posted on December 3, 2003 11:10:22 AM new
We are looking to buy a BMW 7 series which ends today. We called the dealer that has it on ebay to see if he'll take a trade on our 1986 Porsche. The car was at $15,500 when we called a couple of hours ago, and the dealer said he expected the car to go up to $18,500, and he'll take $10,500 on a trade.
We haven't seen any go for that amount, expecially one with a dent in the wheel well. Well, sure enough we look now and it's at $18,500.
The currect winning bidder is in the same town as him, and the bidder has bid on 5 of this sellers other cars in the last month - winning one of them. Feedback was never exchanged. The bidder does not sell cars - occasional electronics, otherwise most of his auctions are from buying.
Both the auction pictures are hosted by: ebayimg.com (that may be ipix - I'm not sure). How else can I find out if this guy is shilling? (if there is a way). I don't know if I'd necessarily turn him in without concrete proof, but we would definately take our business elsewhere.
posted on December 3, 2003 11:24:32 AM new
if i even had a suspicion, I would take my business elsewhere. if it quacks like a duck and looks like a duck, it is usually a duck.
posted on December 3, 2003 11:54:23 AM new
he is saying this is what he wants 18,500 with a tradein of 10.500 for your porsche.
you wanna steal the car from him and have a nice tradein??
no way,said the dealer.
you wanna report him,go ahead.
you can also email him after auction ends and said if the deal fell thru,contact you.
-sig file -------The thrill is gone!!
posted on December 3, 2003 01:03:09 PM new
You're nervous about buying a car over the internet from a dealer who may be shilling you. Why on earth are you still even considering this?
The guy from Kansas in the article on MSNBC got hosed on one eBay car deal, then goes and does it again.
posted on December 3, 2003 01:13:00 PM new
We bought the Porsche off of ebay so I'm not worried that way - we would pick it up and look at it first before we pay.
We are not considering buying this car anymore, but I asked for help because if I know he's shilling I'll turn him in.
posted on December 3, 2003 05:04:27 PM new
It's tough to say. I know a person that sell cars on Ebay and the majority of the bids he receives come in the final 30 minutes of an auction. And on legite sales, they can jump thousands of dollars in that small amount of time. The fact that the bidder has bid on his auctions many times means nothing either. This is very common with many bidders. Also, most of the legite bidders will know what a car is worth through their own research on websites like kelly blue book. So that fact a car made it to what the dealer was expecting is not a red flag, just good luck that the bidders bidding on this car knew what it was worth.
