Buying a Car on Ebay

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cars
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Joined: Sun Oct 03, 2004 12:00 pm

Buying a Car on Ebay

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I have three friends that have bought their Cars through "Ebay" motors, physcally unseen. As the cars were in Florida, (1,400 miles away) and they in Connecticut. They looked at dozens of close up pictures that were posted on line by the Ebay Car sellers of their desired Car. All three Cars were shipped via a Car Shipping company to my friends. All three got beautiful cars, looking like almost new. The Cars were as advertised, and they all are very happy. After seeing the terriffic Cars they got, I am embarresed to say, :o I decided to take a gamble on one myself. And that's exactally what it is, it's a "gamble"! ( If it's physcally sight unseen) I looked at dozens of beautiful pictures of the Car I wanted, (in Florida) same as they did. Although it was an older Car, it was said to supposedly only have 28,200 miles on it. I sent a deposit to the Ebay seller to hold the Car until I got there. As I was going to use the Car in Florida when I got there, as I was going to Florida for a 6 week vacation. Well, when I got to see the Car in person, what a shock!!! The Car resembled the Pictures, pictures that were taken to hide the many flaws, and the mechanical problems were not certainly not photograhped. A/C didn't work, a Headlight out, Interior lights out, Trunk lid would not close, custom wheels all pitted, and tarnished, engine Oil leaks, blue smoke out of tailpipe, just to name a few things. Way to many to list. The old saying goes: "Let the Buyer Beware"!!! Was that ever so true. Another wise saying is: "Pictures" don't lie, but "liers take Pictures"!! The Car seemed like it must have had 228,200 miles on it! :mad: After much debate I got my deposit back, I was lucky! (I then bought a Car the next day from a reliable registered Car Dealership. It's a great Car!!! :) Will never buy anything "expensive" sight unseen again!! Live & learn)
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Bill Sikes
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Buying a Car on Ebay

Post by Bill Sikes »

cars wrote: I have three friends that have bought their Cars through "Ebay" motors, physcally unseen. ( snip) Will never buy anything "expensive" sight unseen again!! Live & learn)


I'm going to buy a car via e-bay soon - I'm waiting to see what comes up. The thing to do is to ask lots of questions, it seems, and note that phrases such as "in working order" may mean anything from "works but is rough and about to explode" to "is in A1 condition". Also, e-bay is *not* (UK) an auction, legally - there's nothing to stop you renegeing on the deal apart from the possibility of losing your rating. If you send a deposit, ho hum - I think you really were lucky to get it back! N.B. sellers with good "feedback" are loathe to gain negatives!
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cars
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Joined: Sun Oct 03, 2004 12:00 pm

Buying a Car on Ebay

Post by cars »

Bill Sikes wrote: I'm going to buy a car via e-bay soon - I'm waiting to see what comes up. The thing to do is to ask lots of questions, it seems, and note that phrases such as "in working order" may mean anything from "works but is rough and about to explode" to "is in A1 condition". Also, e-bay is *not* (UK) an auction, legally - there's nothing to stop you renegeing on the deal apart from the possibility of losing your rating. If you send a deposit, ho hum - I think you really were lucky to get it back! N.B. sellers with good "feedback" are loathe to gain negatives!


Hi Bill, you're right to ask many questions and I did. "Daily" for three weeks till I got there. To the point that I probably drove the seller crazy, but- - -. But some of them bold face "lie" to you. I asked the seller over a dozen times is the A/C cold? As my wife can not take the 95 degrees & 90% humidity in July & August in Florida. I was told it was "ICE-COLD" each and every time right up to the morning I was going to pick up the car. When I got there the A/C did not work at all!!! It's an "insult" to your intellengence, did they not think I was going to try the A/C? :rolleyes:

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