ebay experiences

[greenone]

I've never purchased a vehicle off ebay but I'm starting to look there as a possible source.

Anyone have any experience with buying a truck through ebay?

I'm currently watching 4577904445 hoping I guess for a deal of the decade.

So far, the seller has responded to my first few questions and even sent some pictures. BEAUTIFUL!

Anyone?

[CACWBY]

Not buying a Truck, but I have purchased less expensive items and so far had nothing but good experiences. Do the obvious and look at their feedback ratings, etc.

But I have found that looking at Vehicles in Pictures and then seeing them in person are Two entirely different things. A year or so ago I was interested in a 55 plymouth 2 dr sedan at a place in IL on way to St Louis, called Country Classics had listed at their website, for around 5000. (I don't recall exactly) and it looked really good on line, well I went down to St Louis on Business and stopped by and I could not talk myself into even talking to anyone about it - it was so rough. I guess I'd need to be able to inspect it first hand if it was a vehicle, but have known of people buying sight unseen. Good Luck,

[CACWBY]

I just visited that Item #, 71 Truck, No Photos Posted with Auction, but he can send you pictures? (whats with that?) and Seler has no previous sales, yeah - I'd be reall careful, but if you can see it before finalizing, or know some one in the area. Maybe someone here (who isn't interested themselves) lives close in AR.

[roachrider]

I've bought a '93 Grand Cherokee, '94 Grand Cherokee, '95 Cherokee and my '67 F-250(in my profile picture) all from eBay.

The Jeeps were all from people with high feedback that just sell vehicles. They all had HUGE pictures. However, realize that nothing looks the same in pictures as real life, no matter how accurate the picture.

The truck I was able to look at in person. The seller had represented it very accurately.

So far, all my experiences have been very positive.

The only thing I would be cautious of is sellers with little or no feedback that don't write lengthy descriptions or include pictures.

If you do encounter someone like that that has a vehicle you're interested in, use an escrow service, and get HIGH RES pictures of every inch of the vehicle beforehand. Don't settle for a couple shots of the whole vehicle, insist on up close shots.

[Comet]

greenone, I don't know where you're from (you did not put that on your member info), but these trucks are plentiful in most parts of the country. I would never buy a vehicle off ebay if I could touch and feel one in person so easily. It only takes me a few minutes to find these trucks for sale in my area. Also, I would never buy from a seller with no feedback, and certainly nothing bad.

[fordman]

i bought a van on ebay just last week all i saw were pictures. i was after the engine that was all i wanted. the transmission was suppose to be bad. i called the guy and he said the trans was bad and the engine was fine. so i bought it. i took a chance gambled and i won. i got to the van and it ran fine the van looked like the pics. but the transmission did work but only enough to go about a block. so this guy was just covering himself and said it was bad. i got a good deal i think. especially for what i paid for it.

[72hiboy4x4]

My brother-in-law bought his dream car (a mustang GT) off ebay, and did he get taken for a ride!!
he lived in Las vegas, the car was in the deep south. he didn't have anyone look at it, bought it for the asking price + shipping. when he got the car, everything that made the car a GT was gone - air dam, lighting, spoiler..ect ect.
the windshield was busted because the hood had come open on the carrier and folded back, there were engine parts missing, the emisions were completely gone, and Vegas is a strict emisions area!
the seller blamed the truck driver.... The truck driver blamed the seller for everything but the windshield. that he said someone opened the hood and stole the engine parts.

to make a long story short he sold the car a year later for a major loss and never did get to drive it or get his money back from the seller.
IF YOU DO BUY A CAR, COVER YOUR @SS!!
have someone look the car over and send you pics!
use an escrow service and insurance.
don't sign for the car from the shipper unless it is exactly what it looks like in the pics. this is where my bro-in-law made his mistake. when you sign for the car, its all yours! the transporter is done with it!

oops sorry, I'll get off the soapbox now....... next!

[fordman]

another thought i had was the van i bought had a buyer protection thing if you used paypal. that is the real reason i took the gamble

[bluef250]

We bought a van on eBay. I think it was a good deal as I could not find one in this remote rural area. Paper work ended up being an issue, but it worked out. Know how the title transfers between states, know your seller, know the vehicle transport company, know how funds will be transferred, and know what your insurance will cover if issues arise during the process. Talk these items over with the seller. If I buy another through eBay, I would consider (based on cost) going to get vehicle, money in hand, and drive it back. Good luck.

[4x4x4crewcab]

I have sold 5 vehicles out of 7 listings and couldn't think of a better source of advertising or a better way to sell a car. I of course spent a large amount of time on my descriptions and have great feedback. I would expect the same from any seller wishing to sell a large money item. I even purchased the Crown Vic I drive everyday 1 year ago from ebay. All I can say is Feedback is very important and a great tool. If no or low feedback as in this case, well I would be a bit concerned unless I was close enough to go see and meet the seller in person. Pictures can be decieving as mentioned before be carful. Unless you are close enough to see in person or you know for a fact your total $ out will make this a good safe purchase I wouldn't. There are alot of these trucks another will come around. I would watch it though and if reserve isn't met and you feel comfortable with the sellers emails maybe pursure but at this point your not obligated to his terms. GOOD LUCK

[zakt]

Ive bought low dollar parts mostly and sold low dollar parts... although I sold my totaled mustang cobra off ebay per say... since there were no bids I dropped it out of ebay and dealt with the buyer directly saving paying the fees bought a set of rims from a tire shop also after the bidding was over when they didnt sell also directly through the seller..

I have never had any problems thus far but would never bid on a car since I believe you have to see that in person first with that kind of money involved....so I usually go through the auto trader for that and either drive out etc to see it first before handing over the cash I also do everything through paypal ....

Todd

[The Good Humor Man]

I bought my Good Humor truck off ebay, sight unseen.
I had it shipped to me and the worst part was the shipper, Town and Country out of Florida, they were a nightmare. I paid for secure inclosed carrier, they dropped it in a yard in N.Y. for 4 days, then loaded it on a open truck, and took it for a tour of the country. They were lucky that none of the stuff that couldn't be replaced was stolen off the truck in the 8 days it was unguarded.
The truck wasn't as nice as I could tell from the pictures, but it worked out well, and I am glad I bought it.

[71-F-250SC-72-F-250C]

I won a truck off of ebay, and when I got there, I saw a misrepresented pos. The cab was sitting on the column, and there were stress cracks in the metal of the cab in the door jams. It was a mess. The owner got mad, and contacted ebay, but I got out of all of it, because it was misrepresented NO RUST . Yeah I've heard that one before. I would try to go take a look at the truck, but I have no idea where Brinkley Arkansas is. I will look on the map though.

Stephen

[Joe Kriston]

I've sold two vehicles on eBay and they were both pleasant experiences....Although my feedback rating is only "2"...The guy that bought my '70 Sport Custom scared the hell out of me when he told me he was flying in and driving it 3000 miles home...I never drove it more than 40 miles in one trip...So I took it and paid a couple hundred bucks to have it serviced and make sure it was road ready to make sure my conscience was clear...

Sometimes feedback ratings can be decieving...People will boost them by buying and selling a bunch of nickel and dime items...They ought to have some kind of dollar amount to more accurately describe a buyer or a seller's feedback rating ...In other words,say a guy's a real honest seller when it comes to two-dollar trinkets,but when real money is involved,like say for a used car,then it's more likely for a person's shadiness to show it's true colors...

I'd ask a ton of questions,get phone numbers....I spent a lot of time on the phone with both my buyers,and I over-described everything...If I was going to spend thousands on a used vehicle sight-unseen,I'd want to know name,phone number,name of first-born and where his mother lives...Be careful of dealers,too...They're experts at covering their asses...

[bwc302]

I would not buy one I could not see face to face, but that is just me.


btw... Brinkly is over by the Tenn border close to Forest City on I40 heading toward Memphis (40 - 60 miles inside Arkansas if I remember)