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One car, van, truck or suv sold every 1 second, each and every day. Yep, that's what I said - one vehicle sold every second on Ebay.
eBay has been around since the year 2000 - and in just over 5 years, has become the top seller of cars & trucks in the world with nearly $4 Billion worth of new and used vehicles sold.
eBay is number one for a couple of good reasons. One - there are no dealerships running the show. Car Dealers are only participants in this process and there are no sales people out looking for a "quick kill". With an eBay car auction, you don't have to play the games that car dealers so often play.
And two - eBay has in place a "feed back" which announces to the world if the seller you are looking at doing business with is a SCHMUCK, or a top-notch individual who delivers on what they promise.
Whether you've poked around eBay Motors in the past, or are an eBay rookie, I want to share a bit of insight into buying & selling on eBay Motors. It's information and lessons I've learned over the years (much of it very expensive) buying and selling both new & used cars on eBay.
eBay Cars & Trucks: Buying Guidelines
eBay has two types of sellers - Dealerships and Private-Party. And sales are split about evenly between the two. Perhaps the most attractive part of eBay is....both sell the exact same way using eBay.
Here's are step-by-step guide to being a professional eBay Car Buyer:
- Make sure you've narrowed your choice as much as possible and then research prices - my personal favorite is True Market Value (TMV) offered at Edmunds.com
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- When using eBay, take advantage of the "search" function on eBay Motors
- it's a great tool to wade thru the 30k- 40k cars, trucks vans and suv's listed there. Just be as specific as possible.
- Make sure the car you're looking at has everything you want. Read the Car or Trucks description very carefully.
- Note where the car is located - if it's close by (meaning a realistic driving distance) and meets all your needs, keep a close eye on that car. And since it costs anywhere from $300 to $1600 to transport a car, you should expect to pay a bit more for a "local" car.
- When bidding on a car and it's located clear across the country, shipping costs can add a fortune to the overall cost. If it's a couple of States away, $300 or so should cover it. If you're in New York and the car is in California....expect to pay about $1600.
If you plan on picking-up the car yourself, add your travel costs. That might include gas, hotels, food, etc. If you're thinking about flying to the location, make sure you look at round-trip tickets. Their very often cheaper than a one-way ticket. - eBay has a lot of great tools - make sure you use them. One of the most valuable - the "feedback" tool - which lets you know how others have rated the seller. If the feedback is less than a 97% rating - run for the hills.
- When I've bought cars on eBay, I've had better luck with no-reserve auctions. No-reserve just means that there is no minimum bid that must be met. And that means a winning bid can sometimes be even less than what you thought it would be.
- If you find a car, and it has lots of pictures, the seller is a good one - they're not trying to hide anything. If an eBay car listing only has 2 pictures to review - forget about that listing and move on.
- If you find something you like on eBay, don't even bid on it till you check the
CarFax History Report. Any hint of an accident, odometer issues or questionable title, skip the auction and move on to another. If you're looking at several different cars or trucks, get the 1 month access - it's cheaper than paying for each report individually. (A word of caution: eBay does not offer CarFax. They have a sweet-heart deal with Experian to provide vehicle reports. Skip the eBay/Experian report and use the first and best - CarFax)
- Don't be impatient - watch and wait. Try to get a handle on what the bidding process is like on a particular car or truck. Get a feel for how the process works....and let others bid-up the price. You jump in at the last minute if you're certain "it's" the one.
- Do not bid on any car listed on eBay that does not allow you to cancel your purchase after the auction has ended. After all, you don't want to win an auction and have to pay for car that's a piece of junk without inspecting it first.
- If a phone number is listed (they usually are) call the person selling the car on eBay. Ask questions - it's a great way to find out a little more about the car. And sometimes the seller will even tell you what they'll take for the car.
- When you bid on car, do it, then leave it alone. DO NO get in a bidding war. It inflates the selling price unnaturally.
- If a seller wants only a cash or check, that's okay. Every successful bidder is protected up to $20,000 by ebay if something should go wrong. Traditional Bank Financing works well also - make sure you check Capital One for current new and used loan offers
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- If you are buying a used car on eBay, and it has little or no warranty left, make sure you check out what warranty protection might cost. I recommend Warranty Direct - perhaps the lowest cost-best coverage offered in the U.S.
- Last but not least - if you have the time, get the car inspected by a Mechanic. eBay offers a mechanical inspection services in, or near, the 50 largest cities in the U.S.
In my opinion, eBay is great way to shop for and purchase new and used cars, trucks, vans and suv's....and one you should try.
P.S. If you're not an eBay Member, and are thinking about reviewing a few of the auctions and then maybe bidding, you have to register first on eBay - It's easy, free and fast to do.
eBay Cars & Trucks: Selling Guidelines
If you're looking to sell your car or truck, and plan on using an online service to help sell it, eBay is a phenomenal way to help sell it. Here's your guide to selling a car on eBay.
Here's a list of the information you'll need to list your car for sale on eBay.
- VIN: (17-digit if 1981 or later)
- Mileage:
- Year:
- Make
- Model
- Sub-Model: (if applicable) - like LX, EX, SRS, etc.
- Engine Cylinders: 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 8 | 10 | 12
- Title Type: Clear | Salvage | Other
- Transmission: Manual | Automatic
- Warranty: Existing | None
- Get a
Now it's time to sign-in at eBay - or register if you're a new user. Once finished, press continue.
Then select "passenger vehicles" in the Category box, then select the make of the car or truck you want to sell. Next, select the model then press "Continue" at the bottom of the page.
Enter your VIN (Vehicle Identification Number) and press continue.
Next, add a good title. The Title is what appears when people search for a car or truck. Here's an example what you should use: 2002 Honda Odyssey EX-L 33k/Very Clean/Low Miles
Then complete the vehicle specifics and auction description just below the Title you just finished. Here's an example you can use.
- Now you need to fill-in a good description of your car or truck. eBay allows you to play around with colors, fonts, bold and italics, so make sure you experiment a little. You can go back and change it later if you like. Here's an example to use - just add your own specific info:
You are bidding on a 2002 Honda Odyssey EX-L Silver/Gray Leather - equipped with Leather Seating and Third Row Seating has been remarkably well serviced and maintained as evidenced by its condition. It has only 33,451 one owner original miles. There are no modifications from the original Honda specifications or configuration. All power and convenience options are functioning properly, of which there are many (see full Equipment list below). The CARFAX report is clean, without any negative history. There is no body damage or paint work history. This is a great looking car in EXCEPTIONAL Condition!! It comes with two master keys, two remotes and the owners manual.
Equipment:
- Cruise Control
- Overhead Console
- Steering Adjustment-Tilt-adjustable
- Steering Power-Power Steering
- Steering Wheel Ctrl-Audio Controls
- Universal Remote Transmit-Universal Remote Transmitter
- Air Conditioning
- Audio System-AM/FM CD
- Driver Seat Power-8-way Power
- Upholstery-Leather
- Clock
- Tachometer
- Mirrors Power-Power Mirrors
- Power Door Locks
- Power Windows
- Quantity-Rear Captain's Chairs
- Third-row Seat Type - Bench
- Front Wipers-Intermittent
- Privacy Glass
- Rear Defogger
- Roof Rack
- Airbags Side-Front Side-mounted Airbags
- Traction Control
- Dual Power Sliding Side Doors
Will e-mail or Fax a CARFAX report upon request.
The winning bidder will need to provide a deposit of $500 within 48 hours of the end of the auction. The balance will need to be paid within 7 days of the end of the auction via wire transfer or bank certified cashiers check and after the winning bidder has had the chance to review the vehicle. If the winning bidder declines to purchase the vehicle, the deposit will be returned, minus the ebay car listing fee of $42.50.
If you have additional questions please feel free to contact us (555)555-5555. And Please let us know if you plan on visiting.
Next, you'll need fill-in the pricing and duration you want for your auction. or truck. Be as specific as possible so your audience gets most of their questions answered just be reviewing the description.
- Starting Price: On eBay Motors, Professional car sellers set a low starting price because it allows more bidders to jump into the auction. After all, a high starting price will just scare potential bidders away. Remember, the more bidders you have, the higher the bids will be.
- Don't set a "Reserve Price": No reserve price equals more bidders.
- Duration: Leave the duration of the auction at the 7-day setting. It's been my experience that the 7 day duration is fine....and eBay will charge you extra for a 10 day duration.
- Add Pictures: This is a must. Why? Because pictures sell! eBay let's you post 1 picture for free....and that's not going to work. The minimum you should have is 7 pictures - front, back, both sides, the odometer, and two pictures of the interior. Total cost for adding seven pictures to your ad will be $1.05. Do it - it's worth it. If you don't have a digital camera, beg, borrow or steal one.
- Picture Options: click on "super-size pictures" - it allows your bidders to enlarge the photos so they can get a better look. It's worth the .75 cents.
- In the "Increase your item's visibility" section, if any of the options are checked - uncheck them. You're finished with this section - click continue near the bottom of the page.
The next section is the "Payment and Shipping Section". Follow along:
- Payment: Check the box next to Cashiers Check and Cash
- I require full payment within: select 7 days
- Additional payment instructions: add any additional payment instructions you might have.
- Sell-to locations: select United States if it's not already checked.
- Pickup and shipping: Select "Buyer is responsible for vehicle pickup or shipping." Press Continue.
Next, you need to review the ad. Make sure the information you've entered is correct. If it's not, click on the "edit" link on the right side of the page, correct any mistakes, then press submit at the bottom of the page.
Once that's done, you can check out all that hard work by reviewing the ad. If you need to make any changes, just look for the "edit" link.
Here a some additional things to keep in mind.
- Check your e-mail often and make sure you answer all phone inquiries as soon as possible. The more attentive you are, the better chance you have of selling your car or truck.
- You and the buyer will receive an email notice at the end of the auction that it has ended. The email will have the final price of the car or truck and the various contact information for the winning buyer. make sure you contact the buyer as soon as possible.
Selling a car on eBay is easier that you think. Once you try it, you'll be using ebay whenever your need to sell a car.
I do have an obligation to point out that not all Car Makers, Dealers, Salespeople, Insurance Companies and Banks are greedy or crooked. This site is dedicated to honest Companies and their Professional Employees who've grown weary of the ignorant and classless giving the automotive related industry a black eye......a black eye that I feel is very close to being permanent.
By using these new and used car guides, I hope to be able to help you find the Best Businesses, and the Professionals that represent them, with very little effort on your part and help you....
Save More Money and More Time Than You Ever Have Before.
It is also my hope that these Companies and the Professionals that represent them will have more business than they can handle - a reward they justly deserve.
Thank you for visiting My New Car Purchase - and please take 5 seconds to or perhaps let a friend or relative know about us - Click here to send this page to a friend.
I guarantee that you will have an exceptional experience the next time you buy a car, van, truck or SUV - again, thank you for visiting this Web Site!
Tom O'Leary - "A Concerned Dad....and Automotive Analyst"
New Car Purchase - Exceptional New Car Purchase Advice and Automobile Purchase Strategies for your next new car or used automobile purchase.
Feel free to e-mail me at: Tom at my new car purchase (no spaces) dot com - or take a few seconds to send a question or comment by Clicking here
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