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Automotive Guide Shopping For A Car Online? Why eBay May Be The Best Place To Go

By: Randall E. Rhodes
Automotive Guide

I've been fed up with new vehicle prices for a number of years, not to mention the ridiculous depreciation that occurs almost before the car is driven off the lot. Because of this, I've been buying used vehicles for quite some time. I usually pay cash for my used vehicles, thus avoiding the dreaded (for me anyways) monthly car payment. Of course paying cash does have it's draw backs. First, I find I've had to settle for slightly older used vehicles that I could afford. Second, buying slightly older used vehicles 'sometimes' means more maintenance costs. Overall though, I've been quite happy with my paid for beauties and find they get me where I'm going the same as the $30,000+ cars, trucks and SUV's I see on the road every day.

During my most recent used vehicle buying binge – the last 14 months - I've needed to purchase a primary used vehicle for my wife, one for me and most recently, one for our youngest daughter who is in her 'temp' stage of driving. Since I've been an avid eBay® buyer and seller for the past 7½ years, last year I decided to give eBay a shot for my used vehicle consideration. Three used vehicles and well over $10,000 in savings off retail pricing, I can't think of a better way or place to buy a used vehicle.

Let me give some reasons why.

SELECTION

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As I write this, there are 40,000 cars and trucks currently on auction on eBay. Prices range from an opening bid of $.01 to a (very) high end of 1 million dollars for a Lincoln Town Car limo. Besides the usual mix of family-type coupes, sedans, vans and SUV's, there are the more exotic Lamborghini's, Porsche's, Ferrari's, and even an old Duesenberg – which buy the way, with a little more than two hours left in the auction, currently has 57 bids on it with the high bid being a cool $1,300,100.00!!

There are also 8200 motorcycles and 3027 boats (ranging in price from $.05 to over a million for several yachts). This doesn't include other eBay categories of Powersports (ATV's, jet skis, snowmobiles, go-karts, etc.), and “Other Vehicles” (planes, buses, commercial trucks, military vehicles, RV's, campers, race cars.....). Get the picture? If you can think of it, chances are someone's sellin' it on eBay and you can check this all out while wearin' your PJ's and sittin' in your favorite chair all on your laptop computer.

PRICING

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As I mentioned before, my last three automobile purchases have been on eBay and I've gotten, in my opinion, simply outstanding prices on everyone of them. I mean “outstanding” as in close to, if not BELOW, trade-in prices when compared on used vehicle pricing websites such as Kelly Blue Book or Edmunds. And after doing this over a fourteen month time frame and finding time and time again good..... uh, no GREAT deals, I'm convinced my purchases weren't just a fluke. And I believe I know the reason for this.

You see, most of us eBay buyers are a pretty savvy group. We like good bargains. Otherwise, we just go down to the local Walmart and make our purchases there. It's because of this that most sellers of used vehicles on eBay, at least the ones who are selling used vehicles as a pretty serious hobby or even a part-time or full-time business and therefore plan to stick around for awhile, need to sell their used vehicles at a very aggressive (as in attractive to us) price. They realize that they won't last long trying to sell used vehicles for anywhere near retail pricing, although some do. What they lose in profits on each sale they can easily make up by selling more used vehicles.

I have simply been amazed at the deals that can be found. The used vehicle we bought for our daughter, a 2001 Mazda Protege, was purchased for $3,800. It's in fantastic condition inside and out and only needed two fan belts replaced that were squealing and has a right rear tire that is cupped and needs to be replaced eventually. We figure she'll easily get another 5 or 6 years out of it through college. Comparing the price on the two websites I mentioned above, the Trade-in value is about $4,500 - $4,600 and the retail value is around $7,500. Private Party value – the price I could expect to pay if bought from a “person” rather than a “dealer” is about $6,000. Not a bad deal no matter how you look at it.

And these kind of deals can be found on about any type of used vehicle, maybe excluding the uber-popular models these days, just about any day of the week. During my two to three week stretch of searching, I came across probably a dozen deals like this spread across three different makes/models of used vehicles – no kidding!

FEEDBACK SYSTEM

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If you're the least big familiar with eBay, you're probably aware of their feedback system. Every transaction that closes through eBay allows the seller to rate the buyer and the buyer to rate the seller. Ratings can be either “Positive”, “Neutral”, or “Negative” along with a 80 character narrative comment. Neither the seller nor the buyer can modify the feedback they are given – they are allowed to comment on it. And it takes almost an act of Congress to get eBay to have the feedback removed.

Picture this for a moment – you go down to your local used vehicle dealer to see what' they have available. Just before you get to the front door of the dealership, there is very large sign posted. By law they have to make this sign available on in plain view for everyone to see. The sign contains comments from anyone who has dealt with this dealership in the past. Anyone, from the day the dealership opened, who wanted to tell about his or her experience – how they were treated, what kind of pricing they found, any “gotcha's” they wish they knew about – was free to leave a comment and the dealership, again by law, could not alter these comments in anyway. Wouldn't that be great? Would you have a lot more confidence in a dealer who had 1000s of positive comments left by people just like you? By the same token, if you've ever dealt with a dealer or dealership that was, uh, lets say “less than honorable”, don't you wish you would have seen other no-so-great-comments at their door from other people just like you. I know I've dealt with a dealership or two that could be put in this category.

Well, eBay provides just that type of system to assist you the buyer before you ever decide to enter into a transaction with any seller. I think it's a marvelous way to know exactly who you're dealing with, before you ever deal with them. All of my dealings have been with sellers who've had a great reputation for selling and not one of the used vehicles I've purchased turned out to be trouble.

IT'S FUN

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I know, I know, for some people buying a used vehicle is about as enjoyable as getting root canal done on a front tooth. But I've thoroughly enjoyed everyone of my car buying experiences. I love finding deals on just about everything I buy and it's fun to hunt out and find the best deals for the types of used vehicles I'm looking for on eBay. And, it's not all that difficult IF you know how to do it. I've also had the opportunity to meet some decent people. And there's something about the anticipation of seeing the “car of your dreams” in person after only being able to see it in pictures. And not once have I been surprised – unless it was pleasant surprises – in the used vehicles I've purchased.

I bought my SUV (an Isuzu Trooper) last year from a dealer in New Jersey (his name was Mike). My daughter and I flew out to picked the 'ute up and drive it home. It was cool flying in and taking a taxi to the town the vehicle was located in – never actually spent much time in Jersey before. After closing the deal Mike escorted us out the Jersey shore where my daughter and I, unintentionally, got to dip our feet in the Atlantic. I know, for some that's no big deal. But for us Midwesterners, seeing the beach and the ocean is always a treat – even if the spring chill is still in the air. We walked around the boardwalk for awhile, had a great lunch at a beach-side diner and topped it off with some salt water taffy and ice cream before hoping in my “new car” and driving home. Man, we talked about that trip for weeks afterwards and I'm sure it'll be a highlight of my daughter's and mine relationship for years to come.

For me, there's just no better way to buy a used vehicle. I'm also beginning to convince some of my friends of the same. Ebay will always be the first place I check when getting ready to buy a used vehicle for some years to come. I highly recommend you check it out as well.

Randall E. Rhodes is a 7 1/2 year verteran on eBay with over 1500 transactions
completed. He has revealed his expert buying tips, tricks and techniques in an online
instructional series showing how he buys cars on eBay for incredible prices.

eBay Car Buying Videos

Automotive Guide Tag : Buy Used Car Used Car Ebay

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