The joys of selling on ebay

Page may contain affiliate links. Please see terms for details.

abecketts

MB Enthusiast
Joined
Dec 8, 2008
Messages
1,433
Location
Devizes, Wiltshire
Car
E280cdi, Disco2, Alfa 166 3.0 and tractors
I've often heard of folks having bad experiences with selling cars on eBay, just didn't think it would happen to me.

Sold a Ford Fiesta on eBay, it was an MOT failure and clearly described as such, car was bought for the sum of £72, the car was paid for via PayPal and despite repeated requests for collection silence. Sellers representative used 2 phone numbers and he then claimed I'd been calling the wrong one and started getting aggressive. After 2 months of having the car languishing on our drive I advised I would arrange to scrap or dispose of the vehicle if it didn't get collected. A threatening phone call ensues and no collection.

I then contacted the police and they advised me that as the car was sold and paid for I had a duty to advise dvla of the new keeper and if I couldn't store the vehicle I could legally place it on the public highway as it was no longer my responsibility. I duly changed the keeper details to those of the winning bidder on eBay using the details eBay supplied, sent them the keys and v5 slip.

Seller representative on the phone threatening to come and sort me out, used a fascinating range of expletives etc saying keeper transfer was illegal, I've checked with the dvla and they are happy and have sent me the change of keeper acknowledgement. The buyer has tried to claim a refund via PayPal which was turned down, this morning they are threatening the small claims court.

I just wonder is the world full of complete loonies all for the sake of £72 and I think deep down that the car is too far away for them to collect and by "shouting" they can get their own way.

Rant over.....
 
What a bloody nightmare, I've had some very good transactions on ebay, but some not so good as well.
Had a guy pay a deposit on a caravan once after viewing it twice, never saw him again, like you tried making contact only to be fobbed off with excuses so I just advertised it again and sold no problem.
 
Some people are mental.

I would have refunded the payment personally and ignored them - then scrapped the car for that sort of money.

I've sold a lot of items historically, albeit not cars, and I've had the odd nutters.

I just refund as it's normally peanuts and life is too short.

The majority of transactions go well which massively outweighs the hassle.
 
I had 2 oldish cars to sell last year and after reading about the many problems of selling cars on Ebay, I decided to try Gumtree. Both sold at the (very reasonable) advertised price within a week to local buyers - and it didn't cost me a penny!
 
I've never sold a car on eBay, but did buy one. Turned out to be a cracker, but the OP's experience isn't nice.
Sold one on Gumtree within hours of the advert being published but I was lucky. Too many scammers and timewasters there.
 
I have bought and sold a few cars on e bay in the past, but I don't do it any more. There are too many loonies around!

My son buys and sells stuff on there and it's generally OK but there's always the ones who want to be awkward and they are such a PITA.
 
I sold a Sony TV on there once old tube tv went for about £50. They left bad feedback as the speaker apparently didn't work. I knew it did. They rang for a refund so I told them to go forth. They also put that in the feedback. eBay is not what it used to be.

I did buy a pink beetle once though for £400 as the reg was GTR111
 
I really feel for you, fella. That is no position to be put in, especially by a sub-human potty-mouthed muppet.

My first attempt at selling my van was through Ebay; 6400 miles, one owner, still under M-B warranty and with an additional 3-year extended warranty. Condition wise, it was exactly as you'd expect an owned from new vehicle with low miles that had been used as a private vehicle.

I naively believed that the cost of the item would keep the doughnuts at bay but how wrong I was. Between the stupid questions, time wasters and absolute chancers, I gave up and pulled the advert early.

Put it on Autotrader and apart from one guy who didn't get back to me as promised and until it was too late and the van was sold (deposit left), I had no issues at all with any of the callers. No daft questions, no insulting offers, no time wasters and the buyer paid part BACS (the bulk) and the balance cash.

If I ever have to sell privately again, I will not be using Ebay, it attracts lunatics. Right, I'm off to see what I can buy; best see what's on Ebay :eek::eek:
 
Based on comments seen elsewhere about eBay, I'm surprised eBay haven't refunded them -they seem to side with the buyer almost whatever the circumstances.

Must admit I buy a lot of stuff on eBay but I've never been brave enough to sell anything.

Threw away an old Micra from within the family recently - had 4 months MOT and people said I was mad not to sell it but I just don't need the hassle.
 
eBay car selling total waste of time...only ever actually sold 1 on there ever despite 'winning' bids....some have success, but not me...use auto trader.

Sent from my Hudl 2 using Tapatalk
 
Based on comments seen elsewhere about eBay, I'm surprised eBay haven't refunded them -they seem to side with the buyer almost whatever the circumstances.

Which is daft because if they piss off sellers, and sellers don't sell, no eBay.

They should both be equal.

Maybe they have a lot more sellers than buyers so don't mind pissing them off.
 
Never accept paypal for a car sale, there is no seller protection at all - eBay Money Back Guarantee policy (formerly eBay Buyer Protection) | Seller Centre

PP declined your buyer's request only because he had claimed too late!

RTFM!


Strange because in that link..items not covered are....

Vehicles, Real Estate, Business & Websites for Sale, Digital Content, Intangible Goods, Classified Ads, Services and some Business Equipment categories.

Have I missed something??
 
Update, vehicle has been reported to the local authority and collected and is 300 yards from our front door at the scrapyard where it will wait for 14 days for the keeper to claim or they get it and can scrap it. Meanwhile the legal owner advises me they have approached the dvla to have the keeper record changed back to me and they will be going to small claims over this. I can't wait, all over £72......
 
That's exactly why I would have refunded it and just scrapped it - within the first month too probably although I am a touch impatient.

Not worth the grief over £72 as you elude to.
 
JohnEBoy the next time I sell anything I will make the terms of sale crystal clear and if I have another of my kids cast off cars to dispose of it will be down the hill to the scrapyard. Lesson learnt, although today in Tooting the new keeper will be getting a bill for £150 plus £21 a day storage from the council along with the keys so I'm sure happiness will reign.
 
In the last couple of years I've managed to shift 3 vehicles through eBay and for a tidy sum. The Ducati and Amazon were quite specialist which might have helped although the Amazon did attract the odd chancer. Ducati was deposit paid within 24 hrs and collected the following night

At £500, the Volvo unsurprisingly did bring all the dribblers out, including the guy from Scotland who wanted me to meet him halfway (best part of 250 miles). That still went within a week to a property developer who wanted it for a charity event.
 
My brother just sold his 02 plate A4 Avant Quattro after 2 and a half years of use and a fair few thousand miles for £50 quid less than he paid for it on eBay. he had the usual collection of numpty's and no-shows though before hand but the buyer in the end was a genuine guy who travelled a fair few miles to purchase it :bannana:
 
The saga continues, the new owner having not decided to collect their purchase have had it collected by Wiltshire Council and it has been scrapped, they are now going small claims for their £72, I can't wait.
 

Users who are viewing this thread

Back
Top Bottom