Help - advice on buying a Chim on ebay
Discussion
I have just started looking for a Chim and BoyzToyz helpfully pointed me in this direction
Only I have never used Ebay before in my life, let alone something as expensive as a car.
Now this potentially looks like a nice one, I even think the light conversion looks good. So I think I maybe shouldn't ignore it.
Two questions. Does anyone know this car? And more generally, how do you go about buying a car on ebay? Is it usual for the bid to be "subject to condition" and for you to be able to organise inspections etc afterwards, or does all your due diligence have to be before the auction closes?
PS if anyone wants to sell me their Chim, let me know... I've set myself a budget of c £10K but could sneak over that for a good 'un.
Cheers, Phil
Only I have never used Ebay before in my life, let alone something as expensive as a car.
Now this potentially looks like a nice one, I even think the light conversion looks good. So I think I maybe shouldn't ignore it.
Two questions. Does anyone know this car? And more generally, how do you go about buying a car on ebay? Is it usual for the bid to be "subject to condition" and for you to be able to organise inspections etc afterwards, or does all your due diligence have to be before the auction closes?
PS if anyone wants to sell me their Chim, let me know... I've set myself a budget of c £10K but could sneak over that for a good 'un.
Cheers, Phil
Without shadow of a doubt, go and see it before you start bidding, then if you're still interested, get someone mechanically able and tvr-knowledgeable to inspect it. Then bid away, win it and enjoy it! (or walk away and buy one from an enthusiast on PH Classifieds, and be even more comfortable in your purchase!).
A lot of cars on ebay are bought off ebay before the bidding ends. (I've bought and sold a few off it)
If you do win it, you are committed to buying it so..
Treat it just as a normal add. Contact the seller, take a look, make sure the reason why it has a new front isn't because it was written off..!
If you are happy with the car, suggest an amount. If the seller agrees, he takes it off ebay and you have a shiny new motor.
If he doesn't, you know how much you're willing to bid up to
Good luck.
W.
If you do win it, you are committed to buying it so..
Treat it just as a normal add. Contact the seller, take a look, make sure the reason why it has a new front isn't because it was written off..!
If you are happy with the car, suggest an amount. If the seller agrees, he takes it off ebay and you have a shiny new motor.
If he doesn't, you know how much you're willing to bid up to
Good luck.
W.
Hey there,
I'd definitely advise going to see it first and get a test drive. This is very important as you'll want to know how it feels and sounds. Have you driven a Chim before? If you haven't then it'd be worth having a go before buying one.
As already said, if you do go and see it and want it then perhaps the seller would take it off auction and you could buy it there and then.
Good luck!
J
I'd definitely advise going to see it first and get a test drive. This is very important as you'll want to know how it feels and sounds. Have you driven a Chim before? If you haven't then it'd be worth having a go before buying one.
As already said, if you do go and see it and want it then perhaps the seller would take it off auction and you could buy it there and then.
Good luck!
J
Thank you. I'm weighing up whether it's worth contacting the buyer and maybe having a look at it over the weekend, or at least confirming the service history. However, the auction closes on Monday so realistically I'm not going to be able to organise an inspection or even a second opinion.
As I'm just putting my toe in the water, maybe an ebay auction is a bit rich for me at the moment. And I suppose I do wonder why a '99 with 24000 miles needs to be sold on ebay rather than through PH classifieds, although I'm sure people may have very valid reasons for preferring this sort of sale.
Yes, I drove one at Fernies and was quite impressed - not only by the performance (which I barely used) but how comfortable it began to feel driving. And I've been out a couple of times as a passenger so I know what they can really be driven like.
As I'm just putting my toe in the water, maybe an ebay auction is a bit rich for me at the moment. And I suppose I do wonder why a '99 with 24000 miles needs to be sold on ebay rather than through PH classifieds, although I'm sure people may have very valid reasons for preferring this sort of sale.
Yes, I drove one at Fernies and was quite impressed - not only by the performance (which I barely used) but how comfortable it began to feel driving. And I've been out a couple of times as a passenger so I know what they can really be driven like.
It's probably worth going to check it out. It'll be interesting to see how far the bidding goes up to, coz the seller probably isn't going to sell for less than £10-12k I wouldn't have thought?
Definitely drive it though before buying as they can all feel a bit different and you wanna make sure you feel comfortable in whatever you get. Whatever you get you're going to love it... you'll soon have a smile plastered from ear to ear!
Definitely drive it though before buying as they can all feel a bit different and you wanna make sure you feel comfortable in whatever you get. Whatever you get you're going to love it... you'll soon have a smile plastered from ear to ear!
ebay is as valid a mechanism as any other for selling a car, and is one of the best ways to get a quick sale. Remember that you are looking at an auction though, and price accordingly, and hope the seller is realistic (not always the case unfortunately).
Agree it's worth 10 - 12, but as it's an auction you may be lucky and get it a bit cheaper, so I'd ask as many sensible questions as possible (get the answers in writing by email), get as many pics as possible, and if it's not the other side of the country, go and have a look.
If it is the other side of the country, then it's reasonable to make your bid on the understanding the car is as described in the advert - which means you will expect to inspect it when you turn up with the cash.
Any reasonable seller will understand this, as long as you don't go along expecting to haggle, and you do have full payment ready.
Agree it's worth 10 - 12, but as it's an auction you may be lucky and get it a bit cheaper, so I'd ask as many sensible questions as possible (get the answers in writing by email), get as many pics as possible, and if it's not the other side of the country, go and have a look.
If it is the other side of the country, then it's reasonable to make your bid on the understanding the car is as described in the advert - which means you will expect to inspect it when you turn up with the cash.
Any reasonable seller will understand this, as long as you don't go along expecting to haggle, and you do have full payment ready.
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