There have been a couple of derogatory remarks today regarding car buying on eBay, and while I have sounded off before on the subject, I think it's time to speak up again. I have both bought and sold on eBay almost since they started business, and my experience has been overwhelmingly positive, for about 350 transaction so far, just about half selling, half buying, and almost all car related, either parts, literature, tools, or cars themselves. My experience is that the private individuals using eBay are about 99.5% honest, straightforward people who will not cheat you, and will accurately describe items they have for sale. Of course there are some people who are out to fool you; to sell you something that isn't what is represented, but in my opinion they are pretty easy to spot. They usually have very flashy, professionally done auction pages, with beautiful artwork, a lot of canned "boilerplate" stuff regarding shipping, warranties, etc - all very professional. Their car descriptions use words that would never pass the lips of a serious old car collector - words such as "Perfect", "100% Original", "Showroom new", "#1 condition", "appraised for twice the reserve", "Rare"(when it isn't) etc. You can be sure their descriptions are exaggerated and full of hype. Certainly their pages are beautiful, with lots of pretty pictures etc. Parts dealers are usually very easily spotted also, as they usually use the "buy it now" or "eBay store" features of the site, and they have done thousands of transactions. I know some amateurs do that too, but generally, the dealers are doing a higher volume business and find it easier to use the professional web page and auction page builders. When I have sold cars on eBay, (and I have sold 13 of my collection in the last few years as I plod through my final active years), I go out of my way to post an auction page that lists in voluminous detail everything I can think of about the car including every single defect, no matter how small. Many on the IML have seen my auctions, and know I speak the truth here. I also give a detailed history of the car, including how long I have owned it (usually many years). I show pictures of EVERYTHING! By that I mean the chassis from underneath, seats, carpets, engine compartment, dash, trunk and on and on. Usually I show just the important stuff on the main auction page, but I include a link to another page that has 30 or 40 more pictures, and much more in the way of narrative discussion of what I have done to the car, what it needs, and again, excruciating detail of every single defect. I always start a car auction at $100, and I never put a reserve on the car. I've been called an idiot, and worse, for this practice, but in my opinion, that method guarantees that the car will sell for fair market value, not someone's hoped for windfall amount. For example, some of you were shocked when I listed my 67 Convertible in 2004 for $100 starting bid and with no reserve. It finished up at about $15,000, which was, in my opinion a very fair price for an unrestored but very nice 84,000 mile Southern California "black plate" car. The car went to a true collector, who is delighted, using it as a daily driver, and showing it in some of our local shows. In sum, I think anyone who is moderately cautious, and deals only with private parties with clean feedback ratings and a track record of at least a few good transactions can expect to be treated fairly. I think someone who buys a car from a dealer without adequate detail in the auction page and/or inspection in person or by a trusted and qualified friend is taking a large chance. But even then, if the feedback rating is perfect, and the seller's number of transactions is high enough to inspire confidence, your chances are probably better than buying a car from used car lot or from a private party whose car is parked on a street corner with a sign on it. An eBay seller has a reputation to protect that is very valuable to him, and that is a potent deterrent to shady dealing. Everything is up front and visible about an eBay seller, but you must pay attention to it. Regarding "professional" appraiser and inspection services, I personally don't recommend using them - I think most look up the car in the latest value guide, do a cursory inspection, and have no more technical ability to evaluate a car's true condition than your brother-in-law. "Appraisals" done for "stated value insurance" purposes often simply state what the owner wants to hear. If you are interested in a car that is a long way from you and you don't have time to do it yourself, ask here on the IML for a nearby volunteer to go look at a car for you - and of course, offer to pay any expenses involved. Ask to have a good set of pictures taken, including ones taken from below (up on a lift), and ask for a test drive, long enough to get up to full operating temperature, and up to freeway speeds, if only briefly. Paying a local mechanic for a looking over is also a good idea, but he has to be someone known to be honest and thorough. OK, I'm done here. If anyone wants to argue with me, I can be reached at: dickb@xxxxxxxxx Dick Benjamin ----------------- http://www.imperialclub.com ----------------- This message was sent to you by the Imperial Mailing List. Please reply to mailing-list@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx and your response will be shared with everyone. 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