Ebay: the usual comedians...
Discussion
So I list the bike with a £500 start, a reserve and a Buy It Now.
In less than an hour I had three watchers. Now I have 38.
I've been offered a grand and £1300, and this without anyone coming to see the bike. If I was spending that sort of money, I'd want to know what I was buying, regardless of the glowing write-up or seller's feedback.
Another guy wants to know the ins and outs of a fart: every scratch, scrape, chip, ding, mark... despite the fact that I said in the ad. 'rough as a badger's arse, 100K miles on motorways, one careless owner'.
Maybe I should have just stuck it in Autotrader.
In less than an hour I had three watchers. Now I have 38.
I've been offered a grand and £1300, and this without anyone coming to see the bike. If I was spending that sort of money, I'd want to know what I was buying, regardless of the glowing write-up or seller's feedback.
Another guy wants to know the ins and outs of a fart: every scratch, scrape, chip, ding, mark... despite the fact that I said in the ad. 'rough as a badger's arse, 100K miles on motorways, one careless owner'.
Maybe I should have just stuck it in Autotrader.
wedg1e said:
So I list the bike with a £500 start, a reserve and a Buy It Now.
In less than an hour I had three watchers. Now I have 38.
I've been offered a grand and £1300, and this without anyone coming to see the bike. If I was spending that sort of money, I'd want to know what I was buying, regardless of the glowing write-up or seller's feedback.
Another guy wants to know the ins and outs of a fart: every scratch, scrape, chip, ding, mark... despite the fact that I said in the ad. 'rough as a badger's arse, 100K miles on motorways, one careless owner'.
Maybe I should have just stuck it in Autotrader.
In less than an hour I had three watchers. Now I have 38.
I've been offered a grand and £1300, and this without anyone coming to see the bike. If I was spending that sort of money, I'd want to know what I was buying, regardless of the glowing write-up or seller's feedback.
Another guy wants to know the ins and outs of a fart: every scratch, scrape, chip, ding, mark... despite the fact that I said in the ad. 'rough as a badger's arse, 100K miles on motorways, one careless owner'.
Maybe I should have just stuck it in Autotrader.
You would be surprised how many people will buy a bike and pay before they even see it. My uncle bought a Honda 900 from eBay. He won the auction, went to collect it and the seller asked if he wanted to hear it run. My uncle said no, put it on the trailer and off he went. He bought a Pontiac Firebird the other week and agreed £3000 to end the auction. He went and was surprised at how good the car actually was and expected it to be a shed but would still have bought it.
I had a lot of jokers via ebay when I was selling my '02 Yam XJR. It was uttelry perfect condition and only 1350 miles. I had comments like "I can get an '04 for the same price" - yes, with 4 times the mileage and not such good nick. If the '04 is better, go and get it and don't tell me about it! That, and countless offers around the same price as any '02 with average mileage. All this without any of them actually viewing it. The first guy who did view bought it on the spot. He came all the way from Ireland to buy it and even had to pay 700 euros reg. fee on his return. But he knew how good the bike was and felt it was worth it.
Same sort of problems selling my Corvette, which also sold to the first proper viewer (the first guy wanted an auto, and I still don't really know why he bothered TBH
). Time-wasters and jokers aplenty, just don't let them get you down. I have to go through it all again very soon with my Mk1 Escort and my Camaro - dreading it 
Same sort of problems selling my Corvette, which also sold to the first proper viewer (the first guy wanted an auto, and I still don't really know why he bothered TBH
). Time-wasters and jokers aplenty, just don't let them get you down. I have to go through it all again very soon with my Mk1 Escort and my Camaro - dreading it Fleabay has its share of wankers but its also somewhere top to pick up a bargain. I paid three and a half "Buy It Now" for my Falco off the 'bay without viewing the bike. It was undervalued for condition and age, seller had about a dozen high res photos showing how mint it was. I paid 200 as a deposit over paypal within 24 hours and the balance on inspecting the bike when I went to pick it up 2 weeks later. It was like new.
If an ad looks dodgy, it probably is. If a seller sounds dodgy, he probably is. Check out feedback, previous items and ask seller questions to gauge your trust. Works for me!
If an ad looks dodgy, it probably is. If a seller sounds dodgy, he probably is. Check out feedback, previous items and ask seller questions to gauge your trust. Works for me!
Must admit I haven't bought much more than bits and pieces from e-bay but the stuff has always been ok when delivered.
Buying a car/bike if I couldn't get to look at it, I would make sure I had a GOOD description of all the bits, condition, mileage, interior, exterior, when last painted etc etc. If it wasn't as described I would walk away with my money still in my hand irrespective of their "bidding to buy" clause. Would obviously prefer to see first of course. Looking for a car shortly.
You'll find the papers autotrader etc the same. load of tossers wasting time.
Sold loads of cars over the years (i'm 53) and you'll not believe the toe rags Ive had on my phone & doorstep.
"Really wanted a red one"
"Really wanted an estate"
"Would you swop it for a boat"
"Yours is too expensive, I can get a xxMY for that price, it says so in my Guide Price book" (that guy rang 4 times one night to tell me that!
Had a guy in a HGV rig ring me from France about an M3, must have bought Top Marques for an overnight read. (I lived north of Newcastle 300 miles from the channel)
etc etc
Buying a car/bike if I couldn't get to look at it, I would make sure I had a GOOD description of all the bits, condition, mileage, interior, exterior, when last painted etc etc. If it wasn't as described I would walk away with my money still in my hand irrespective of their "bidding to buy" clause. Would obviously prefer to see first of course. Looking for a car shortly.
You'll find the papers autotrader etc the same. load of tossers wasting time.
Sold loads of cars over the years (i'm 53) and you'll not believe the toe rags Ive had on my phone & doorstep.
"Really wanted a red one"
"Really wanted an estate"
"Would you swop it for a boat"
"Yours is too expensive, I can get a xxMY for that price, it says so in my Guide Price book" (that guy rang 4 times one night to tell me that!
Had a guy in a HGV rig ring me from France about an M3, must have bought Top Marques for an overnight read. (I lived north of Newcastle 300 miles from the channel)
etc etc
Skyedriver said:
Must admit I haven't bought much more than bits and pieces from e-bay but the stuff has always been ok when delivered.
Buying a car/bike if I couldn't get to look at it, I would make sure I had a GOOD description of all the bits, condition, mileage, interior, exterior, when last painted etc etc. If it wasn't as described I would walk away with my money still in my hand irrespective of their "bidding to buy" clause. Would obviously prefer to see first of course. Looking for a car shortly.
You'll find the papers autotrader etc the same. load of tossers wasting time.
Sold loads of cars over the years (i'm 53) and you'll not believe the toe rags Ive had on my phone & doorstep.
"Really wanted a red one"
"Really wanted an estate"
"Would you swop it for a boat"
"Yours is too expensive, I can get a xxMY for that price, it says so in my Guide Price book" (that guy rang 4 times one night to tell me that!
Had a guy in a HGV rig ring me from France about an M3, must have bought Top Marques for an overnight read. (I lived north of Newcastle 300 miles from the channel)
etc etc
Buying a car/bike if I couldn't get to look at it, I would make sure I had a GOOD description of all the bits, condition, mileage, interior, exterior, when last painted etc etc. If it wasn't as described I would walk away with my money still in my hand irrespective of their "bidding to buy" clause. Would obviously prefer to see first of course. Looking for a car shortly.
You'll find the papers autotrader etc the same. load of tossers wasting time.
Sold loads of cars over the years (i'm 53) and you'll not believe the toe rags Ive had on my phone & doorstep.
"Really wanted a red one"
"Really wanted an estate"
"Would you swop it for a boat"
"Yours is too expensive, I can get a xxMY for that price, it says so in my Guide Price book" (that guy rang 4 times one night to tell me that!
Had a guy in a HGV rig ring me from France about an M3, must have bought Top Marques for an overnight read. (I lived north of Newcastle 300 miles from the channel)
etc etc
Skye. Thats a long way north of Newcastle.
First off, anyone who disregarded my 'Bidding to buy' clause and walked away leaving me with a pile of fees would suddenly find an awful lot of grief every time he listed something. 
I've had an email from a breaker: 'What time shall I come to collect it? I'll be bringing the cash with me'.
How can you bring the cash when you don't know the price? If you are prepared to pay the full price, then click 'Buy it now' and we have a deal. If you think you can turn up, kick tyres and make a silly offer, stay in your little yard full of rotting bikes and dogshit and don't waste your fuel, fool. There are five more days to go and 54 people 'watching'. I'm not taking the first silly offer that comes along. If I can't get the price 'as is', I'll do what my bro did with his Bandit 1200 and break it for spares. Instead of £1500-1800 for the bike he made £2900 from the bits.
I've had an email from a breaker: 'What time shall I come to collect it? I'll be bringing the cash with me'.
How can you bring the cash when you don't know the price? If you are prepared to pay the full price, then click 'Buy it now' and we have a deal. If you think you can turn up, kick tyres and make a silly offer, stay in your little yard full of rotting bikes and dogshit and don't waste your fuel, fool. There are five more days to go and 54 people 'watching'. I'm not taking the first silly offer that comes along. If I can't get the price 'as is', I'll do what my bro did with his Bandit 1200 and break it for spares. Instead of £1500-1800 for the bike he made £2900 from the bits.
wedg1e said:
First off, anyone who disregarded my 'Bidding to buy' clause and walked away leaving me with a pile of fees would suddenly find an awful lot of grief every time he listed something.
Agree with you but if the item WAS NOT AS DESCRIBED you have every right to. And I would report the seller to e-bay.
A contract is a two way thing
BTW I haven't yet walked away and hope I never have to.
Speaking of eBay, a mate saw this on another bike forum and sent me the link...
eBay 'must have' - sale of the century!!
eBay 'must have' - sale of the century!!
skyedriver said:
wedg1e said:
First off, anyone who disregarded my 'Bidding to buy' clause and walked away leaving me with a pile of fees would suddenly find an awful lot of grief every time he listed something.
Agree with you but if the item WAS NOT AS DESCRIBED you have every right to. And I would report the seller to e-bay.
A contract is a two way thing
BTW I haven't yet walked away and hope I never have to.
To be fair, most Ebay sellers give pretty good and honest descriptions, unlike most of what you see on Auto Trader. I guess the expectation from Auto Trader is that you WILL view the car and it's your job to find the faults i.e. 'Sold as seen', whereas on Ebay it's more often 'Sold as described'
I've bought 2 bikes and 3 cars from Ebay, and they were all acurately described. I've also bought from Auto Trader, but have been much more wary!
Buck
skyedriver said:
wedg1e said:
a deal was done and the bike is sold, for the asking price plus a bit! 
well done, good to hear you weren't hassled, now, whats next on your purchase list?
Nothing, that's it! No more. I reckon the ST13 should last till I'm 50, after that who knows?
Still in two minds whether to sell the TVR: it doesn't do many things better than the bike apart from make a glorious noise and drink petrol... but it does pi55 the neighbours off, so that's reason enough to keep it, I reckon
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