These are very good points, especially #5.  Talk to the seller.  Get a feel
for the seller's personality.  Find out what he does for a living
(unemployed or between jobs can be bad).

I would also add one more to the list:

6) Make sure you can pick up the vehicle in person.  This is your last
chance to confirm that the seller's description was honest.

I have also sold several vehicles on eBay and have yet to have a bad
experience.  The buyers were very diligent.  I had at least 3 phone
conversations with the prospective buyers before they bid, and all except
one picked up the vehicle in person.

eBay is no different than any other marketplace, caveat emptor...

Cheers,

Jeff
www.vanagonparts.com

-----Original Message-----
From: Vanagon Mailing List [mailto:vanagon@GERRY.VANAGON.COM]On Behalf
Of Bruce Nadig
Sent: Monday, August 09, 2004 5:53 AM
To: vanagon@GERRY.VANAGON.COM
Subject: Re: Ebay trade gone wrong...

The selling of vehicles or anything else on eBay isn't in an of itself bad.
You just can't go into it blindly.

1) Make sure that the seller has exceptionally good feedback
2) Have the Vanagon inspected by a mechanic familiar with Vanagons before
you bid (this is done at your expense)
3) Ask for and carefully inspect all repair and maintenance records
4) Have a CarFax history performed
5) Contact the seller before you bid and speak with him on the phone (most
should be willing to do this - it is times like this that the 2 hour drive
time should come out)

I have sold nine (that I can think of) vehicles on eBay. All sales have gone
well. Everyone that has left feedback has left positive feedback (getting
folks to leave feedback can be like pulling teeth). If you do your homework
you probably won't get burned.

It isn't eBay that is bad. When deals go wrong it is usually as much the
fault of the buyer for not doing his/her homework as it is the seller (for
whatever reason).

eBay is a great tool when used properly.

Cheers,
Bruce
motorbruce
motorbruce@hotmail.com

>From: Eric Zeno <vw4x4@FYI.NET>
>Reply-To: vw4x4@FYI.NET
>To: vanagon@GERRY.VANAGON.COM
>Subject: Re: Ebay trade gone wrong...
>Date: Mon, 9 Aug 2004 07:20:00 -0400
>
>Stuff like this is why buying a car on E-bay is just foolish!  To many
>things
>that you can not inspect a head of time.   Sorry but I've warned the
>list about this.
>                                                 ERic
>
>Donald Baxter wrote:
>
>>My Vanagon seller wrote me back:
>>
>>---------
>>
>>As for friday, everything sounds good, I dont know if I will be able
>>to be there for the final transaction.  My father will probably be the
>>one to be there, his name is Fred.  If you're driving this back to
>>Iowa take it a little bit slow.  Let her rest every couple of hours,
>>that's how Ive driven it and you should be good.  You might want to
>>get an oil change, the last time I changed it was about 2000 miles
>>ago.  How would an online account work for cutting me a check?  I
>>would trust it I just dont know how that works.  As soon as payment is
>>cleared I will send the title to you unless you would rather pick it
>>here with the van.
>>Thank you
>>
>>----------
>>
>>Does this sound as bad as I think it does?  I don't have to let my
>>Vanagon "rest" every two hours.  I've backed out of the trade.  Grrr.
>>
>>DB
>>'85 GL
>>
>>
>>
>>--
>>---------------------------------------------
>>Donald Baxter
>>316 Ridgeview Avenue
>>University Heights, Iowa 52246
>>http://www.mindspring.com/~onanov
>>
>>
>>
>>