Date:         Sat, 21 Apr 2001 21:34:34 -0700
Reply-To:     radish150 <radish150@earthlink.net>
Sender:       Vanagon Mailing List <vanagon@gerry.vanagon.com>
From:         radish150 <radish150@earthlink.net>
Subject:      Buying auto's on ebay
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> Date:    Sat, 21 Apr 2001 21:16:29 -0600
> From:    John Brush
> Subject: buying vanagon @ ebay
>
> I have seen some posts about folks having problems on ebay, but I can't
> say I have ever seen anyone here report on actually purchasing a running
> vehicle via that service.
>
> There often seems to be some pretty nice vans for sale, and I usually put
> a watch on them so I can see the final selling point. Some go for what
> appear to be pretty fair prices to me.
>
> Has anyone here ever bought one that way? Has anyone ever wanted too? :) I
> have no experience buying a vehicle long distance, and was just wondering
> how it works with the registration and all that legal trash.
>
> Just wanting to see some other ideas or opinions on it. I get tempted
> pretty easy, as my van is great, but I wouldn't mind moving up a few years
> from the 81 air cooled. Maybe just a mood I am in.
>
> Comments or warnings, horror stories?
>
> Regards from Utah,
>
>
I've only bid on one, I barely lost it, shoulda gone a bit higher. From what I learned I shoulda gone ALLOT higher, it was a low mileage euro spec 928 P that had what turned out to be NIL mechanical probs. It just needed a battery and fuel system cleaning.

Anyway, no never bought a car there but I've sold about 8 on ebay. From my experience, I'd say that about 70% of my auto auctions go properly, with no glitches. Maybe 30% though, range from very annoying smaller failures like bidders who change their mind, to all out nightmares with people trying to fraudulently manipulate the auctions.

As far as buying a car goes, I'll say this. If the car is rare and desirable, it may well go for more than what you'd get for it in a 30 day period in a major U.S. city. I sold a 68 Jeepster Commando for 5 grand, and it would have hard to get that even after months of advertising in Seattle.

If though, your bidding on an auto that is relatively common, if they are willing to sell at a bargain price, you very well may get it. Of course you assume quite a bit of risk if you can't arrange to preview before you bid. If your interested in a car that you can't go check out personally, it may well be worth it to pay a mechanic to go do a quick inspection for you. I've seen some really good auto deals go thru ebay. The more rare the auto though, the less likely you are to get any sort of "deal". I'd do it though, you can always head down real quick and check that sucker out yourself after the auction, and if
it's not what the seller says it is, you can allways back out without feeling too badly. You'll likely gain some neg feedback but it won't kill you.

My 1.9 cents.
Mark...