Problem with Car/Ebay
Problem with Car/Ebay
Author
Discussion

Wiltshire2282

Original Poster:

6 posts

44 months

Monday 10th April 2023
quotequote all
I purchased a car through Ebay, won the auction and arranged to have it inspected for peace of mind as it's for my daughter as her first car.

It was inspected and everything was fine, I'm due to pick it up Wednesday and now the seller isn't responding to messages. I'm concerned because I've paid out money for the inspection and everything has been agreed.

If I don't hear from him, I'd want my money back for the inspection.

Any advice?

Thank you.

nordboy

3,275 posts

77 months

Monday 10th April 2023
quotequote all
I think you'll have little to no chance to get any money for the inspection, that's your choice to do, regardless of what happens with the E bay auction. Unless you went down the court route.

But the seller could come back to you, maybe they've been away for easter weekend?

Xcore

1,487 posts

117 months

Monday 10th April 2023
quotequote all
No chance hombre

swisstoni

23,528 posts

306 months

Monday 10th April 2023
quotequote all
Is it likely that someone would got through the process of putting a car up on eBay, entertain an inspection on the car, and then disappear having made no money?

Doesn’t exactly sound like a royal scam to me.

Volvo1956

483 posts

97 months

Monday 10th April 2023
quotequote all
Whatever happens regarding the purchase of the car you have two hopes regarding recovery of money shelled out gor an inspection.

Bob Hope and No Hope.

dudleybloke

20,553 posts

213 months

Monday 10th April 2023
quotequote all
It's a bank holiday weekend and the seller might be out enjoying themselves.

Fady

454 posts

231 months

Monday 10th April 2023
quotequote all
swisstoni said:
Is it likely that someone would got through the process of putting a car up on eBay, entertain an inspection on the car, and then disappear having made no money?

Doesn’t exactly sound like a royal scam to me.
On a positive note, at least you had a favourable outcome from the inspection. Had that not been the case, that money is still gone, but you probably end up paying for a second one on another car!

Hopefully it all works out fine.

Monkeylegend

28,895 posts

258 months

Monday 10th April 2023
quotequote all
swisstoni said:
Is it likely that someone would got through the process of putting a car up on eBay, entertain an inspection on the car, and then disappear having made no money?

Doesn’t exactly sound like a royal scam to me.
Unless they also happened to be the one who gets paid to do the "inspection"

That sounds like a good little scam to me, sell your car then tell the buyer you can arrange an independent inspection for them, take the inspection money, rinse and repeat.

I bet there would be people falling for that if buying from a distance.

Countdown

48,830 posts

223 months

Monday 10th April 2023
quotequote all
Monkeylegend said:
Unless they also happened to be the one who gets paid to do the "inspection"

That sounds like a good little scam to me, sell your car then tell the buyer you can arrange an independent inspection for them, take the inspection money, rinse and repeat.

I bet there would be people falling for that if buying from a distance.
What kind of buyer is going to trust an Inspection that the Seller has "arranged"?

maz8062

3,856 posts

242 months

Monday 10th April 2023
quotequote all
From a seller’s perspective, it would have been better for you to have had the car inspected before the end of the auction after which you’d committed to buy it, with a satisfactory PPI unlikely to be part of the deal. The seller is probably pissed off with you and moved on.

Monkeylegend

28,895 posts

258 months

Monday 10th April 2023
quotequote all
Countdown said:
Monkeylegend said:
Unless they also happened to be the one who gets paid to do the "inspection"

That sounds like a good little scam to me, sell your car then tell the buyer you can arrange an independent inspection for them, take the inspection money, rinse and repeat.

I bet there would be people falling for that if buying from a distance.
What kind of buyer is going to trust an Inspection that the Seller has "arranged"?
Funny you should ask that.

I was looking to buy a Westfield from a guy in Jersey a few years ago and I wasn't prepared to travel all that way if the car wasn't worth it.

I asked the guy selling if there was anybody over there who would do an inspection for me and he put me in touch with his local garage who serviced the car.

The garage owner was a very nice guy and did an inspection, and sent me photo's, the result of which was that I decided not to buy because I had been worried about sea air corrosion, which turned out to be an issue, and on the advice of the garage decided not to buy.

So I was the kind of guy who trusted a seller to arrange an inspection for me which I was happy to pay for smile

Who knows if the garage guy shared the cost of the inspection with the seller and if it was a scam to get money from me.

ChrisH72

3,017 posts

79 months

Monday 10th April 2023
quotequote all
Sounds like they've just gone away for the Bank Holiday.

Either that or they've had a better offer for the car and decided to go with that instead.

sunnyb13

1,202 posts

65 months

Monday 10th April 2023
quotequote all
You should inspect a car before bidding on it.


sunnyb13

1,202 posts

65 months

Monday 10th April 2023
quotequote all
You should inspect a car before bidding on it.


Fady

454 posts

231 months

Monday 10th April 2023
quotequote all
maz8062 said:
From a seller’s perspective, it would have been better for you to have had the car inspected before the end of the auction after which you’d committed to buy it, with a satisfactory PPI unlikely to be part of the deal. The seller is probably pissed off with you and moved on.
Eh? I certainly wouldn't have a car inspected if there was a possibility that I might get outbid.

Back2theFuji

357 posts

50 months

Monday 10th April 2023
quotequote all
Once you place a bid on eBay, you've committed to buy, surely?

Hope it works out OP.

anonymous-user

81 months

Monday 10th April 2023
quotequote all
Fady said:
maz8062 said:
From a seller’s perspective, it would have been better for you to have had the car inspected before the end of the auction after which you’d committed to buy it, with a satisfactory PPI unlikely to be part of the deal. The seller is probably pissed off with you and moved on.
Eh? I certainly wouldn't have a car inspected if there was a possibility that I might get outbid.
Well an ebay auction ain't for you then as thems the rules...you bid to buy and not secure the chance for a look over it and decide.


M4cruiser

5,010 posts

177 months

Monday 10th April 2023
quotequote all
lord trumpton said:
Well an ebay auction ain't for you then as thems the rules...you bid to buy and not secure the chance for a look over it and decide.
Well said, I was about to post something similar. Ebay cars are cheaper than dealer ones, and that's the reason. Hard to evaluate.
I once bought a car on Ebay and I was happy with it, but it was reasonably local (10 miles) so I inspected it myself first. That's what you should do.



InitialDave

14,933 posts

146 months

Monday 10th April 2023
quotequote all
What form did the inspection take?

Do you not have an address for the seller that you used to arrange the inspection?

As others have said, it's a bank holiday weekend, maybe they're just enjoying the break at the moment. See if you get a response tomorrow.

Fady

454 posts

231 months

Tuesday 11th April 2023
quotequote all
lord trumpton said:
Fady said:
maz8062 said:
From a seller’s perspective, it would have been better for you to have had the car inspected before the end of the auction after which you’d committed to buy it, with a satisfactory PPI unlikely to be part of the deal. The seller is probably pissed off with you and moved on.
Eh? I certainly wouldn't have a car inspected if there was a possibility that I might get outbid.
Well an ebay auction ain't for you then as thems the rules...you bid to buy and not secure the chance for a look over it and decide.
Those are not the rules for an 'open auction' which are the ones you actually bid on. For these you are not permitted to exchange any details until the auction closes. Then there are classified ads which you don't bid on but just agree to buy.

My current feedback on eBay is just under 2000 (100% positive) and my purchases include 3 cars.