The world's largest car lot is at your fingertips...

Whether you are looking for your first vehicle, or trying to find that car you always wanted, Ebay is the world's largest car lot -- open 24x7 and carrying every make and model you can imagine.  Buying a car off Ebay may seem quite a jump for some who have previously only bought small items, but with the many safety and fraud protection programs in place you could find that finding that dream car is just a click away.

In this guide we will walk you through how to purchase a vehicle off Ebay Motors.  We'll give you some tips on how to find the exact vehicle you are looking for, plus take you on a tour of some of the features that makes Ebay the ideal place for shopping for your next set of wheels.  In the end you may just find that you will never want to buy any other way!

Before you begin, we must point out that there are just a few differences between Ebay and Ebay Motors.  Take a minute or two to read about the differences between the two before you begin.

Step 1.  Find the car of your dreams

Knowledge is power.  You already know that before making any major purchase you should research all of your options.  With Ebay it is easy -- even for vehicles!  Not only do you have the world's largest car lot at your fingertips, but you also have something that many other car shoppers don't have -- a comprehensive listing of vehicles that have already sold, where they sold and how much they sold for!  You know almost immediately the market conditions for your specific area and what cars are selling for.  While resources such as Kelley Blue Book can help you get a ballpark estimate, by utilizing the completed auction search feature you can get precise information for particular areas, makes and models.

Take your time, look around.  The car lot is always open!  With Ebay you have three ways for finding the vehicle that is right for you (and don't worry, there isn't a pushy salesman that follows you around):

• Browse by make and model
• Search by year, price range, make, model, transmission or distance from you
• Free form search for a specific car

With Ebay, you are in control of what you want to see.  If you have a specific budget you want to stick to, try the search by price.  Perhaps you want to see all the Ford Mustangs available, then a search by make and model is for you.  Either way you choose, your vehicle shopping experience is custom-tailored to your exact needs.

A big question to ask yourself at this point is how far away are you willing to look for your vehicle?  You can limit your search to vehicles within a specific radius of your ZIP code, or you can search for vehicles across the country.  Keep in mind that if you decide to purchase a vehicle that might be several hundred or thousands of miles away that you will need to keep in mind how you will pick the vehicle up.  It's also important to note that some sellers will help arranging shipping services, but some will only deal with people who want to pick the vehicle up in person.  We'll talk about this more in section two.

Quick Tip!  Does the price seem too good to be true?  Be cautious about any vehicle that is listed far below the market value. 

Step 2.  Research, Research, Research!

Now that you have found a vehicle you like it is time to start doing your research.  Your first point of reference is the auction listing itself.  Read over the description carefully.  Note the vehicle features as listed in the auction, and as spelled out by the seller.  Pictures are worth a thousand words, and you will find that most sellers include plenty of pictures of the vehicle -- both interior and exterior.

Do you have any questions about the vehicle that the seller hasn't answered in the description?  Don't be shy!  Most sellers are happy to answer any question you may have no matter how small or insignificant it may be.  Use the Ask Seller A Question link you will find near the top, right hand side of the listing.  Most sellers try to respond within 24 hours, but remember that it is best to ask your question early in the auction rather than waiting until the last minute -- otherwise the seller may not have enough time to respond.  Generally speaking, if you are serious about buying the vehicle it is good to establish communications with the seller of the auction before you place a bid.  As we all know, that "person-to-person" connection is crucial for large pruchases such as a vehicle, plus it makes both you (the buyer) and the seller feel more comfortable knowing their is a real person at the other end of the auction.

Here are a few questions to ask about any vehicle you are purchasing:

• Is the title clear?
• Does the seller have the VIN number available?
• Is the vehicle available for inspection?
• Does the seller have a maintenance history or other records about the vehicle they can provide?
• Is this vehicle local to me?  If not, will the seller work with me to arrange shipping?

Quick Tip!  Don't be afraid to ask for more pictures of the vehicle -- most sellers are more than happy to accomodate!

Speaking of sellers, don't forget to do your research on them too!  Though the vast majority of sellers are honest, a few bad apples do get into the barrel.  Ebay works hard to keep them out, but you should also do your homework on the seller before committing to buy.  The easiest way is to look the sellers feedback.  Their feedback tells you a lot about them.  It is their "official record" of sorts from Ebay.  Be on the lookout for any negative feedback -- especially any that has been posted recently.  If they do have a negative mark be sure to ask them about it if you have any concerns.  Remember, a low feedback score does not mean the seller is not trustworthy -- they may just be new to the Ebay family!

Quick Tip!  Want to find a member's feedback quickly and easily?  Use the handy Ebay member search feature!

Next, and one of the most important steps, is to run a vehicle history report on the vehicle you are thinking of buying.  Vehicle history reports can tell you things such as how many owners the vehicle has had, any storm damage it may have suffered, any insurance claims -- even maintenance history!  You will need the 17-character VIN number that you will find on 1981 and older cars.  Most sellers make this easy by including the VIN number in the auction details.

One of the most important steps in any vehicle purchase is the test drive.  If you are local to the seller, you can arrange to meet them for a look at the vehicle and a test drive (remember, for your safety always insist on meeting them in a well populated public place -- NEVER at your home!).  Unfortunately, the vehicle you are interested in may not be close to you.  In such cases, for a vehicle you are seriously considering purchasing, you should check into getting a vehicle inspection performed.  Now the good news is that some sellers have already done this -- look for the inspection indicator in the auction listing.  Remember, coordinate any inspection with your seller because it will involve them taking some of their time to have it done as well.

Quick Tip!  Look for the Condition Guarantee by Seller seal.  It's one more way that Ebay Motors works to help protect you!

Now hold on, you've researched the vehicle, asked the seller questions and even ran a vehicle history report -- but before you hit that "bid" or "Buy It Now!" button let's make sure our bank account can handle a transaction this big.  We all have big dreams of owning that 1968 Camaro, but our bank accounts sometimes disagree with us.  You should never bid on an auction that you have no intention of paying for or cannot afford to pay for.

Luckily, Ebay Motors has options available to help out those who are serious about purchasing a car.  You can visit the Ebay Financing Center to quickly and easily apply for financing for your vehicle purchase.  While you are there, don't forget to check out some handy tools to help you estimate how this purchase will affect your budget, tools like the payment calculator and insurance information center.

Hey now, don't forget about Uncle Sam!  Yes, he will want his share of the purchase price as well.  Taxes and vehicle registration are one of the few certainties in life!  Be sure to research your estimate tax costs at your states Department of Motor Vehicles website.

Quick Tip!  Be sure you read the auction carefully.  Some sellers do charge fees for necessary state paperwork and other such items.  These will normally be listed in the auction.  If you have any questions, remember to contact the seller directly.

So you have your financing in order, researched the car, contacted the seller and you even got an insurance quote -- now comes one of the most exciting parts of Ebay -- the auction process!

Step 3.  The Auction!

You have your eyes on that 2003 Chevy Silverado and just know that it is the vehicle of your dreams!  Now it's time to jump into the auction process and make it yours!

Let's take a moment to understand the two types of auctions that you will find on Ebay Motors:

• The traditional bidding auction (bid by proxy)
• The Buy It Now! auction

The traditional bidding auction is one where you will place a bid (that is kept confidential; neither the seller nor other Ebay members know how much you placed) and Ebay will bid on your behalf up to the maximum you specify.  This has it's advantages in that it may allow you to get an item for less than you would have potentially paid for it.  The drawback is that if another Ebay member outbids you (possibly at the last second!) you will lose the auction unless you can outbid them before time runs out on the auction.

An important note to the bidding price is that many Ebay Motors auctions have what is called a reserve price.  This is the price that only the seller knows in the beginning for which they will sell the vehicle at.  You may sometimes have the high bid in the auction, but still be below the reserve price.  The seller is not obligated to sell you the item if you do not meet the reserve price.

A second type of auction is one where you can get the vehicle you want now, without waiting!  Using Buy It Now you can purchase the vehicle at the price the seller has indicated.  This is handy for when you want to make sure you get the vehicle and ensures that nobody else can outbid you.  Once you "Buy It Now!" it is yours!

When you use Buy It Now the seller may require an immediate deposit payable via Paypal or other means.  This deposit helps the seller know that you are serious about buying the vehicle.  The auction will not end until you have completed the deposit payment -- if required.  So it is to your advantage to complete this as soon as possible.

Quick Tip!  Have your eye on a vehicle you like, but don't want to place a bid until later on?  Use the Watch function of Ebay to watch the auction in your My Ebay page.  Remember though, the seller might end the auction early or if it has a Buy It Now option someone else might buy it before you get the chance!

Congratulations!  Hopefully you have won your auction (or did a Buy It Now!) and are ready to complete your purchase!

Step 4.  Finalizing Your Purchase

Now that you have purchased your dream car it's time to finalize the deal.  At this point you should be contacting your seller directly.  It is often good to contact them by phone so you can work out the details on making the purchase and finalizing everything instead of e-mailing back and forth. 

You will want to find out the following information from the seller:

• Methods of payments they will accept.  (Read more about safe payments on Ebay Motors)
• Where you will meet them to pick up the vehicle.
• Information about the title and transfer of it.

Ebay Motors has put together a checklist to help you with this to make your transaction as smooth as possible.  Also remember that Ebay Motors has a comprehensive Vehicle Purchase Protection program that you should read and be familiar with before you complete your purchase.

Quick Tip!  Ebay Motors does not have an ESCROW SERVICE of any sort that is run by Ebay -- they have an approved escrow service, escrow.com.  Make sure any escrow service  you use is accredited if you or the seller chooses to use one.

If shipping of the vehicle is required (you did remember to ask the seller about this beforehand, right?) now is the time to make arrangements.  Ebay Motors has a relationship with Dependable Auto Shippers (DAS) if you do not have a preferred shipper already lined up.

Quick Tip!  Remember, it is best to meet the seller in a public place instead of going to their home or having them come to yours.  Your workplace may be an ideal location for you to complete the transaction.

This would also be a good time to visit the Security & Resolution center to learn how you can make your purchase as safe as possible.

Quick Tip!  Never purchase a vehicle in which the seller does not posess the title and can legally transfer it over to you.

Step 5.  Enjoy Your New Vehicle!

Congratulations!  You now have that vehicle you have always wanted!  Before you go driving off into the sunset, let's make sure we wrap everything up.  Let's go through out post-purchase checklist:

• Title the Vehicle in Your Name (See the DMV Listings for information on title requirements in your state).
• Leave Feedback About Your Transaction.
• Consider Selling Your Old Car on Ebay!

Happy Motoring!