Re: Buying a used car


"Knight Of The Road" <russiatrucking@xxxxxxxxxxx> wrote in message
news:Zf-dnTllhsdmXwjZRVnysg@xxxxxxxxx

I actually bought my current car unseen and untested from eBay!


It takes a brave man to do that! Did you pay much for it?

There's some real bargains to be had on eBay, but most often they're a long
way from where I live. The last car I was looking at on eBay was 250 miles
away, so going down for a look and then back down to collect it if I won
would mean 1000 miles of driving, not to mention the difficulty of
persuading someone to take me down. I'm tempted to bid without seeing the
car and relying on the seller's reputation, but the snag is that sellers
don't always just lie, sometimes they don't recognise problems when they
arise. A slightly slipping clutch might not be spotted by 'Gordon McGuyver
Sunday Driver', but I'd spot it sharpish. Same goes for knocks, suspension
wear, underside rust etc etc. When mechanical problems creep up slowly,
non-mechanically minded drivers may not notice.

It's also staggering what some people class as very good condition. I recall
many years ago viewing a Ford Cortina described as such. When I saw it I
couldn't believe what I pile it was- absolutely rotten and crudely brush
painted in what looked like turqouise household emulsion!

The thing is, get it wrong and you're still obliged to buy the car, which
could end up being a nightmare. I was fortunate enough to live within 40
miles of the last car I looked at, which saved me from making a huge
mistake. The car was gleaming in the photos and the seller made a big thing
about a small scuff on ther rear bumper, but claimed the car was in really
good condition. When I went to see it, the bottom corner of the driver's
door was bent out, there was a huge dent in the N/S rear quarter panel, and
the bodywork was extensively peppered with deep gouges and small dents. It
looked like a stolen recovered vehicle.

I bought my current car on eBay and it proved to be a real gem, but again I
was able to see it first hand, test drive it and negotiate an on-the-spot
sale. It's in very nice condition and has never been any trouble at all- the
seller was very frank and pointed out the stone chips etc.

Dave


.

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