Experiences buying cars site unseen

[ozzeran]

Every once in awhile I fall in love with a car on Ebay and get really close to pulling the trigger but it's so easy to upsell a pos car.

For the people that have bought car's site unseen how did it turn out for you?

I really mean to base this off Ebay, I would trust collector car sales people or buying a classic car etc..

Getting a later model car, 80's + on Ebay is what I'm concerned with.

[78X]

I have bout 4 sight unseen now. If you can find a good auto inspection company they are worth every penny. All 4 I would buy again, but a few inspections sure saved me.

[ozzeran]

I have bout 4 sight unseen now. If you can find a good auto inspection company they are worth every penny. All 4 I would buy again, but a few inspections sure saved me.

Did you hire a inspection service that performed the inspection out of state?

[78X]

Did you hire a inspection service that performed the inspection out of state?

yes, I found a local one to the car itself.

[ozzeran]

yes, I found a local one to the car itself.

Ok cool, that actually makes it easier on my stomach then.

[yellowstang]

I bought my Torino off EBay several years ago, turned out great. Maybe ask for more pictures from different angles, underneath, etc.

When i sold it on Craigslist, 2 people were thinking ofr driving from out of state, so I sent them a video of the car being started and driving around the block, see if they will send that to you?

[ozzeran]

I bought my Torino off EBay several years ago, turned out great. Maybe ask for more pictures from different angles, underneath, etc.

When i sold it on Craigslist, 2 people were thinking ofr driving from out of state, so I sent them a video of the car being started and driving around the block, see if they will send that to you?

Ok another great idea, thank you!

One thing i learned from the Cobra is listen to the car from a cold startup on up.

[kingjason]

Shit I bought an M715 with a 6.2 TD that looked pretty decent in the pics. He sent plenty of choice pics and said it was running when it was parked. Drove my ass to Kansas and picked it up at night. Lets just say it was a bad descision on my part. I came out ok when I sold it but I would have never drove that far had I known.

[ozzeran]

What was wrong with it?

[kingjason]

Welds and mounts all messed up, front driveshaft un hooked, body spaced out wrong on the frame. New yellow tops not so great, found out later after I sold it injector pump was out, engine oil cooler was none existant so I had to build one. It was a good start to a project that I thought was further along then he described.

[Fox466]

I've done it and it turned out fine. Actually how I bought the dually. Guy drove it down from Bridgeport and met me at my bank...

[jakesford]

I bought one car off of ebay from a dealer in Alabama and it worked out great... Do your research on the car and seller, and ask for additional picture if you have any concerns. If they won't work with you, don't do business with them.

[TX_92_Notch]

I found my coupe on eBay. I had the guy send me a ton of pictures and a video of him walking around the car with it running.

I bought a ROUND TRIP ticket to Denver (it was actually cheaper than a 1-way, go figure) and had him meet me at the airport. I checked out the car, know that I could jump back on a plane if it wasn't right. It was nice, so I gave the man his money and drove 20 hours home.

On the way home, the passenger side exhaust pipe split clean in two right in front of the muffler (early on a Sunday morning). Luckily, I stopped in a restaurant I was passing and found a guy with a welder about a mile away. Then the A/C went out somewhere near the Texas state line. Then I noticed a serious transmission leak when I stopped to get a bite to eat.

Not trying to scare you - the problems I had with the car could've happened with a local sale.

I've also sold two cars to people over the internet from several states away.

[mikeb]

I bought my daughters t/a on ebay, at the close of auction.

It looked rough but servicable. Once i got it home it turned into a total restoration, since very little of it was usable.

Oh well, lesson learned.

[Sean88gt]

Generally pretty good, last one, not so much.