I've done my fair share of car and auto parts shopping on platforms like these, and from firsthand experience, you will undoubtedly come across scammers, time-wasters, falsely advertised cars in regards to condition and vehicle history, and generally crappy items merely listed for those naïve enough to bite. With that said, you'll want to eliminate all the other risks associated with buying a car that you do have control over.Īlternatives like Craigslist and Facebook buying and selling groups can be convenient to use as they require less work to make a sale or purchase on, but with no real regulations on business practices, they're essentially free-for-alls between buyers and sellers. After all, it is a machine and there are plenty of variables that neither you nor the seller have complete control over. Even if a car is accurately advertised, it could very well break shortly after you purchase it. Why eBay Motors is a safe destination for buying a vehicle:īuying a car of any kind, regardless of where it's listed, comes with some level of risk. If you're not an avid eBay user, you've probably thought of the site only as a marketplace to buy and sell collectible baseball cards, vintage clothes, and other random knickknacks, but its automotive section, eBay Motors, is a major destination for buying cars with more than five million vehicles sold to date. As with any industry, the online car market does have some questionable products and shady sellers, but with the right know-how, you can avoid almost all the risks - and eBay is one the most useful and trusted sites for doing so. Either stumbling upon a nice used car with a for sale sign on it or shopping at used car lots with overzealous salesmen were once the only options, but the internet has opened up more avenues.īy purchasing a car online, you can cast your net far and wide to ensure that you end up in driver's seat of the ride you really want, not just what's available locally. The idea of buying something as substantial (in size and price) as a vehicle online probably gives most people anxiety, but the reality is that the car-buying process has come a long way. In just a few clicks, you can buy clothes, shoes, mattresses, groceries and pretty much anything else you can think of from the comfort of your home.īut cars are still one of the few things that most people prefer to buy in person. Finally, the age-old wisdom holds true, if it seems too good to be true it probably is.By clicking ‘Sign up’, you agree to receive marketing emails from InsiderĪs well as other partner offers and accept our ![]() It’s almost always better to have that safety of having eBay in your corner trying to help identify a runaway seller even if they don’t have buyer protection for you. If a seller insists on payments off the eBay platform it’s likely a scam even if it saves on eBay’s commission. ![]() Any transaction should be made through eBay. Those forms of payment are essentially untraceable so scammers can run off and you’d have no way of finding them. The biggest red flags to look out for is if they want you to pay for anything with a wire transfer or gift cards. Proving the car is in good running shape will only strengthen their selling position so be wary of anyone that seems worried about an inspection. If the car doesn’t have any issues the seller hasn’t already told you about it can only be good for them. It shouldn't cost more than $100 or $200 and is worth the peace of mind. Let the seller know you’re willing to pay for a mechanic to give it an inspection. Once you’ve seen the car and verified they can actually sell it to you by checking the VIN (Vehicle Identification Number), take it to an auto body shop of your choosing, any reputable shop nearby should be fine. There are countless stories where people paid what looked like a great price only for the seller to disappear. Even worse than getting a clunker is not getting a car at all. Axle issues, hidden rust, failing seals, hidden electrical system issues, and water damage are just some hard-to-detect issues that can end up junking a car. Some ways scammers use eBay is listing a car in great driving condition but delivering a car riddled with issues that range from mildly annoying to downright dangerous. What many people may not know is that buyer protection does not apply to car sales on the auction site. Many people may be lulled into a false sense of security because eBay is a credible website that is famous for its buyer protection guarantee. Buyers can buy a car that looks like a great deal from across the country in their pajamas but that convenience is also dangerous since many people may have to buy a car sight unseen. ![]() One of the biggest reasons why people love eBay Motors is the convenience.
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