Careful if you're buying a car on eBay

[SLinKyjoe]

I'm a seller on eBay and find it a lot of fun. I sell old vinyl records and accessories like protective sleeves etc. so no 'life or death' sums of money involved. Started it to pass the time since I became unwell and retired, but now it pays for the holiday in the sun twice a year and helps keep the old MB on the road! Bought several jukeboxes in the past but cash on collection so no worries there. Nearly four years now and, touch wood, never been a hiccup.
Just wish I'D thought of it!

good man. keeps you healthy by the sound of it.

 

[Bobthebuilder58]

I bought my 500 SEL on e-bay a short while ago and it's great!!! I went to view it first (ABOUT 60 MILES AWAY) and the lady who was selling it was charming and very helpful.I had a real good look at it.I eventually won the auction for it knowing that some of the sellers (THE HUSBAND) mates were bidding me up.I just decided to bid what i thought it was worth.When i went to pick the car up I saw the husband for the first time...................Jesus!!!!! ....he looked like one of the dodgy'est blokes i have ever seen in my life.I did think about running away as fast as I could!!!!
I checked the car out beforehand with HPI etc, and the sellers had all the documents so i bought it! What a fantastic car it has turned out to be.

I must say that if i had seen the bloke first i wouldn't have bid on the car at all.

Bob.

 

[littlebrooklyn]

This has nothing to do with eBay! It's just a naive move of a 42 old mother... very stupid!

But any how I bought loads of stuff from eBay inc my £169 Audio APS 30 what is working excellent!

Yep one very stupid lady for sure

 

[big x]

Millions have. I'm just not one of them. Never bought anything from a car boot sale either.

I like the "idea" of eBay, just a bit concerned about my money going walkies.

A couple of years ago I was buying and selling new watches internationally on Ebay,a high risk catagory.
Never had a single problem in 300 or so tranactions worth 250k using Paypal.
Americans think nothing of sending $1000 via Paypal. Learn the ropes of Ebay/paypal and there are no more pitfalls than using the UK banking system and certainly less than accepting credit cards direct.Credit card number harvesting is a problem in ecommerce and with credit cards in general.

adam

 

[Blobcat]

A couple of years ago I was buying and selling watches internationally on Ebay,a high risk catagory.
Never had a single problem in 300 or so tranactions worth 250k using Paypal.
Americans think nothing of sending $1000 via Paypal. Learn the ropes of Ebay/paypal and there are no more pitfalls than using the UK banking system and certainly less than accepting credit cards direct.Credit card number harvesting is a problem in ecommerce and with credit cards in general.

adam

I'm guessing you weren't selling Patek Philippe for just over $100 then . I've watched a few of them to see the feedback given, some very -ve and some just don't know. Although the -ve's should really know better.

 

[Speedmaster]

I bought out 1999 Sl320 off e-bay and it was a great transaction, got better servive from the chap than I would from a dealer. I appreciate there is a lot of bad stuff and I was lucky

 

[Rory]

Can't order stuff on line with a cheque though. My brother ordered some electronic components on-line from an outfit in Scotland once and then about a week later had a call from the Police telling him that he would be getting a credit card bill for £25,000 because the company had been using customers cards to order stock! The police had already informed the credit card company so nobody expected him to pay it but a couple of hundred quid here and there is less likely to be spotted.

I use a credit card that guarantees it will refund any dodgy transaction. My card is Marbles, and they were (I think) the first to offer that, but quite a few do now. I've never tested it, so don't know if the guarantee stands up.

I don't think it covers eBay though, as those transactions go through eBay. I guess if PayPal defrauded me I'd be OK!

I should add that I keep the cards limit low - £1000 - so a £25K hit would never be possible.

 

[jberks]

To be fair, this could just as easily have happened from an autotrader add. They don't necessarily have any contact info, you just call into the office and pay by cash.
I won't buy if it's not via paypal, who I then pay with a credit card, just as I won't pay for a holiday without a credit card - just a sensible precaution that saved me weeks of aggro and probably thousands of pounds when the agent went bust without actually booking it.
However, I've been very happy with the items I've bought on ebay and friends trade on there with no problem. A mate bought a cheap car and the seller even delivered it from 150 miles away. He's delighted with it.

 

[mjrennie]

ebay is great. bought and sold lots. had 1 problem. saved bundles. this guy in the story, i feel for him. but, he was desperately naive, poor lad.

i acquired a watch from a luxury watch store in miami. watched the auction, it did not sell. i traced the company in miami and found them to be real legit high end watch dealers. i saved 1700 quid on uk list price. 1700! wired the cash, fedexed to me 3 days later. i checked out the company through various us trading associations they belonged to and via the bank before i wired the money. i called the store several times, at different itmes of the day, etc.you can be secure if you play it cool and think about the avenues.

www.swisssupply.com, or something.

hilarious site, they have a watch for 1.4million dollars. you gotta laugh.

 

[OmniCognateNeutronRangler]

LB you said it was a lady. Last night they had a report on the news about it and it was a bloke from Crawley in West Sussex (mid 20's at a guess)

 

[Blobcat]

LB you said it was a lady. Last night they had a report on the news about it and it was a bloke from Crawley in West Sussex (mid 20's at a guess)

Pls have a look at the article in the first post of this thread

 

[OmniCognateNeutronRangler]

Well I was right about the age at least.

 

[gls5000]

Ebay is useful if you use it properly and do your research to make sure you can't get it anywhere else cheaper.

Where else can you get a pristine £131 Mercedes phone cradle for £51 like I did?

My wife also sells loads of products that she makes herself. It's a great avenue for productive types like my wife who would otherwise not have an outlet.

You do have to be cynical on ebay though. This car scam is the extreme but people scam everyday when they claim they haven't received a product so they can get their money back and their product for free. Or vice versa, a seller takes payment but doesn't send anything. This is worryingly prevalent. And unfortunately you always have to cope with Americans who almost always send national cheques in dollars and think that the exchange rate is 1 to 1. But that's just stupidity rather than malice.

 

[OmniCognateNeutronRangler]

gls5000, I trust your wife is informing the tax man that she is selling her wares on eBay

 

[Hanz]

I sell on ebay. Never had many problems with selling but buying cars you have to be really wary. I've ended up selling a few cars, being very honest about the description but the buyer will still turn up and try and knock you down even though they have a bargain already.

I brought my Merc off ebay, I thought I had a bargain, but ECU went a week after a week. It ran lovely on the test run, engine clean, and bodywork was great. I ended up spending a further 600+ on getting the car fixed. Now theres another problem, but I guess you could have the same problem with a car you brought private. Next time I buy on ebay I'll probably get a good inspection.

I have brought a few bargains on ebay, mainly just small things apart from cars. I mainly stick to selling my handmade soap on there now as I can build up a customer base that way...

 

[OmniCognateNeutronRangler]

I bought my Merc from a proper garage and it still cost £1000 to get it fixed within a month of buying it. Only plus side is that the garage paid for it all (didn't even argue! Baynards on Sussex/Surrey Border - strongly recomend them).

I don't see buying a car on eBay is really any different to buying one from the AutoTrader or even the local paper.

 

[Hanz]

I have brought a car from a garage (my trusty clio!) and it seemed to be great, plus you have more back up when something goes wrong.

I was going to say about the AA inspections you can get on cars? Anyone ever found that worthwhile if you haven't got someone who knows what they're looking at?

 

[Blobcat]

I would have thought with your recent experience with the AA you would steer clear of them

 

[Hanz]

Well I think I will, I have plenty of friends who can help me out looking for a car when the time arrives. Just wondered if other peoples opinions were any different. I've never had the inspection, but only roadside assistance. I should be grateful as I've always found patrols friendly, and they did get me home on my way back from Wales yesterday!

 

[Blobcat]

Well I think I will, I have plenty of friends who can help me out looking for a car when the time arrives. Just wondered if other peoples opinions were any different. I've never had the inspection, but only roadside assistance. I should be grateful as I've always found patrols friendly, and they did get me home on my way back from Wales yesterday!

You should have asked the AA to take you into Wales to avoid the Severn Bridge toll rather than take you out when its free.