*This is not to become an anti-Paypal thread - start your own!!*
I only use Paypal for 99.99% of all my dealings with EBay.
This has paid off only once as I've only once been scammed and I saw all of my money safely back.
Out of the many purchases and sales I've made on Ebay I've only done two outside of Paypal.
Once was a Bank Transfer to me and that went fine - transfer came across, cleared and I sent the item.
The second was just recently when I did a Bank Transfer to them.
It wasn't for as much as yours, however after I did the transfer the seller went quiet on me.
I'd only done the Bank Transfer as I just felt he was legit.
As it turned out he was just slow but legit and the item turned up and all was well.
Hope you get your money back but to be honest I really wouldn't hold me breath on you seeing all your funds returned on this one.