Why is ebay so full of timewasters!?

[BDR529]

I don't understand this, people winning the bid on your car then not even bothering to come look at it, let alone buy the damn thing.

It's an extra pain in the arse the bid ended the same day the MOT expired, this was so the person who won it could still drive it away on the same day. I am unsure what to do with the car now, as it is an MOT failure, but it still has tax until August. Been struggling to sell it, might just reclaim the tax and have it scrapped, but not sure what the scrap prices are now.

Is relisting a car free? I'm presuming it isn't.

If I report the guy, what are the chances of getting the listing fee cost off him?

Thanks


Now wheres the booze...

[MondeoMan1981]

If they won the auction they have entered into a contract to buy (not the right to have first option to buy). If you have their details you could pursue for your losses via moneyclaim online, I think...

[eltax91]

Issue an un paid item strike. You will then get your fees credited back. Try second chance offer on next bidder.

What is the car, what did it fail on and where in the country are you? Got a link?

[BDR529]

eltax91 said:

Issue an un paid item strike. You will then get your fees credited back. Try second chance offer on next bidder.

What is the car, what did it fail on and where in the country are you? Got a link?

97 Saxo VTR, failed on corrosion on the o/s sill, and the cat was blowing. Rest went through fine. Car is in Swansea

I was as honest as I could be in the advert, aside from the MOT failure the car is really well looked after with lots of SH and receipts etc.

[vxrandy]

What colour is it? I know someone who's looking for a front bumper if you scrap it.

[BDR529]

Posi blue, but the front bumper is cracked on it though.

[Twincam16]

Possibly because, bargain-central it may appear to be, it's a crap place to buy cars.

Compare it with Autotrader.co.uk. If you're selling a car it's accepted logic that you go along, have a look, take a buyer's guide, decide whether you like it and then make an offer.

In order to get to that stage on eBay you practically have to agree to buy the car before having a look at it in the flesh. The vendor can always 'send photos' but this is never truly representative.

Yes, lots of people may buy cars on eBay, but I suspect it's because it's cheap and has the illusion of convenience. Having tried to sell a car on eBay in the past, I wouldn't bother with anything other than Autotrader or, if the car was sought-after and in overtly good condition, a conventional auction house.

[Deluded]

It's full of time wasters because there is no consequence for bidding and not buying. People bid on multiple cars and then pick the one they want, or will go and view a few, then pick the one they want to buy.

Ebay is a waste of space. Great place to buy cheap stuff but rubbish for selling these days. Don't bother.

[dowahdiddyman]

Put it another way. Would you spend x amount on a car without even seeing it,taking only the owners description as a true reflection of the car.
I`ve sold 2 cars on fleabay, both for spares or repair and that is the only type of car I would sell/buy off there.

Unfortunately there are a lot of timewasters on ebay, they know that alot of people don`t give a stuff about feedback,it`s just a big con.

[BDR529]

The only reason I resorted to ebay was that Autotrader and Pistonheads classifieds weren't working for me at all. I suppose people are right about the "no consequence" thing. At least PH is free I guess...

-sigh-

Now I've got to decide what to do with the car.. is it worth flogging it with the tax still on, or taking the tax off and flogging it that way?

I'm not sure if it will sell for that much of a different amount without tax to be honest.

[TRUENOSAM]

I know the feeling mate. Pisses me right off.

I sold my Impreza on eBay and the highest bidder made the reserve and never collected. I wasnt happy


Sold it on PH instead

[Pugland53]

I find eBay fine if you advertise with a classified ad. I wouldn't sell a car via the auction though.

[ewan221]

I must of just been lucky :-) have bought and sold a few cars with no problems at all.

[russy01]

You know what eBay is like!!! Selling a car through auction is a nightmare....

[Slade Alive]

There is no happy medium on eBay. I've had awful look selling the odd motor on there over the years so seldom bother. My mate on the other hand has done amazing, and continues to do so.

[BDR529]

My mate suggested I break the car up and sell it in bits. I am tempted.
Would involve renting a lock up though. Though I think that way I could easily surpass the £200-300 I'm expecting to get for a car as a whole.

[BDR529]

Slade Alive said:

There is no happy medium on eBay. I've had awful look selling the odd motor on there over the years so seldom bother. My mate on the other hand has done amazing, and continues to do so.

I have used ebay to flog a knackered old Golf Mk3 before. A girl bid £350 and won it, and picked it up first thing the next morning. Hit and miss I guess.

[DannyVTS]

BDR529 said:

My mate suggested I break the car up and sell it in bits. I am tempted.
Would involve renting a lock up though. Though I think that way I could easily surpass the £200-300 I'm expecting to get for a car as a whole.

You should see 400 easy it's a lot of hassle though

If you want I can advertise it on saxperience for you ? Could also try 106owners

[BDR529]

DannyVTS said:

You should see 400 easy it's a lot of hassle though

If you want I can advertise it on saxperience for you ? Could also try 106owners

Thanks, that's very kind of you. Would you be able to advertise the whole car on there for me if I emailed you the pics? Appreciate it alot. Not sure what price to advertise it for, had bids for £350-400 for it beforehand.

It will make a very nice car for someone after a little bit of work.

[jonpe69]

I have bought and sold cars on Ebay, however after the last attempt at buying I won't be doing it again. The car I wanted was advertised as a buy it now so after receiving photos of the car and a long conversation with the owner I made the 150 mile trip to buy the car. The owner had been more than economical with the truth with a crude repair to the front of the car after an obvious front end smash. The damage was never disclosed even though I had asked the questions about accident damage and insurance write off recorded on the logbook (which after looking on the log book it was), he had even sent me pictures that just missed the damage out.
Buyers may be thinking that if the majority of sellers are playing the game why not play it themselves to make sure they buy a car that is as described. There was an add placed last year for a car that had run out of MOT and the buyer said that it would pass a new one easily but had no time to do it himself. His girlfriend answered a question off a potential buyer and told him she was sick of her boyfriends lies and that the car had failed it's MOT on a number of items and would cost hundreds to put right ( I will try and find the link from another forum). With sellers like this can you honestly blame buyers for being the way they are now.
As a final note I know there are genuine buyers and sellers on Ebay, but recently it seems to be a place to dump cars that wouldn't sell anywhere else.