Buying cars on eBay

[olliepaj]

Having just been almost fooled into buying a vehicle on eBaY, advertised as being low mileage and in mint condition, imagine my surprise when a check on its MOT history showed that the vehicle had a history of advisories about underbody corrosion. The lady advertiser, a car trader, glibly told me that this had been professionally rectified and the underside treated.

 

Corrosion is corrosion. Metal cannot be replaced and Waxoyl and Dinitrol protection products can easily mask some serious defects.

 

She didn't like it when I told her about the corrosion issue. But at least I found out in time. This from an advertiser with a 100% eBay rating.

 

Always do a visual inspection and ask for the vehicle to be lifted so that the underbody condition can be expected. Always check the MOT advisories - it's free.

 

Don't be fooled by mint leather seats and shiny paintwork. The MOT inspectors will be mostly looking underneath.

 

Be very cautious, especially if no warranty is offered.

[the_bloke]

When you say a 'history of advisories' what do you mean? As I had a Fiesta that went through five MOTs with a blob of surface rust on the floorpan the size of a 50p piece and was marked as an underbody corrosion advisory in every MOT. It never got bigger.

 

IME advisories are very subjective issues, some testers pass cars with things that others would mark them as advisories. Likewise I've had cars that passed with advisories where I was told 'I should have failed that but..'

 

And of course you can rectify corrosion, you can replace the affected area with new metal.

[El Cid]

Having just been almost fooled into buying a vehicle on eBaY, advertised as being low mileage and in mint condition,

 

She didn't like it when I told her about the corrosion issue. But at least I found out in time. This from an advertiser with a 100% eBay rating.

 

Be very cautious, especially if no warranty is offered.

 

It will be relisted and it will state 'no time wasters'

 

I bought my present car from Ebay, had it over 3 years, £215 excellent.

[Supertramp]

Nothing to do with Ebay. Always check any expensive second hand purchase thoroughly.

 

And you weren't 'almost fooled into'. Unless you actually were actually going to buy a vehicle without checking it.

[rudds1]

Does not happen just on eBay either ,I've been with mates to look at some at side of road and I've told them just walk away within 5 minutes of looking round them

[geared]

Corrosion is corrosion. Metal cannot be replaced

 

Are you stupid or something?

 

of course metal can be replaced.

[truman]

Metal cannot be replaced

 

Has welding been banned now?

[AMR67]

Buying cars on ebay is just like buying a car from anywhere, if it's no good walk away. I went up to Chorley to by a Mercedes Vito van I'd seen on Ebay, looked Ok on the pictures, and the guy assured me it was worth the train fare up there. He met me at the station, took me to the van which was parked in the car park and 10 minutes later, after a few choice words, I was stood on the platform waiting for the next train home. The van was a total shed!!! I just put it down to experience.

[Bottletop]

I've got to say, everybody advertises on Ebay now, dealerships, small garages and private individuals. I'm guessing this thread is more geared towards the private sale though. In that sense I'd base buying the car almost more on the type/personality of the previous owner than the car itself.

If they are polite, friendly and engaging - and by this I don't mean your average car salesman speak - I mean having a good conversation, talking about what they used to do for a job, still do, pets, where they live and opinions about it etc, etc then I think you can get a gist on how genuine they are or if they are just trying to sell for a quick buck.

 

The opposite also applies, I sold a car recently and some of the 'tyre kickers' are ridiculous. I think they sometimes just come to look and have no intention of buying. My last car was bought by someone who turned up with the cash but £1k less than the asking price, seriously that's never gonna work on me.

[Supertramp]

I've got to say, everybody advertises on Ebay now, dealerships, small garages and private individuals. I'm guessing this thread is more geared towards the private sale though. In that sense I'd base buying the car almost more on the type/personality of the previous owner than the car itself.

If they are polite, friendly and engaging - and by this I don't mean your average car salesman speak - I mean having a good conversation, talking about what they used to do for a job, still do, pets, where they live and opinions about it etc, etc then I think you can get a gist on how genuine they are or if they are just trying to sell for a quick buck.

 

The opposite also applies, I sold a car recently and some of the 'tyre kickers' are ridiculous. I think they sometimes just come to look and have no intention of buying. My last car was bought by someone who turned up with the cash but £1k less than the asking price, seriously that's never gonna work on me.

 

That doesn't seem like sound advice. My wife is polite and engaging but she wouldn't know if her car has rust on the chassis. To be fair she wouldn't notice if the exhaust fell off.