Hey all you would be car buyers!  I thought I'd share the two recient experiences that I've had buying a 1979 MGB Convertible and a 1991 BMW 850i, both on e-Bay.

So I buy a low milage MGB with only 21,000 miles.  Pictures look great, car looks fine (mostly, except holes in carpeting) and during that process, I also bid on several other cars.   After wining the bid, I had 4 contacts from defrauding sellers trying to get me to buy cars that I was second bidder on.  Even e-mails with official e-Bay links embedded into them for authenticity.  I actually new the seller of one car, so when the fake e-mail came, I knew it was not authentic.  Another "to good to be true" deal was where a defrauding guy had taken the pictures of a car from a local car dealer website here in Washington state and posted them on e-Bay.   They even used all of the photos and the word-for-word dealers description of the vehicle..... the gall of some people!   I'm glad to see that e-Bay has added the option of blocking buyers I'd's from the bid history, an active approach to limiting fraud, but even with that, you have to be on your toes.

Second car was a total disaster with only 56,000 miles on it.  Car arrives, 40 miles later, engine blows, and a rebuilt one costs more than I paid for the vehicle.  But I must say that e-Bay did come to my rescue, offering to replace the blown engine, with a like used engine (only maintenance items were not covered).  They said that I bid on a running vehicle, and it had a used engine, so thats what they would replace.   e-Bays insurer got me a check within 3 weeks of the filing....  not a bad turn around from a much worse situation....  

Thanks e-Bay~! 

ps: My Lesson Learned - Take the time to send the seller of your future car, an email, and specifically ask for condition... the insurer will only help you out if  you have been defrauded in writing (e-Bays fine print), so make sure you have a paper trail, asking of specific items like:  Is the vehicle mechanically sound?, Has it been in an accident?, Has it been repainted?, Are there any mechancial items you know that are not working, , if yes, please list? Do you have a clear title for the vehicle?  If you can get the sellers to answer to those specific items in writing,  and an issue comes up (mechanical or titling), then you have a case for possible reimbursement if they were not truthful and forthcoming in thier responses.  

Good luck all!  And be sharp!

track350z