Would you buy a car on eBay?

Discussion in Stores Reviews, Comments & Complaints started by JulianWilliams • Jan 15, 2015.

  1. JulianWilliams

    JulianWilliamsMember

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    I've heard some real horror stories about people buying cars on eBay and then discovering they are absolute bangers the firs time they actually see it. Personally, I think it's too risky to spend so much money on a car. You can't really see dents and other flaws in pictures and I prefer to get to see them in person and also drive them around a bit, maybe even take them to a mechanic for an inspection to make sure they don't have any issues.
     
  2. sidney

    sidneyWell-Known Member

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    If possible, I would arrange a meet-up with the seller first if he lives near my place before the auction ends to ensure the quality of the car that I intend to buy. If that's not possible, then I don't think that I would consider buying an item that expensive in Ebay.
     
  3. owesem75

    owesem75Active Member

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    I would not buy a car on EBAY. There are so many scammers today and big things like this must be inspected carefully and in person.. specially if you will put yourself into it and drive.. driving down the road with a car you just bought from ebay and not properly inspected is risky.
     
  4. JulianWilliams

    JulianWilliamsMember

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    Yeah, I didn't even think about the scam angle. From what I've read there are people who list fictional cars, boats and other expensive items on auction sites like ebay, "sell" them, and then disappear with the money without ever sending the item, because it doesn't exist. I'm not sure what sites like ebay could do to prevent such scams.
     
  5. missbishi

    missbishiWell-Known Member

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    Always go and see the car before placing a bid. Any reputable seller won't mind at all and will understand that you want to see it. Steer clear of any seller who refuses you the opportunity to view - ask yourself what is it that they are hiding?
     
  6. LitoLawless

    LitoLawlessActive Member

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    I wouldn't. A car is the type of thing that I want to examine up and down, look under the hood myself, take for a test drive, etc. That is just straight up impossible through Ebay. Then again, I would hope that the buying process is a bit different on Ebay and you actually do get to set up appointments to look at the cars and things like that.
     
  7. Kitty Reeves

    Kitty ReevesActive Member

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    Hell no! You have to be able to look at and inspect the car first. I almost bought a car, until I looked at it closer and tested it and found out that the horn didn't work! So, no buying cars via eBay.
     
  8. pafjlh

    pafjlhActive Member

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    Sure right after I buy one on Craigslist which will probably be around the twelfth of never. I think Ebay is a great website but there are certain items I would stay clear of buying there, and car is one of the. I feel that with a car you need to actually physically see the car for yourself. Actually test drive the car, find out what you can about the car before purchasing it. No, a car is something I wouldn't buy online by any website. I too have heard too many horror stories about doing so. I think when it comes to Ebay we take a chance anyway dealing with those doing auctions out there, but with lower price items am willing to take the chance, but no with a car purchase.
     
  9. DrRipley

    DrRipleyExpert

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    I would if it were cheap enough and I knew I only needed the car literally to just get me from point A to point B but most likely when I'm buying a car I'd at least want to see it for myself first. I'm already careful enough just buying electronics online and that is significantly less expensive than buying a car so I probably wouldn't buy one online as much as I can help it.
     
  10. troutski

    troutskiWell-Known Member

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    Absolutely not. Not only are you more than likely going to deal with issues with an eBay transaction, it's almost always easier to handle things through a used car dealership, a local private seller, or even Craigslist. eBay brings a couple added steps into the process, and that's simply a hassle more than anything else. I'd rather go through private sellers in my area rather than sifting through a bunch of things on eBay that are either scams or a waste of time.
     
  11. ACSAPA

    ACSAPAWell-Known Member

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    Heck, I wouldn't even sell a car on Ebay. My ex did and he ended up getting only $8,000 for a brand new, shiny red PT Cruiser that he won in a radio contest. It still had the plastic wrap and paper floor covers from never being driven. In addition, when the couple opened the trunk, there was a lot of new t shirts and tote bags from the radio station, so they made out like bandits.
     
  12. Kamarsun1

    Kamarsun1Member

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    I never even thought about buying a car on Ebay, but buying on craigslist can be good, it can also be bad, so I would not recommend either one unless it's a classic car that you know is not in running condition and want it as a hobby car.
     
  13. haitch

    haitchNew Member

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    It is possible to look at classified ads on Ebay and visit the seller to have a look at the car. one of the better places to look at is autotrader where you are on a website specifically for cars and has an easier layout for buying for cars.
     
  14. Juno

    JunoActive Member

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    A car is such a big purchase. I don't think I would buy a car without test driving it or seeing it in person. You really need to be able to research all the stats on a care when it is pre-owned. I prefer to purchase a certified pre-owned care from a dealer because they still come with a lot of warranties.
     
  15. DreekLass

    DreekLassWell-Known Member

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    I am one of Ebay's biggest advocates. I never used to be, as I had never used the website, and I had heard bad things about the service. But after using it myself, I can now say that it is my favorite website to purchase items from. However, I would not purchase a vehicle from Ebay. I just wouldn't. I wouldn't purchase any vehicle from the internet actually.
     
  16. xTinx

    xTinxWell-Known Member

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    I won't ever buy a car on eBay. I may buy clothes, books, accessories and many other tangible stuff but a vehicle is out of the question. My reasoning is simple. I want to personally assess the car's condition before deciding whether or not it's appropriate for daily use.
     
  17. S.O. Price

    S.O. PriceActive Member

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    No, I wouldn't, nor would I buy any large item from Craigslist either. I've heard too many stories (one just recently) where buyers have met up with the "sellers" and ended up getting robbed, raped or murdered. No thanks for me!
     
  18. happyshopper

    happyshopperActive Member

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    No I don't think I would ever do that because it really is way too risky. For me I would rather buy a car in person instead of online. I need to see the car and not just look at pictures of it plus it will be nice to take the car out for a test drive too.
     
  19. Lushlala

    LushlalaWell-Known Member

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    I think this has the potential to turn really nasty. For something this big, I wouldn't want to take chances. There's also the trouble of having to go and view it as the minutes tick down. So no, I wouldn't even consider buying a car on Ebay as I think it's way too much trouble than it's worth. The risk factor for me is just too high!
     
  20. tipoywizard

    tipoywizardActive Member

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    Definitely Not. It is too risky to buy cars in ebay. If given the chance to buy a new car I prefer to look and inspect it personally to know if is suits my taste in cars. I want to test drive it to know if it has damage or defect that may after my life in the future if I bought it.