Buying off eBay

TrickyWicky

mikey72 wrote: »

I'm after a particular model, and so far the only ones for sale are with traders. I just can't bring myself to buy from them. I keep telling myself they can't all be the same, but even so......

Been there done that, keep prowling it'll turn up eventually. I speak from experience

TrickyWicky

mattyprice4004 wrote: »

Bought 4 cars unseen on eBay, all more than 10 years old apart from my most recent - the 75.

Picked it up from Nottingham in the dark, took a list of the common faults with those cars with me and got about half-way through the list before I gave up and went inside his house for a brew lol.

If you're happy to have some minor niggles to sort out, buying unseen is fine.

I think any car of 10 years or older will have a few niggles. Some may be minor some might be serious but I think anyone who expects the car to be perfect at that age must be from the planet zog.

mikey72

jase1 wrote: »

Take that up with s b -- I was simply going on what was written rather than building my own assumptions into the story (again).

The the thing with what's written.
It's what not written that matters.
Same with ebay descriptions if it's a dodgy seller.

mikey72

TrickyWicky wrote: »

I think any car of 10 years or older will have a few niggles. Some may be minor some might be serious but I think anyone who expects the car to be perfect at that age must be from the planet zog.

I recently bought a 22 year old one, it's as good as any, and just passed the mot again for £125.

jase1

TrickyWicky wrote: »

I think any car of 10 years or older will have a few niggles. Some may be minor some might be serious but I think anyone who expects the car to be perfect at that age must be from the planet zog.

But said Zoggian is apparently perfectly justified in rejecting said 10 year old car, advertised on ebay, if the seller failed to mention that solitary stonechip on the bonnet that wasn't described as immaculate in the first place.

cyclonebri1

jase1 wrote: »

Well there you go.




turns up on-spec and finds there's a rip in the driver's seat, TOUGH, you should have checked before you bid.

That's the whole issue that escapes you, if the seller states the car/interior is good condition and there is a tear in the seat who's at fault, the seller is, if declared there is no issue.

Declare all faults or expect an argument and a refusal, simple as that??

jase1

mikey72 wrote: »

The the thing with what's written.
It's what not written that matters.
Same with ebay descriptions if it's a dodgy seller.

Explain to me how you describe ABSOLUTELY EVERYTHING on a 10 year old car that is not exactly as it was when it was brand-new.

What you appear to be saying is that if a seller doesn't mention something, however small, you must assume that this something is in as-new condition. This is ridiculously naive.

I approach this from the opposite angle -- if something isn't mentioned you assume it's not right, and bid accordingly. If you are then outbid by someone who could actually be bothered to get off their fat arris and actually look at the car, that's your lookout.

But then making invalid extrapolations of someone's opinion seems to be something you're good at doesn't it?

TrickyWicky

jase1 wrote: »

But said Zoggian is apparently perfectly justified in rejecting said 10 year old car, advertised on ebay, if the seller failed to mention that solitary stonechip on the bonnet that wasn't described as immaculate in the first place.

In fairness I do think a lot of sellers use the word immaculate far too much. OHs car was also advertised as immaculate and came with quite a bit of welding underneath. OH wasn't happy but after a couple of weeks of using it decided it was reliable enough to keep. It's still with us now.. sodding thing is a money pit but we've come to accept that any car thats 10 years or older is going to need regular maintenance and repairs. It just goes with the territory.

As for the use of immaculate, only dealers selling brand new cars could reasonably claim the car is immaculate IMO. Once its second hand no matter how well kept, it's never going to be immaculate again is it.

mikey72

jase1 wrote: »

Explain to me how you describe ABSOLUTELY EVERYTHING on a 10 year old car that is not exactly as it was when it was brand-new.

What you appear to be saying is that if a seller doesn't mention something, however small, you must assume that this something is in as-new condition. This is ridiculously naive.

I approach this from the opposite angle -- if something isn't mentioned you assume it's not right, and bid accordingly. If you are then outbid by someone who could actually be bothered to get off their fat arris and actually look at the car, that's your lookout.

But then making invalid extrapolations of someone's opinion seems to be something you're good at doesn't it?

What are you on about?
What has this to do with a clutch?

Have you been left with a few wrecks in the past by any chance?

I reguarly buy off ebay.
Once you filter out the idiots, it's easy enough to buy the good ones.
But there's a lot I wouldn't touch, if the sellers bad, the car must be too.
I've never had one I haven't gone through with yet, seen or unseen.

jase1

mikey72 wrote: »

What are you on about?
What has this to do with a clutch?

Did you mention a clutch in the post I quoted?

Have you been left with a few wrecks in the past by any chance?

I have sold two cars on ebay. Both were old, but both I knew were OK because they were regularly completing a 60-mile commute without incident. One was cosmetically very tatty, and I said as much in the listing.

Neither car was viewed before purchase, and both were driven away without a test-drive. The whole process left me bemused.

I've never had one I haven't gone through with yet, seen or unseen.

Good for you.