Deal or No Deal?  Buying a Used Vehicle on eBay can be a dangerous adventure! 

Some illicit sellers don't even OWN the vehicle you're looking at.  Anyone can take pictures of someone else's vehicle, get the VIN Number off the dash and quickly get your money. 

After all, maybe they just want your deposit, maybe they hope you'll send all the money before seeing the vehicle.  Buyers have gotten burned, but you CAN protect yourself.  Here are some tips for a solid auto-buying experience.

Buying from dealers is often times safer than private parties.  Always look at FEEDBACK on the seller.  Anything lower than 98% should prompt you to dig deeper.  Read those negative feedbacks.  Quantity helps Quality!   The more positive feedbacks the better.  I always contact a seller during the auction, ask a few questions and see if they properly answer questions in a timely manner, give you ALL the information you asked for. 

It doesn't hurt to ask for a few more photos of specific areas.  That also helps verify possession of the vehicle.  Big things to ask about are MINOR Accidents or Repairs, FLOOD Damage, Rust and if you have alergies, has it been SMOKED in?  You're also verifying that they actually HAVE the vehicle, especially in Private Party sales.

Always run an AutoCheck.com or CarFax.com report!  While these won't pick up everything, they are surprisingly accurate.  If you see a car that sells, then see it relisted by the same seller at a later listing, contact the last buyer of the previous auction and find out why they didn't go through with the purchase.  That saved me from a previous potential mistake!  Also, I like to look at Completed Items (located on the left side of your screen) to see what other vehicles are selling for, or if this particular vehicle has been listed before and what it brought in an earlier listing.  No need to OVERPAY, right?

Once you've found the Car or Truck of your dreams, check the book value using NADA.com and KBB.com.  Both services are FREE and give you a good idea where you need to be.  Private Party listings and Dealer listings should be booked accordingly and don't forget to figure in your travel costs, fuel, meals, lodging or flights.  If you're having it shipped, get estimates before you bid.  That can add over $1000 to your cost!

Completing the purchase involves more verification BEFORE you send any money.  I always request a faxed copy of the current title and a purchase agreement faxed over before sending a deposit.  If they own the vehicle, they can fax a copy of the title.  That verifies the ownership, the VIN number and allows you to see any title imperfections such as "Salvage", Rebuilt or Damage Disclosure. 

Dealers have no problem doing this, but with Private Party purchases, this gives you another layer of verification and protection.  Foreign purchases are highly risky.  I've heard of several people sending money to other countries, only to find out NO CAR, NO SELLER, NO MONEY!  The old rule "If it sounds too good to be true, it probably is" applies to EVERY purchase.  If someone from another country or even somewhere in the U.S. says "Seller will pay ALL shipping costs" on a vehicle, either you're paying too much or it is a FRAUDULENT SCAM artist at work.

NEVER respond to 2nd Chance Offers that don't come through your "My eBay" email system!  They are Fraudulent SCAMS, they don't have or own the car, they want your deposit or even more money if you're willing to send it to them and receive nothing in return!  I can't emphasize enough how important it is to verify faxed title, get extra photos, get a faxed purchase agreement and NO NOT WIRE MONEY via WESTERN UNION unless you have the ACTUAL signed TITLE in your hot little hands.  I prefer to use PayPal for my deposit, then either bring a Certified Bank Check with me when I pick up the car, or send Certified Funds prior to picking up the vehicle ONLY after verifying EVERYTHING before any money is sent.

Once you've completed the sale, don't be afraid to take the vehicle to a local body shop BEFORE you leave town and have it looked over for previous damage.  In most states, you have THREE DAYS to change your mind and get your money back if you're not satisfied with a major purchase, so your window of investigation is pretty short.  Easier to do it while you're still in town if you flew in and plan on driving back.

If you want to have a safe, enjoyable auto purchase on eBay, you simply have to do your homework, be a detective, dig as deep as you can dig and cover the bases.  I've purchased vehicles from eBay and have not had a bad experience, plus we've seen some wonderful country driving the cars back.  Buy with your brain, not your heart.  If it still looks like a great deal after you've done all the digging, you're probably getting the car or truck you want at a bargain price.  Happy eBuying!

Please vote "YES" below.  Your "YES" vote allows more potential Ebay Motors Buyers to read this report.  If you feel this Guide was Helpful, please vote "YES" below.  Thank you!