From Honda Civic's to hybrid bathtubs -eBay Motors-
Written: Jul 29 '03 (Updated Jun 06 '08)
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When I first started using eBay in the late 1990s, I only used this service to buy or sell electronic products i.e., video games, DVD players, etc. It wasn't until I found how much money I could save using eBay's auto service, titled eBay Motors that I attempted to purchase both cars and aftermarket auto parts using this site. I have been using eBay Motors for approximately 2 years now, and while I have not had the best results finding my dream car, it has been a fun experience bidding on cars and car parts; even if it means losing these auctions 99% of the time.
Next to those popular online casinos and Epinions.com, eBay Motors is one of the most addicting places I visit online. I am admittedly a total eBay Motors addict. From bidding on autoparts I don't need, to bidding on cars I can't afford, using eBay Motors has almost got me in some serious debt.
About eBay Motors:
EBay Motors works exactly like eBay, only is biased towards automobilia versus rare gold trinkets and other stuff you typically find at the eBay mother ship. If you are a seller/dealer and don't want to auction off your vehicle, you simply don't have to; you can set a specified selling price. eBay Motors offers much more than just auctions on automobiles. EBay Motors offers auctions on automotive electronics, body kits/wings, performance parts, stock parts, exclusive cars, boats, wheels, etc., etc. If you want to bypass the bidding process, you can click the Buy It Now (if applicable) icon which will automatically end the auction in your favor. The buying and selling process at eBay Motors works exactly like eBay.com.
To buy or sell using eBay Motors you must be a registered eBay user. Registering with eBay consists of filling out a short personal info form and an E-mail confirmation. This registration process is painless; in 10 minutes or less you should become a fully registered eBay member (this gives you access to buy and sell at both eBay and eBay Motors). One should note that becoming a member with eBay Motors/eBay's general services is totally free of charge.
If you are not familiar with online automotive auctions like eBay Motors, first impressions of the site may be a little overwhelming, especially since the selection is absolutely huge. This confusion, however, should be very short lived; you'll soon be an eBay bidding/selling champ. Like driving a car with a manual transmission, using eBay Motors comes naturally once you get the hang of it.
eBayMotors.com offers excellent formatting. Everything that is for sale at the site is categorized on the home page to help narrow your search. When you find the desired item(s), your results can be viewed according to your fancy, i.e., most expensive to least expensive, etc. This excellent formatting helps me find the item/vehicle I am looking for as quickly as possible.
Note: If you are new to eBay Motors there is an informative FAQ Help section on the home page. I highly suggest reading this prior to buying or selling.
Pros:
One of eBay Motors' finest assets is the massive selection offered on both automobiles, automotive accessories, and auto parts. If you are interested in a hard to find car or car part, eBay Motors' search engine will usually turn up results on just about anything automotive that you type in the search box. A huge pro for sellers (a big negative for buyers) is site traffic. Thanks to the high levels of traffic, your rusty 1991 Dodge Colt or your mint condition Aston Marton DB7 will likely receive bids the very first day you have it featured. This heavy site traffic will also benefit the seller by attracting competitive buyers, like myself, who will bid on an item just for the sake of bidding.
Like eBay's mother site, you can get a great deal using eBay Motors. I have seen items sell for as low as 10% of what they could have been sold offline. When the seller agrees to the TOS at eBay, he or she must sell the item for the winning price as long as it meets the reserve price (if there is one). To make sure your transaction goes as smooth as possible, it is a very good idea to check the seller's feedback form (like eBay, everyone has feedback on past transactions), and keep in contact with the seller/buyer until the transaction is finalized, again, just as you would with eBay.
Customer care at eBay Motors is excellent. If you are bidding on an automobile, eBay Motors will send you updates on your auction i.e., whether or not you have been outbid, your bidding history on the product, etc. My eBay also keeps a history of all your bidding. You may also talk to a live representative by computer who can answer all of your questions regarding the site; usually a 10 minute wait it necessary to talk with a live representative.
Finally, eBay Motors now provides the seller with option of using PayPal and a totally free 1,000 mile warranty via 1 Source Auto Warranty. This limited powertrain warranty is only valid if the vehicle for sale is less than 10 years old and has less than 125,000 original miles on the odometer.
Cons:
Since auctions are not guaranteed by eBay (even with all the security measures), there is always a chance your bidding/selling will go haywire. Don't get me wrong, eBay tries their very best to make your buying/selling experience as secure and reliable as possible, and they do a good job, however like anyplace where money/products are exchanged on the Internet, there is always that scary dark unknown. For example, the buyer may just pass up the deal after he or she wins the auction, or a seller might just never respond to a buyer once he/she wins the auction. For example, I have won an auction on a 1995 mint condition Mercury Sable, yet never got a return E-mail from the seller. Fortunately, this has only happened once. I recently made a successful purchase on a body kit for my 1998 Dodge Neon and had no problems whatsoever with the seller or transaction. Transactions are usually a hit, however the eBay user should expect the occasional miss.
Another negative is the price that eBay Motors charges you to sell a vehicle. The high price is what has kept me from selling any of my automobiles at this site. I simply don't want to pay 80 dollars just to have my vehicle listed, plus an additional 2% of $5,000 (or whatever I sell my vehicle for) once my vehicle has sold. If your vehicle receives no bids, it will only cost you $40, however once you get your first bid eBay tacks on $40 to your credit card. For a complete FAQ on selling fees, you can visit http://pages.ebay.com/help/sellerguide/selling-fees.html#finalvaluefees
Final Recommendations:
This may sound like a contradiction; I do recommend buying a vehicle from eBay Motors, however I do not recommend selling a vehicle with eBay Motors. With other online auto services, i.e. Cars.com that offer a $35 dollar flat rate fee until your automobile sells, it makes little sense to pay up to $300 just to sell your vehicle using eBay for 7 days ($40)- 90 days ($300) and an additional 2% of the closing price (these fees can add up quite quickly). On the upside, I have had an excellent time bidding on cars and exploring all the aftermarket parts for sale at this site. All of the dirt cheap prices are definitely a plus as well. In closing, I will continue to use eBay Motors for my automotive entertainment/purchases and would recommend those who are looking to browse for off-the-wall automotive products, or just general car prices to do the same.
A special thanks to Joubert for adding this online service to our database.
-Thanks for reading.
Recommended:
Yes
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