OT: Has anyone ever purchased a car off Ebay?

54topps

Im looking to buy a used BMW convertible. Being in the Nothwest there is about 2 to choose from. Ebay has a great selection and within the price im looking for. Im very hesitant about buying a car sight unseen. I would of course call and ask questions. Hopefully I will be told the truth. I'd like to take it for a test drive and "kick the tires" but im not going to fly to do this. Does anyone have a buying experince they can share. Should I go with a dealer only versus a private seller? Any advice would be greatly appreciated.

Thanks!
Mike

thenavarro

I've purchased two Porsche's off of ebay, and I've sold a Mercedes on Ebay. From the purchasing perspective, I don't know what value BMW you are looking at, but I would invest a couple hundred bucks in a thorough pre-purchase inspection. A good way to do this (and it's not foolproof as the seller could have a relationship with the dealer or mechanic you select, but you can sorta find this out by quizzing the seller as to where they maintain their car, and then set it up somewhere else) is to contact a dealer or mechanic of your choice in the sellers area, and have the seller take the car there for them to inspect. You pay the dealer or mechanic directly yourself and have them produce for you a list of any issues they find. BMW bulletin boards should be able to give you a list of known issues and a buying checklist for the particular year/model that you are interesed in, and be sure and have the dealer/mechanic check for these things specifically. Make sure that you select a dealer/mechanic that is familiar with the make/model you are interested in. Make sure you do a VIN/title check as well (keep in mind though that many past issues can be "washed clean" if they know what they are doing, but running the VIN check might be able to find some issues from amatuer sellers, IE salvage titles, odomoter discrepancies, multiple owners that weren't disclosed, etc.) You will probably want to do the VIN/title check before the prepurchase inspection as there's no use in getting the inspection if you have VIN/title issues.

If the seller is not willing to take the car in for the inspection, then walk away from the deal. An honest seller that WANTS to move their vehicle is going to be willing to accomodate you unless they have a severe time restraint.

Once you get the prepurchase inspection, factor in issues that you want fixed into your bid price. If an issue is a serious issue, don't walk away, but run away. There are a TON of used vehicles out there. Take your time and find the right one for you, and a seller that will accomodate you.

Mike

hhmag70

I have both bought a car and sold 2 cars through eBay. Fortunately all three transactions were relatively close and made them less stressful. I agree with Mike's advice completely.

thenavarro

Oh, and don't forget to factor the cost of delivery to you into your bid price. Depending on distance, how quickly you want it, and whether you want it covered or non-covered transport, you can count on adding anywhere from $200-$1000 or more to your final bid. If you are unwilling to fly to see it in person, I'm going to assume you are unwilling to fly to pick it up as well.

Delivery can be on the low end if you are close to any major auto auctions that ship cars in/out as you can piggyback on their transport system if you are willing to go to their place to take delivery. Delivery can be on the higher end if you want covered transport to your driveway or place of employment.

Mike

miconelegacy

Great advice The navarro!!!

Makes me want to get into the car business again!! I used to sell cars 14 years ago when I was 20.

At the end of the day, in this world you can buy and sell almost anything. Take calculated risks and you can score. You don't always, but if the good outways the bad...Game on!

Good luck to you on your BMW purchase.

54topps

<< <i>I've purchased two Porsche's off of ebay, and I've sold a Mercedes on Ebay. From the purchasing perspective, I don't know what value BMW you are looking at, but I would invest a couple hundred bucks in a thorough pre-purchase inspection. A good way to do this (and it's not foolproof as the seller could have a relationship with the dealer or mechanic you select, but you can sorta find this out by quizzing the seller as to where they maintain their car, and then set it up somewhere else) is to contact a dealer or mechanic of your choice in the sellers area, and have the seller take the car there for them to inspect. You pay the dealer or mechanic directly yourself and have them produce for you a list of any issues they find. BMW bulletin boards should be able to give you a list of known issues and a buying checklist for the particular year/model that you are interesed in, and be sure and have the dealer/mechanic check for these things specifically. Make sure that you select a dealer/mechanic that is familiar with the make/model you are interested in. Make sure you do a VIN/title check as well (keep in mind though that many past issues can be "washed clean" if they know what they are doing, but running the VIN check might be able to find some issues from amatuer sellers, IE salvage titles, odomoter discrepancies, multiple owners that weren't disclosed, etc.) You will probably want to do the VIN/title check before the prepurchase inspection as there's no use in getting the inspection if you have VIN/title issues.

If the seller is not willing to take the car in for the inspection, then walk away from the deal. An honest seller that WANTS to move their vehicle is going to be willing to accomodate you unless they have a severe time restraint.

Once you get the prepurchase inspection, factor in issues that you want fixed into your bid price. If an issue is a serious issue, don't walk away, but run away. There are a TON of used vehicles out there. Take your time and find the right one for you, and a seller that will accomodate you.

Mike >>




Mike,
Thanks for the great advice. I had not thought about having a mechanic check out the car. Sounds like a couple hundred well spent. Hopefully something shows up here locally but I think im stuck going the Ebay route.

CrazyMind2017

There are several people on FatWallet.com who have a lot of experience with this. In addition to the advice provided here, I'm sure they'll be able to share even more wisdom that you can use to protect yourself.

From what I understand there are always good deals to be had on ebay motors, but you have to be careful. Most of the cars listed there are vehicles that look fantastic in photographs, but have minor to moderate flaws that are only visible upon close inspection. Problems with paint finishes and minor rust are common.

BunchOBull

If you find a BMW with a clean history, consider this:

I believe BMW offers a certified used car program, in which the used car is purchased with a bumper to bumper factory warranty. If that's the case, the "certification" program probably has a price tag of around $2000; consider finding a BMW you like on eBay and using a BMW dealer as a broker. The dealership profits from the certification inspection, the seller still receives the agreed upon price, but from the dealer, and you're left to purchase a certified used BMW that you've handpicked from hundreds of others online.

Most dealers will agree to this, if the car has a clean CarFax history and up-to-date maintenance.

I purchased my Volvo in similar fashion, and have 6 years and 50k miles left on my bumper to bumper.

Garabaldi

You best bet is to look at the vehicle before purchasing it. I don't know what year or mileage BMW you are looking at, but it is very difficult to purchase it on Ebay. The sellers nice/good condition is completely different than what yours could be. Carfax gives you an OK background check, but a lot of accidents do not get reported.

eyebone

i think board member tommy (is his id vette??) was/is a used car dealer and probably has plenty of insight to share. he might be able to add to mike's advice.

good luck. eyebone

SidePocket

My son had 3 accidents (not all his fault) but his truck had a clean Carfax report.

twiley

Before you buy on ebay. I would search these BMW forums.

Link

Those forums are the BMW forums for BMWs. Just like these forums are the forums for PSA.

I have owned 3 BMWs in my life time. A 1976 2002,a 1979 320i,and a 1982 320i. I am currently in the market for a 1984-1986 735i in the 2K price range. I am somewhat of an older BMW enthusiast. The 3.0 CSL is one of my favorite cars but I am not looking for one. I was half tempted to pull the trigger on an old 535i that was 1 hr away from me. The guy only wanted 500 for it. But like I said I am after the old mid 80s 735i. Definitely check out the link.

BTW if anyone sees a southern car NO RUST. 1984-1986 BMW 735i that runs and works within the 2K price range. Black with red leather interior would be preferred. If you see one please let me know

mcadams

Sellers have to stand behind whatever reps and warranties they make on the auction listing. Ebay outsources problem disputes in their auto division to an Insurance company in Alabama, who serves as arbiter for disputes. But, basically if you get the car and something doesn't match the description in the listing, then the arbiter works on your behalf (for free, NO cost to you) and you're even compensated by Ebay directly if the seller doesn't make good on a refund. I realize this all sounds strange...but Ebay's auto division works very very differently than the rest of the company does. Buyers have more rights and more power via Ebay motors, as a result of the afforementioned Insurance Co / Arbitration firm.