Buying a car on eBay motors: Top 10 tips for purchasing used cars online

Buying a car on eBay motors can be a really great way of bagging yourself a bargain and many people do extremely well out of it. But there are some risks involved when purchasing used cars online using an internet auction site. For one thing, you don’t get to see the car in person and test drive it before you make your bid, making it difficult for you to discover any potential faults or problems with the vehicle. There can also be challenges with the collection of the vehicle, as it is possible that you may have to travel a long distance to collect the car.

These top 10 tips look at ways in which you can minimize the risks involved with buying a car on eBay and also make the process as straightforward as possible.

1. The first thing that I should mention is that eBay have a vehicle protection program. At the time of writing it can cover up to $50,000 against specific losses associated with certain types of fraud when you buy through eBay. I would give it a read, if I were you - firstly it may reassure you that buying a car on eBay might not be quite as risky as you thought, and secondly, it will give you an understanding of what is covered and what isn't by the scheme.

2. You can find the car that you want through entering the make and model in the ebay search field - then narrowing the search further by checking the filter boxes on the left of the screen. If you are new to online bidding, my advice is to watch the auctions for a while to get an idea of how it all works. eBay has a “Watch This Item” feature that allows you to track individual cars that are for sale. Don’t put in a bid too early. Allow yourself at least a day or two to get an idea of what the going rates are for the vehicle that you are interested in – you can also search the eBay completed items section for an idea of how much money they have gone for in the past.

3. Do as much research on the seller as you can. The eBay reputation system generally works very well, so certainly make sure that you read eBay's Buyer Feedback reviews at the very least. You can also use services like Carfax to find out the car’s history. You might also want to consider limiting yourself to only buying from a licensed auto dealer or wholesaler too in my opinion.

4. Consider doing extra research if there isn’t much buyer feedback for that particular seller, or you are still unsure. You will definitely want to speak to the seller over the phone to get a gauge of them and try to build a rapport. You might also want to ask them for extra photographs or information, if there are specific things that you are concerned about.

5. It’s a matter of opinion, but I personally would only ever bid for cars where the seller gives me a get out clause that allows me to cancel the sale after I’ve had a chance to inspect and test drive the car. Some of them insist on not allowing you to back out, which increases the risk of you getting saddled with a lemon in my opinion.

6. As with all auctions generally, my advice would be to work out what you believe to be a fair price for the car, then bid and wait to see what happens. Always avoid getting into bidding wars if you can help it, as this can easily lead to you overpaying for the car.

7. Remember that if you have to travel to pick up the car, there will be all sorts of extra costs involved – things like plane tickets, hotel costs, gas for the drive back, or shipping etc. You need to factor these costs in when you decide on the amount that you want to bid.

8. If you are buying a plane ticket, I would consider getting a round-trip fare, for one thing they are often cheaper than one-way tickets, and also you will have a way to get back home if you change your mind about the car, or decide to get it shipped.

9. Depending on your mechanical skills, booking a local mechanic in advance to come out and look at the car when you get to the seller’s place can be a good idea. You shouldn’t have any difficulty finding the number of a local mechanic using the internet.

10. Consider having your car shipped back home after you’ve bought it. The costs of shipping may actually be preferable to the stress and lost work time involved with driving it back home yourself, if you’re traveling a long distance.