Why do people buy cars on Ebay?
Discussion
Without seeing them.
A couple of years back on holiday, I was talking to a woman who was travelling from Porthmadoc to Stalybridge that afternoon to pick up a car she had "won" on Ebay for £800.
This was well over a hundred miles, she had not even seen it, never mid driven and inspected it, when I asked her the same question she said, "Well I've bought a few like this and they have been OK".
Very strange.......It might have needed £2000 of repair work, new clutch, tyres etc........
A couple of years back on holiday, I was talking to a woman who was travelling from Porthmadoc to Stalybridge that afternoon to pick up a car she had "won" on Ebay for £800.
This was well over a hundred miles, she had not even seen it, never mid driven and inspected it, when I asked her the same question she said, "Well I've bought a few like this and they have been OK".
Very strange.......It might have needed £2000 of repair work, new clutch, tyres etc........
If it's not as described when you get there, there's no obligation to buy it.
I've bought cars before unseen, had a bit of an idea from asking questions and checking the photos what I might be in store for, but really anything major is going to be obvious fairly quickly, anything minor can either be fixed or left. If the price is right then it's not a bad option.
I've bought cars before unseen, had a bit of an idea from asking questions and checking the photos what I might be in store for, but really anything major is going to be obvious fairly quickly, anything minor can either be fixed or left. If the price is right then it's not a bad option.
Wacky Racer said:
Ah, I didn't realise this....I thought you HAD to buy it.
Maybe not so bad with a banger that you EXPECT to spend a bit on, but on a car costing many thousands, I would give it a miss I think.
Maybe not so bad with a banger that you EXPECT to spend a bit on, but on a car costing many thousands, I would give it a miss I think.
"For sale is my immaculate Renault Megane. Not a mark on her, full service history and MoT until 2019. £500."
"What the f
k?""You've agreed to buy it now mate, buyer beware..."
Are French cars really built that badly? It hit the tree so hard that the roof shifted forwards and the boot fell off!
"For sale is my immaculate Renault Megane. Not a mark on her, full service history and MoT until 2019. £500."
"What the fk?"
"You've agreed to buy it now mate, buyer beware..."
simoid said:
"For sale is my immaculate Renault Megane. Not a mark on her, full service history and MoT until 2019. £500."
"What the f
k?""You've agreed to buy it now mate, buyer beware..."
Liszt said:
There is a post somewhere on here about a bloke who bought a car unseen in Japan. He lives in Scandinavia
Anyone buying a fresh Jap import effectively does that. I know you have the paperwork to give a rough idea but no more than an eBay description really, it's unseen until the day that container door is opened...I sold a car on a forum to someone 500 miles away who had never viewed the car prior to it being collected on his behalf.
He was delighted with the car.
Personally I wouldn't buy a car unseen. There is not only people who are dishonest, some people just don't have an eye for things that are obvious to others.
Very good condition for year means completely different things to different people.
He was delighted with the car.
Personally I wouldn't buy a car unseen. There is not only people who are dishonest, some people just don't have an eye for things that are obvious to others.
Very good condition for year means completely different things to different people.
DanielSan said:
Anyone buying a fresh Jap import effectively does that. I know you have the paperwork to give a rough idea but no more than an eBay description really, it's unseen until the day that container door is opened...
This i bought when it was on the boat 
This is one of the auction pictures
There was a post last year someone bought a Merc Pagoda SL from the US, they are slightly cheaper over there. IIRC he had it independently inspected before buying though but then that is a much bigger purchase, it's unlikely you'd pay someone £150 to look at a £800 car especially if it was an auction you didn't know that you'd win.
3 of my last 4 dailies were all purchased from eBay and I didn't view until collection. Mixed bag for sure but you are allowed to walk away if there is something not disclosed and I have done this.
You have the advantage of buyer history on ebay which I've found to be a good gauge and something sellers are protective of.
Much prefer it and there is a sense of adventure about collecting.
You have the advantage of buyer history on ebay which I've found to be a good gauge and something sellers are protective of.
Much prefer it and there is a sense of adventure about collecting.
I just sold my car to a chap from Cornwall and i'm in east London.
He bought it because I wrote a very good and honest description and he asked if there was anything to add.
He took my word for it and I gave him a bit of money off for his trouble and first tank.
He got a bloody good car for very little money. I only wish more sellers were like me.
My last 2 cars have been bought from a good distance away c.100 miles. I always found issues with them later on despite being very thorough with questioning and having a good rapport with the sellers. Why can't people just be honest? We should all expect to spend some money on a car after buying it
He bought it because I wrote a very good and honest description and he asked if there was anything to add.
He took my word for it and I gave him a bit of money off for his trouble and first tank.
He got a bloody good car for very little money. I only wish more sellers were like me.
My last 2 cars have been bought from a good distance away c.100 miles. I always found issues with them later on despite being very thorough with questioning and having a good rapport with the sellers. Why can't people just be honest? We should all expect to spend some money on a car after buying it
You obviously have a "distrust" streak within your character.
Fact 1:- Most people, (I would guess close to 80%-90%), are perfectly honest and genuine and not out to screw their fellow human being.
Fact 2:- In every aspect of life, be they estate agents, builders, drivers, drinkers, or anyone else you would care to mention, within their ranks are a minority that f**ks it up for the majority - and the majority allow it. The majority are you and me and there is little we can do about it. My particular soap-box are the pathetic minority of people that throw their rubbish all over our green and pleasant land. They have little concern with the environment that they share with you and me.
I buy around 2-3 cars a week off the internet WITHOUT seeing them in the flesh. In 10 years I have only rejected 2, 1 because of bodywork damage and the left over odour of a bloody dog and the other because they advertised the car as 3100 miles, but when I got there it had done 31000 miles.
Fact 1:- Most people, (I would guess close to 80%-90%), are perfectly honest and genuine and not out to screw their fellow human being.
Fact 2:- In every aspect of life, be they estate agents, builders, drivers, drinkers, or anyone else you would care to mention, within their ranks are a minority that f**ks it up for the majority - and the majority allow it. The majority are you and me and there is little we can do about it. My particular soap-box are the pathetic minority of people that throw their rubbish all over our green and pleasant land. They have little concern with the environment that they share with you and me.
I buy around 2-3 cars a week off the internet WITHOUT seeing them in the flesh. In 10 years I have only rejected 2, 1 because of bodywork damage and the left over odour of a bloody dog and the other because they advertised the car as 3100 miles, but when I got there it had done 31000 miles.
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