Bidding for a car on Ebay

Richard53

angrycrow wrote: »

This was utterly out of order, its a auction you bid to buy not to go and have a look and decide your impulse bid was a mistake. The time to inspect the goods is before bidding or you make your bid and live we the consequences. Anyone doing this to me is getting negative feedback and a bill for my ebay fees.

I don't agree. In an auction like eBay, where you can't always inspect the goods prior to bidding, it is understood that you bid on the basis that the item description is true and accurate. If you win an item and find that it is 'not as described', then you don't need to complete the purchase, and eBay won't insist that you do.


I'm talking about where the description is clearly untrue, not just vague or incomplete. In the example you were responding to, if the description had read "no noises or rattles" and you found the car sounded like a bag of spanners on a test drive, then the seller has deceived you and there is no moral or legal duty to go through with it. If it wasn't mentioned and you didn't ask, then you will have to live with it.


I don't think that eBay allow sellers to leave negative feedback these days, anyway.


I have bought a few cars and bikes through eBay, and have always followed through and paid as agreed. But I have always had a copy of the listing with me, and if the vehicle differed from its description in any important respect, I would not have been afraid to walk away, however abusive the seller became.


I would agree that it is always better to inspect before bidding (and I have done this), but with a national auction site, if the seller lives in Aberdeen and the bidder in Truro, a lot will have to be done on trust.

AliceBanned

It's all such a minefield. I'm not surprised I've not had a car since September. It's too much stress.:(

forgotmyname

angrycrow wrote: »

This was utterly out of order, its a auction you bid to buy not to go and have a look and decide your impulse bid was a mistake. The time to inspect the goods is before bidding or you make your bid and live we the consequences. Anyone doing this to me is getting negative feedback and a bill for my ebay fees.

You cannot leave buyers negative feedback.

If an item is not as described then the buyer has every right to walk away. You can try to claim your costs, but expect a counterclaim for their costs because you wasted their time and failed to declare all faults.

Check ebays terms and conditions.. Sales are NOT legally binding.

The seller appears to have sold several cars. You cannot test drive it because there is no tax. But you can view or collect it from his home or place of work. How will he get it there if there is no tax?

AliceBanned

forgotmyname wrote: »

You cannot leave buyers negative feedback.

If an item is not as described then the buyer has every right to walk away. You can try to claim your costs, but expect a counterclaim for their costs because you wasted their time and failed to declare all faults.

Check ebays terms and conditions.. Sales are NOT legally binding.

The seller appears to have sold several cars. You cannot test drive it because there is no tax. But you can view or collect it from his home or place of work. How will he get it there if there is no tax?

Exactly. It's ridiculous saying you can't test drive it. All very bizarre and a waste of time. I'm stressed even not buying it so wasn't going to take the risk. It's very strange how they have bids on it already from just 2 bidders also. I asked her whether other people had viewed it. She said someone at his work was interested. Surely he would have sold it in that case! Con artists.

facade

AliceBanned wrote: »

It's very strange how they have bids on it already from just 2 bidders also.

I bought something on eBay from a trader last week. There was some bidding, but it was about £30 below what I thought it was worth. So I sniped exactly what it was worth +£1.11 as I wanted it, and won.

However, looking at the bid history, the highest bid, of exactly what it was worth, was placed right at the start, by someone with zero history.

A suspicious person might think that that bidder would never pay, so the sale could be voided and relisted at no cost, and the item not sold below worth, with no reserve fee :eek:

I should have put what it was worth + a penny, I'd have saved £1.10

AliceBanned

facade wrote: »

I bought something on eBay from a trader last week. There was some bidding, but it was about £30 below what I thought it was worth. So I sniped exactly what it was worth +£1.11 as I wanted it, and won.

However, looking at the bid history, the highest bid, of exactly what it was worth, was placed right at the start, by someone with zero history.

A suspicious person might think that that bidder would never pay, so the sale could be voided and relisted at no cost, and the item not sold below worth, with no reserve fee :eek:

I should have put what it was worth + a penny, I'd have saved £1.10

Did you use software to snipe it out of interest?


This one for the Fiesta looks suspicious. One person appears to have bid against themselves, then another, then the first person again. It is such a scam! Unless I'm misunderstanding it, why would the first person keep putting bids - unless maybe there was a reserve price..but I didn't see mention of one.


I might be better off going on Autotrader..

facade

AliceBanned wrote: »

Did you use software to snipe it out of interest?


This one for the Fiesta looks suspicious. One person appears to have bid against themselves, then another, then the first person again. It is such a scam! Unless I'm misunderstanding it, why would the first person keep putting bids - unless maybe there was a reserve price..but I didn't see mention of one.


I might be better off going on Autotrader..

No, I sit with my bid all loaded up and when the countdown gets to 4 seconds, I finalise it.

In the end, I was satisfied with the price I paid, not the bargain I'd hoped for, but a fair price for something I wanted.

eBay fees are horrendous, and are based on the starting price (so you can't put the minimum you would accept) and whether you have a reserve.

So having a convenient bidder with zero feedback, (so nothing to lose) bid you up to your minimum selling price seems an ideal way to minimise fees.

What really irritates is people who have set a reserve, but won't tell you what it is, they reply with "Bid what you think it is worth" this wastes my time, as I might sit up until 2AM to bid the £500 I think it is worth, when the bidding is at £350, (But the seller has a reserve of £1000) and miss an identical one for £550 while I am waiting.

If I knew the reserve, then I could either bid above it at the end, or move on.

davidwood123

I'd take someone to hold your hand next time OP.

You really shouldn't be buying a £300 car with your knowledge (or expectations)

AliceBanned

davidwood123 wrote: »

I'd take someone to hold your hand next time OP.

You really shouldn't be buying a £300 car with your knowledge (or expectations)

I didn't buy it. I don't have loads of knowledge but I don't know anyone with more. What expectations?

GDB2222

AliceBanned wrote: »

I think I'd rather spend a bit more money and not have all the hassle and worry. It has to feel right, yes even for £300. It's more the principle of not letting myself be ripped off.

I scrapped a Fiat Punto a while ago and got £200 for it. If that's the figure for this Fiesta, it does rather limit your downside risk!

It was a mistake buying that Fiat, only relieved by the joy of getting rid of it.