Ebay car question.

SHEDDER1uk · 8 Apr 2012 at 16:32

I just bought a car on ebay and the seller is asking for a deposit by paypal. I thought this was against ebay rules now. Anyway I have sent him a reply stating that I and not keen on sending a deposit until I see that the car is as described first. He still wants his deposit what would be the best action in this case.

Puppetmaster · 8 Apr 2012 at 16:41

Did he write in the auction that the winning bidder would need to pay a deposit?

Disco Boy · 8 Apr 2012 at 16:43

Read the ebay rules?

miniyazz · 8 Apr 2012 at 18:00

Why not go to see the car before the end of the auction? That way you know how much to bid.

Saytan · 8 Apr 2012 at 18:13

by winning the auction you have bought the car unless it is *significantly* not as described

that is how ebay works.

[TW]Fox · 8 Apr 2012 at 18:24

Why did you choose to buy using an eBay auction if you wish to give the tyres a good kicking? EBay prices tend to be lower lo reflect the lack of opportunity to do this.

Cristian · 8 Apr 2012 at 18:59

^this.
^That's why buyers ask for a deposit.
If the car is an absolute nail, you don't buy it and lose your £100-200.

Otherwise you pay and take your bargain home with you.

The vast majority of sellers will be happy to arrange a viewing before the auction end, that way you know what you're in for and are free to bid as high as you wish.

Tinders · 8 Apr 2012 at 20:08

I hate bidders who wont come and view the car prior to bidding, how can you bid on something without checking it out first?? Thats why I'd rather list the car as a classified ad rather than an auction, too many people bid and then change their mind, or pick faults to get out of a trade.

You are bidding to buy not view.

dfarrall · 8 Apr 2012 at 23:14

Tinders said:
I hate bidders who wont come and view the car prior to bidding, how can you bid on something without checking it out first?? Thats why I'd rather list the car as a classified ad rather than an auction, too many people bid and then change their mind, or pick faults to get out of a trade.

You are bidding to buy not view.

This basically, or if you are actually wanting it then pay the deposit. Atleast then when you get up there you havent wasted the sellers time.

SHEDDER1uk · 9 Apr 2012 at 00:45

Well went to see it tonight to make sure it was as described. all seems good pick it up thursday.

Joshy · 9 Apr 2012 at 01:51

Tinders said:
I hate bidders who wont come and view the car prior to bidding, how can you bid on something without checking it out first?? Thats why I'd rather list the car as a classified ad rather than an auction, too many people bid and then change their mind, or pick faults to get out of a trade.

You are bidding to buy not view.

The problem is not blind bidding, but rather cars not being described accurately. If a car has been described reasonably accurately why would you need to travel what may be hundreds of miles to view the car in question?

If someone turns up to buy a car that they have bidded on and find that it has not been described accurately they are well within their rights to walk away, something to that effect is even in the ebay rules. However Once you've got a non refundable deposit involved the waters get murky.

Personally I'd arrange to go and view the car ASAP without a deposit in you can get down there very soon. When selling cars in the past I've let the deposit slide as long as the seller doesn't seem like a time wasting numpty.

SHEDDER1uk · 9 Apr 2012 at 02:03

This was my thoughts. As said car seemed solid drove well but it was dark. When i go back ill check the climate control and stuff works engine etc but all seems great.

jellybeard999 · 9 Apr 2012 at 02:57

Joshy said:
The problem is not blind bidding, but rather cars not being described accurately. If a car has been described reasonably accurately why would you need to travel what may be hundreds of miles to view the car in question?

If someone turns up to buy a car that they have bidded on and find that it has not been described accurately they are well within their rights to walk away, something to that effect is even in the ebay rules. However Once you've got a non refundable deposit involved the waters get murky.

Personally I'd arrange to go and view the car ASAP without a deposit in you can get down there very soon. When selling cars in the past I've let the deposit slide as long as the seller doesn't seem like a time wasting numpty.

There is no legal definition of condition though; one man's mint is another man's tatty.

Tinders · 9 Apr 2012 at 09:22

I find buyers on eBay on the whole are cheap skates. They will use any minor excuse to knock of a quid. I even post YouTube videos of cars and still I get people whining about stone chips and what not!

12 pics and a few lines of text can only say so much about a car. A viewing is a must IMO.just saves grief all round and sometimes buyers will have a buy it now price.so you won't need to travel twice!

4T5 · 9 Apr 2012 at 10:06

You should have gone to view the car Before the auction ended. If I was the seller I would want a hundred quid non refundable deposit just to prove you are genuine & to save it for you or I'd offer it to the next in line.
I have to say it really boils my **** the weak **** way so called Men try to deal, In my World how you deal says a Lot about you & bidding/winning an auction is a contract, Those that try to get out of said contract shouldn't be dealing in the first place.

[TW]Fox · 9 Apr 2012 at 10:31

Joshy said:
The problem is not blind bidding, but rather cars not being described accurately. If a car has been described reasonably accurately why would you need to travel what may be hundreds of miles to view the car in question?

If someone turns up to buy a car that they have bidded on and find that it has not been described accurately they are well within their rights to walk away, something to that effect is even in the ebay rules.

But people pick up on all sorts of totally minor things to get the deposit back and bail. This isn't what Ebay is about - if you want to be fussy etc etc do not bid on a car on Ebay. The prices cars fetch on Ebay is lower than you'd pay for the same car on, say, Autotrader or a classified advert for this very reason - it reflects the fact quality is variable and it's a different method of selling.

I'd hate to turn up and find the car isn't mint. So what I do is simply not buy cars on Ebay auctions - instead choosing the more expensive conventionally advertised cars because they fit my buying preferences. What I don't do is whack a bid on, win, pay a deposit and walk because it has two Linglongs that were not described and a few marks that were not described..

You cant have your cake AND eat it. Either you want a 'bargain' on Ebay and you accept what you get, or you pay more and buy conventionally. It's that simple.

Plus surely everyone knows nobody auctions a car unless they've no choice? Mostly this is because its tatty, only occasionally is it because they are in a hurry.

Disco Boy · 9 Apr 2012 at 10:31

4T5 said:
I have to say it really boils my **** the weak **** way so called Men try to deal, In my World how you deal says a Lot about you & bidding/winning an auction is a contract, Those that try to get out of said contract shouldn't be dealing in the first place.

One of the good things about ******!

Tinders · 9 Apr 2012 at 10:44

[TW]Fox;21644135 said:
You cant have your cake AND eat it. Either you want a 'bargain' on Ebay and you accept what you get, or you pay more and buy conventionally. It's that simple.

Plus surely everyone knows nobody auctions a car unless they've no choice? Mostly this is because its tatty, only occasionally is it because they are in a hurry.

Spot on, only the cheap so so cars are auctioned.

G J · 9 Apr 2012 at 11:45

Tinders said:
I find buyers on eBay on the whole are cheap skates. They will use any minor excuse to knock of a quid. I even post YouTube videos of cars and still I get people whining about stone chips and what not!

12 pics and a few lines of text can only say so much about a car. A viewing is a must IMO.just saves grief all round and sometimes buyers will have a buy it now price.so you won't need to travel twice!

It's their own fault soley relying on photo's/vid in the first place to gauge how good the paint is as I've noticed when selling my own car, camera's hide so many scratches/swirls/stonechips etc...

There's two sides to this though, sellers and traders can be just as bad as buyer's as my own personal experience and when you live in South Wales as I do and sometimes have to travel 10-40 miles to see a car and it's a complete dog or not as described. They refuse or start getting shirty about moving anywhere on price even though they've priced their car in the upper price range and when I want to "bail" on a couple of occasions the seller/trader has had a hissy fit calling me a timewaster and all sorts.

Now ask yourself this why would I take time out of my day and the expence of traveling to see a car if I was a timewaster? ohh but it's ok when a seller/trader waste's my time and money... :mad:

SHEDDER1uk · 9 Apr 2012 at 13:13

You see I am not bothered about stonechips swirl marks etc it's a 10 year old car. I just wanted to make sure there was nothing sinister with the car large dents etc thats all.