Why do we so often hear about this after the sale?

Attention all prospective buyers: There are many, many folks on the forum that would be happy to check out a car for you. For free. I once helped a forum member by checking out a car -- it was rougher than the photos led us to believe.

 

I will NEVER understand how some people can buy cars on e-bay for big money sight unseen.

I think we have another thread about a lawer who got scammed the
same way

 

If you have ever purchased a used car or anyother personal item from an individual or and advertisement you should know that the item being sold looks different to the seller.

In my opinion:
Ads whether they are Ebay or newspaper or internet are 90% hype and 10% reality. Sellers are generally 80% honest and 20% slick and dishonest. Have you ever answered a newspaper ad for a car and wondered what car they were talking about when you finally see it?

Knowing this and going ahead and purchasing a 30 year old used car sight unseen for what I consider to be an exorbitant price you are looking for trouble. Now I may be more synical than most but then again I have been in the automotive industry for 35 years so I have seen it all.

Recently read a post somewhere about a District Attorney in Pa. who bought a Corvette online from a dealer in Ca. only to find out it wasn't what he expected when it rolled off the transporter. He is now suing the dealer who has a terrible reputation for doing this kind of thing.
Caveat Emptor.

 

I just want to be clear,

did you pay first and have it delivered

or

did you go pick up the car and pay at that time?

 

......sorry you're unhappy with your purchase.......

Words like "lightly", "excellent", "perfect", "barely" and "needs no work" are subjective terms, meaning it's the sellers opinion, and opinions aren't legal grounds for fraud.

In the old days, when we had the Recycler and Hemmings, we would see the ad, call up the person, then go look at the car....if there was a difference of opinion on the condition, then we would haggle the price or walk away.

With your Ebay purchase you missed a critical step here: going to look at the car.....

Same goes with your mechanic checking the car out after the purchase....for fraud to exist, you would have to prove that the seller knew there was something wrong with it, meaning some form of documentation.......

Just remember that the feeling that you've overpaid for this Vette is subjective too....you'll soon get so much enjoyment from it that you'll forget about all this.......

Have fun with it

 

Sorry, but I saw the auction barely 2 days before it ended...basically one day and a half.

Some of you seem to think that Ebay auctions are subjective even if I ASK for specific details???

I asked him to photograph any flaws and tell me what imperfections there are.

He said NONE... Flawless.

It is illegal in ANY contract NOT to disclose information and also to LIE about it.

I will try Ebay buyer protection...
MISREPRESENTATION is considered a breach of contract according to Ebay and Ebay EXPECTS that buyers may not always have the time to fly out to far locations to check out a car and WORDS are a binding contract.
Hence that is why EBAY exists.

The car is also not listed to buy in AS-IS condition.

 

Ok, I'm not trying to be a jerk here, but what did you really expect? "Perfect" was perhaps an overstatement, but it's just his opinion and he's the seller. So he's going to be looking at that car through a pair of rose colored glasses. You're the buyer, so obviously you're going to cast a far more scrutinous eye on things. You have zero legal recourse if you're basing your case on a battle of semantics. Go to any used car lot and check out the cars that have the little "Perfect!" "Flawless!" and "Needs Nothing!" signs on them.

Caveat emptor always. Are your gripes only with the paint? What you described doesn't sound very bad to be honest. You could probably address most of it with a clean rag, rubbing compound, and some elbow grease. Let me tell you this, there is no car with an original 30 year old paint job and 30k miles that is perfect. There will be chips. There will scratches. There will be fading. Hell, these cars didn't even roll off the assembly line with perfect paint for that matter.

It sounds to me like you were too trusting maybe slightly naive, and now you have buyer's remorse. From the pictures, it looks like you got a great survivor car. (and the fact that you're using one of the auction's pictures for your avatar makes me wonder just how angry you really are) You paid top dollar, but I honestly don't see how you could have any legal recourse against the seller. Enjoy the car and move on. This battle is not worth it.

 

Not going to look at a car and relying on a DETAILED SPECIFIC desription and PERFECT photos is why Ebay exists and why they have a buyer protection that says it honors CONTRACTS.

Contracts are not irrelevant in the legal world.

Bodyshop guy also said that the paint is NOT original... even that one or two panels were replaced.
So along with that and ALL the chips, abrasions on the paint... he LIED about the BASIC criteria... ORIGINAL paint.

Not beyond excellent or perfect and not even original.

 

Sorry for the bad deal.

I bought a car that I found on Ebay and it went fine. I called the dealer do discuss the car and it seemed worth a look. I made a 1-way airplane reservation after negotiating the price. I had a good feeling about it but was prepared to fly back home if it was trash. It was georgeous and I drove it home from Huston TX to Little Rock AR. Was the car worth it? yes! Were there some less than pristine cars on the lot? - Yes, but I am glad I had not been interested in any of those.

It can be done but keep in mind that a seller has nothing to loose by loosely misrepresenting the car's condition. I would negotiate the top price first, then see it and haggle as required, then buy it or walk away and enjoy the adventure regardless.

-Mark.

 

UNDERTAKER... from the Corvette northeast forum saw the car and agreed it has SERIOUS paint issues and even hidden BODYWORK.

You think I'm being picky?

Everyone who SAW the car shook their head and agreed there are serious problems that are underneath all the abrasions and chips on the surface as well as the OBVIOUS discoloration on the hood and roof panels!

 

ALSO, I said it was NOT subjective... I ASKED for any minor nicks or chips or flaws on the car. Email and by Phone.

He kept saying BETTER than perfect... Brand new....noone can see ANY flaw.
No Detailing needed, no paintwork... NOTHING.

I said ANY flaw is unacceptable and I won't bid the top dollar amount.

I ASKED for specific information... This is NOT subjective.

Like I said, there are more issues than just the paint now... bodywork was done....poor bodywork.

car is NOT a survivor.

 

Ok, let's play the word game...

He says "PERFECT" and "BEYOND EXCELLENT" both in a very rounded fashion about the car as a whole. These are opinions only. The only statement he makes as to the paint condition is "the exterior completely unrestored" which honestly could be interpreted as that it is flawed with age.

Good luck proving those and good luck proving the seller knew and intentionally hid these "facts" from you.

 

Ok buddy, I give up on you.

Anyone that has the wherewithal to fire off $15,000 to someone he doesn't know for something he's never seen ought to have the sense to know better.

 

BTW.. I bought a Datsun 280zx unseen from Ebay.
Car was as descibed and I was happy.
No, it wasn't perfect with barely noticeable scratches in hard to see areas but it needed nothing except a tuneup.

It is NOT accepteable to say tough luck, no matter what a seller writes, says or lies about...and say you should have gone see the car otherwise the seller did nothing wrong.

I would have if it were possible but 1 1/2 days to end of auction and a JOB prevents me from that luxury.

New York to San Jose california is not possible for me on short notice and with my job.

Ebay was creaed for people to have a chance buying things that are not within their ability to buy and VISIT places on short notice.

Hence the WRITTEN contract...and my detail specific emails.

 

Bummer, I had a dispute this year with e-bay about a set of hooker header sidepipes and although I won..........The seller didn't have the money to pay me back, So what did I win.

E-Bay also told me the buyer protection was for a seller that had sold
50 plus items..........If the seller sold 50 items he would not need buyer protection because obviously he is a trustworthy seller. The guy that never sold anything on E-bay or didn't sell many items.....Thats the guy we need protection from!!!

BTW at carlisle this year I saw a 76 for 8 grand that was in excellent condition (sorry) Same color as yours

Butch

 

No, thats why you're an idiot.

You insult me for being honest and getting all the info I can directly from the seller to make the BEST choice I can without being ABLE to see the car in person due to timeframe and location.

Ebay was created for that.

The seller can LIE all he wants and is A Okay in your book... so that is why you are obviously a liar yourself.

 

Thanks Butch,

I have to try, I guess.

 

......not the seller's fault you're an impulsive buyer......

Ebay wasn't created for that purpose......Ebay was created to make money for Ebay.....and to introduce buyers and sellers.....no different than the classified section of your local newspaper.....

Does your WRITTEN contract have a clause that states you can return the vehicle and get a refund if you're unsatisfied ????? Probably not.....

Get a lawyer if you must, but I would move on...........

 

Legal contracts are supposed to represent information accurately.

Also, the car does NOT say AS-IS which is one way a dealer tries to get away without disclosing information.

Of course it doesn't say refund... but contracts that are 'fraudulant means illegal and VOID... same as refund in the Law system.

I will pursue this case.

 

Also, the seller being a liar is not my fault.
Thats why we have laws and contracts because the WRITTEN word is binding.

Being impulsive is not on par to being a liar.