Buying a car from Ebay, am I stupid? Options

[jasons]

QUOTE (mharrison @ Jul 25 2005, 08:41 PM)

The M3 story is a good read for any car buyer. As I was reading it I couldn't help but think..... If it doesn't feel right, walk away. At the most you'll be out travel expenses and an opportunity. At the least.... you save 10's of 1000's of dollars and don't go through everything this poor guy did.

When I bought the 912 on ebay, I had always maintained the attitude I could get on a plane an come home. For me that was easy, Southwest flys between Phoenix and San Diego for $100 every hour or two. I also looked at it as an experiment to see what ebay car buying was like. I would still consider ebay cars but I wouldn't buy them without PPI's or at least someone I trust putting an eyeball on them. Some cars you just can't find locally. An e30 M3 is a good example. I suppose if you live in the rust belt, a 914 is also a good example.

[chilli]

Buying anything on ebay look for feedback from BUYERS not sellers. Watch for recent feedback. Also what have they been selling, are they a dealer or local JOE. I have bought three cars all were as advertised, got good deals so could fix any small things.

Personally would not buy any 914 driver without some kind of inspection., parts car different story that.

ALWAYS BUYER BEWARE ------- ANYWHERE.

mike (IMG:http://www.914world.com/bbs2/html/emoticons/driving.gif)

[Lyressa Roberts]

QUOTE (jasons @ Jul 25 2005, 07:12 PM)

QUOTE (Lyressa Roberts @ Jul 25 2005, 03:11 PM) QUOTE (jasons @ Jul 24 2005, 08:07 PM) Not to be a total party-pooper but you should read this guys experience. The M3 Ripoff Holy shit!!! is all I can say. That poor guy. I hope Mr. Montoya got his for being such a scumbag. Yeah, theres lessons in that story for all of us. That story got around the internet forums and I guess some lawyer read it and helped the guy get his money back. (IMG:http://www.914world.com/bbs2/html/emoticons/smilie_pokal.gif)

GOOD!!! I'm surprised Mr. Montoya isn't rotting in jail. He obviously knew it was stolen or he wouldn't have hid the way he did: not answering the door or phone.

[kart54]

I've bought four items recently off of ebay.
One was a G prod 914 race car. It was a great buy and is still the best deal I've heard of on a 914. It's what caused me to join this group. I bought it from a seller who knew nothing about the car. I received more in spare parts than I paid for the car.
The other three items were all returned, with a lot of work, to the seller because they were junk. In all three cases, when I looked at the comments regarding the seller after the fact I found that the items had been purchased a short time earlier by the sellers and the description of the items in those sales basically pointed out that they were junk. In all three cases the sellers were power sellers who claimed in their ads that these items were items of theirs they were already personally using (BS).
I refused to pay for the 914 until I saw it. I drove up to Hayward, CA with a trailer and cash. I would never buy a car sight unseen. Ask yourself if you would buy an item from a classified ad in the newspaper without seeing it. If not, then why would you buy it on ebay that way?
ebay is just another medium but remember, if something does go wrong, lawsuits are much more difficult and expensive across state lines or even in different counties within the same state. How do I know that? I'm a lawyer and a lemon law arbitrator and mediator.
You are always better off buying from a reputable dealer or somebody close to home when possible. There is a reason why every state has a lemon law of some kind. But, that lemon law does not apply to used vehicles or cars purchased in other states for the most part.
I still read and follow the race ads on ebay and I'm starting to see the same cars over and over again. Really makes you think. Why is it the same cars keep showing up time amd time again? I doubt it's because they are truly wonderful..
Randy
Kart54
G prod porsche 914
2 Jensen healeys (the red sleds)