your location, however, and then make arrangements to inspect and/or drive the vehicle, but if you're not well versed in the make/model, the $100-$150 you spend on a vehicle about which you are serious can be a smart investment if you end up buying it. You will know exactly what is good and what may be a problem with the vehicle, and can make an informed purchase decision.
If I were bidding on the last second, and didn't have time to schedule a purchase inspection, I'd not go over the low KBB value of the vehicle or its pars value, no matter the stated condition. Generally, with most vehicles, there are others that are similar, so one need not get caught in the trap of last-second bidding to get the car that appears to be a good buy with imperfect information. Many sellers are honest, but some may not know what could be wrong with a vehicle, either because they don't drive it much, or it's a situation that they didn't know had happened while the vehicle was parked, etc. There are a few unscrupulous types, but that happens in the car business, but the majority of people are not out to cause trouble to someone else.
Personally I've never been too squeemish about buying off of ebay. I don't think it's any worse than buying from anyone else and probably it is better. The main thing is get the Carfax on it which will detail any accidents.
Just an FYI, Carfax only receives input info from law enforcement agencies or insurance agents. In other words Carfax doesn't always tell you the vehicle's history.
Location: Democratic Peoples Republic of Redneckistan
11,078 posts, read 15,074,986 times
Reputation: 3937
Quote:
Originally Posted by DannyBanany
Would you/have you ever bought a car on eBay? What do you think of it and what are your stories?
I have bought quite a few on Ebay and more likely than not will not ever buy elsewhere again.I have had GREAT luck doing it and have saved untold thousands.Another benefit I've had by doing it (besides getting to take a little trip to get them) is I've not lost a single dime yet on any of them after driving them until I was bored and then reselling them locally.(Usually make a decent profit).
I've bought a pickup from e-bay but it was close enough to go look at it first, no problems, my brother in-law bought a pickup but it was across the country so he bought sight unseen, he got hosed, he had the buyer protection and it didn't help him one bit, he pretty much threw away $6000.00 plus shipping, I won't buy any vehicle unless I know what I'm getting.
I've looked at a dozen vehicles that have been on e-bay and none were as good as they were claimed to be. buyer beware.
Location: Democratic Peoples Republic of Redneckistan
11,078 posts, read 15,074,986 times
Reputation: 3937
Quote:
Originally Posted by Roaddog
I've bought a pickup from e-bay but it was close enough to go look at it first, no problems, my brother in-law bought a pickup but it was across the country so he bought sight unseen, he got hosed, he had the buyer protection and it didn't help him one bit, he pretty much threw away $6000.00 plus shipping, I won't buy any vehicle unless I know what I'm getting.
I've looked at a dozen vehicles that have been on e-bay and none were as good as they were claimed to be. buyer beware.
I hate to hear that about your brother in law RD....Like I said,I've had great luck so far,but my time may be coming with the next one.I do a lot of emailing and then call and talk to the seller too.If anything smells bad in the least(and it does more often than not),I forget it and move on to the next one because there are no vehicles that you can't do without.If everything works as is planned, I will probably be buying and selling a lot more bikes/scooters on there before to much longer.
I have sold several cars on eBay - a 1928 Chevrolet sedan, a 1981 VW Rabbit Diesel that ended up being purchased by a guy in North Carolina, sight unseen (also sold him a car dolly to take it home), a 1946 Chevrolet dump truck, a 1979 Firebird Esprit, a 1972 Suzuki Enduro-type motorcycle, a postal Jeep, 2 jet skis and a Porsche 914 parts car (the buyer didn't come see it, either). All clients were blissfully happy! They asked pertinent questions and I supplied very, very detailed descriptions and way too many pix.
I would not hesitate to buy a car on eBay. But you must check the seller's reputation(feedback). I didn't even list any cars until I had over 50 positive feedback, so I had a stable track record to show potential buyers. I'm a PowerSeller at the moment, which builds even more buyer trust.
Last edited by DezertGirl; 01-18-2009 at 08:10 PM..
Reason: ACK! Typo!
I browse the "fire apparatus" listings just in case I find the "deal of a lifetime" and the Budget Director will let me bid on it. (When pigs fly...)
Anyway, I'm amazed at the wide variety of information in the listings. I'm amazed at the listings that improperly spell the make or model of the vehicle. I especially hate the ones where only a couple of photos (shot in a dark garage!) are provided. (Letter Lady, I'll bet that '41 Chevy dump truck was neat!)
I browse the "fire apparatus" listings just in case I find the "deal of a lifetime" and the Budget Director will let me bid on it. (When pigs fly...)
Anyway, I'm amazed at the wide variety of information in the listings. I'm amazed at the listings that improperly spell the make or model of the vehicle. I especially hate the ones where only a couple of photos (shot in a dark garage!) are provided. (Letter Lady, I'll bet that '41 Chevy dump truck was neat!)
Hi Crew Chief! I'll put a pic on my profile album just so you can see...it was too cool.
Those mispellings bite the sellers in the booty...correct spelling is crucial to keyword searches...
Some of the pix are simply horrible...I know what you mean!
THANKS EVERYONE!!!
I've gotten a lot of good tips here and I won the bid on a 1999 Accord for $3000. It kind of seems like a lot of good/bad experiences buying cars on eBay. Some swear by it, others say not to do it. I feel pretty good about my purchase and everything is going smoothly. I'll let ya know if anything changes!
Please register to post and access all features of our very popular forum. It is free and quick. Over $68,000 in prizes has already been given out to active posters on our forum. Additional giveaways are planned.
Detailed information about all U.S. cities, counties, and zip codes on our site: City-data.com.
Please register to participate in our discussions with 2 million other members - it's free and quick! Some forums can only be seen by registered members. After you create your account, you'll be able to customize options and access all our 15,000 new posts/day with fewer ads.
I have bought quite a few on Ebay and more likely than not will not ever buy elsewhere again.I have had GREAT luck doing it and have saved untold thousands.Another benefit I've had by doing it (besides getting to take a little trip to get them
) is I've not lost a single dime yet on any of them after driving them until I was bored and then reselling them locally.(Usually make a decent profit).
), a 1946 Chevrolet dump truck, a 1979 Firebird Esprit, a 1972 Suzuki Enduro-type motorcycle, a postal Jeep, 2 jet skis and a Porsche 914 parts car (the buyer didn't come see it, either). All clients were blissfully happy! They asked pertinent questions and I supplied very, very detailed descriptions and way too many pix.
