After seeing this Mini on Ebay Motors and some of the good prices that go through there I can't help but wonder if anyone else has known someone who has bought thier Mini off of Ebay....

I have seen some fabulous prices on some really good looking vehicles from what seems to be reputable auto dealers and I am almost thinking that Ebay Motors could be the way to go. It would be no problem forme to take a flight out to the dealer, pick up the car and enjoy a nice drive home... make it a few day vacation!

What are your thoughts/concerns on doing it this way?

 

I bought my Mini on ebay from a Maserati dealer in Ft. Lauderdale FLA. I had a great experience. I flew down from Atl and drove home. The car was perfect and they were great to deal with. I bought my IS300 on Ebay from a dealer in Minneapolis and although the car is nice they did not attend to few details as well. (I drove it home as well ) If they have good feedback and the car is a deal (both mine were) go for it.

 

I agree, I bought an older 780 volvo through ebay motors and had good success. But don't be fooled, if the price is too cheap, then there is something wrong with it. A lot of times dealers use ebay motors after the car has been sitting on there lot for a while and show little walk in interest. Best thing to do is get the dealers # and call them so you can ask what is wrong with it (if anything). Overall I think it is a good way to either find the exact car you are looking for, or just get a great deal. But like everything else on ebay, there are always going to be some stinkers.

 

Since each Ebay seller is an individual - and there are literally thousands of them - this is a question that is hard to answer. Some people are reputable, some aren’t. I’ve been a seller for several years and I try my best to make sure people get a good deal. Some people are there only to make a quick buck. I have seen cars that people got extremely good deals on and I have seen cars that were listed in “good condition” but ended up being salvage-titled. Due to the expense involved, it is very hard to go after a crooked dealer. But there are a few precautions that you can take. You can use an escrow company and you can send a reputable auto inspector to check out the car prior to purchase.

 

We JUST bought a 2003 Cooper on Ebay through a dealer in New York. We had to drive there to pick it up, but even with travel expenses we saved more than 2K over what we would have paid locally. Thats not speculating.. 3 months ago I bought a 2003 Cooper to replace my totaled one. The Ebay car is specced the exact same, just Ib/W instead of CR/B and it was more than 2K cheaper.

The guy was phenomenal to deal with. We mailed the check, he overnighted the title back to us (including paying the DHL expedited shipping charges). He called many times while we were on our way to New York to check in with us. The car was warmed up waiting for us when we got there... An all around awesome experience.

My only concern with Ebay is the absolutely insane prices that some sellers expect. If you look at the completed sales you'll see that the majority never meet reserve and are re-listed over and over again. Its all a matter of timing. When we looked to buy mine 3 months ago it was IMPOSSIBLE to find what we were looking for. 2 weeks ago the perfect car showed up. Be persistant. Check back often. Many dealers (ours included) will lower prices by the 2nd or 3rd listing. We bid or planned on bidding on at least 10 cars before we finally found ours. The auctions would always end HIGHER than we were willing to pay and STILL hadn't met reserve.

Incidentally, the New York dealer had a BRG/W Cooper on his lot when we were there to pick up ours. Isn't that the color combo you're looking for? If you're serious about going through Ebay I highly recommend looking into his listings even though he's in New York. PM me if you want more info. :smile:

 

Well luckily for me I also can run the VIN through some software/records at work and that may be able to give me some other background details about whatever vehicle I am looking at. I'll be persistant, keep looking back and I'll keep a log of prices and such while I work on my savings account.. I'm looking at buying after or during this summer... since it sounds like I will be moving and therefore adjusting my budget at the end of May.
ImaVunDerBrah>> I'll be PMing you... I'd like to at least get the dealer's name / ebay seller id. new york isn't that far from here really.. two states away isn't much of a drive at all if it's for good service.

 

1. Don't buy without inspecting the car or hiring a competent broker to inspect it for you.
2. Contact several previous customers and review the Ebay feedback carefully and investigate any negative feedback.
3. Running the VIN will help but don't be fooled by a "clean carfax"

There are plenty of very nice cars on Ebay but there are also a bunch of shady dealers out there as well as shady individuals.

Buyer beware!

 

I've bought 2 cars off Ebay - my MINI and a 1977 Corvette. Both were great deals, and both were easy transactions

If the guy puts down that the car is perfect and it isn't, he's obligated to pay for whatever repairs you have to do. There was a small ding on one of the doors when I bought the MINI and he paid the fee no problem, and that was a private owner! It'll be even easier working with a dealership.

Good luck! Ebay gets my full endorsement!

PS: I'm buying my next car off ebay too

EDIT: It goes without saying you should check the feedback and only deal with people with close to 100%. ESPECIALLY in a situation like this.
Since their feedback is exactly 100% I don't think you have much to worry about though!

 

I work for eBay and can tell you that as long as you follow some of the advice already given in this thread, you should be fine and will get a great deal. eBay does offer a broker to inspect the vehicle for you, and there is plenty of protection for you.

 

As a Motoring Advisor, I don't want ANYONE to buy a MINI on Ebay. You should all buy from ME! But I understand the saving $$$ part!

My only word of caution is about warranty. A 2002 at this point should be out of the Maintance Program and a year away from the New car Passenger warranty being expired. If you can, look into any extended warranty programs that MINI dealers have available. It might save you a lot of $$$ as well as heart ache in the long run. Keep in mind that the MINI is still in the BMW family.:smile:

Ps. I really like those wheels!

Carissa

 

Oh I didn't mean throuh carfax, I work for a police dept.

I'm beginning to really give this serious consideration, I can pretty much find what I want without the wait... and when it's time for me to buy you all know I won't be able to stand the wait! Oh only a fe wmonths then I can seriously start thinking about finally making this dream a reality! I can't believe it.... I'm dying to get behind the wheel of one again. :smile:

 

Remember though, used car rates tend to be higher than new car rates. Therefore, a new car may end up with a lower payment than a used one.

 

Very true... You do raise a good point.
But my payments are gonna screw me anyways b.c of my age and the fact that since I am so young I don't have any real credit yet Hook me up

 

I actually bought mine new from MINI of St. Louis because the values were so high on eBay, I could get exactly what I wanted brand new for just a couple thousand more. I did initially look on eBay, but in the end had one made for me.

 

Ebay can be great if you know exactly what you are getting into. I found my 914 on ebay -- the last place I expected to find one in such good condition. If you cannot go see the car in person before completing the transaction, make sure to have an independant PPI done by someone of your own choosing before agreeing to buy. Caveat emptor and all that jazz...

Lots of people have really good experience buying through ebay. But you don't have to search to long to find people who have been totally burned by nefarious sellers either.

 

Very true, thanks!