Can someone in Texas look at a Viper for me? Did I get a good deal??

[kverges]

In the sellers' defense, you BOUGHT that car when you went high bid. I use ebay a bit (I don't play the alias game and my ebay user name is the same as here, and the same as my real first initial and name, check me out) and have no complaints when you abide by what you say you'll do. I have gotten several EXCELLENT deals on Viper parts, for example. I personally think most individual ebay users are honest & ethical. But there are snakes out there, so you do need to be wary. The cardinal rule is: Never, ever, bid on something you do not intend to buy. Big ticket items are scary, that's why you arrange a PRE-BID inspection and if the seller balks at letting you do that, then don't bid. As between seller & buyer, I have to say the buyer in this deal is in the wrong. You are lucky the seller does not want to go through the hassle of enforcing the binding contract you made to buy that car when you high bid on it.

Now if the car was misrepresented in some way, that's another story, but for sure you should not have bid and THEN decided to inspect and balk.

FWIW

 

[ewave]

Wow- I just tried the buy this viper, and for about 2 minutes I had the high bid at $52.5K. Talk about a FREE adrenaline rush! - My hands are still shaking!! I thought I had it for $52.5K... Was just thinking about what it would look like parked next to my yellow/black 97GTS. Then I got out bid with 2 minutes to go. Then mysteriously at about 45 seconds till the end, the whole auction got canceled and all bids were cleared... VERY WEIRD!

I was willing to buy the car as long as "no paint" = no accidents. If it was a original undamaged car this was a good deal.

I'm am thinking about reporting this guy to the ebay police for holding bogus auctions...

Comments?

 

[snowmann]

<BLOCKQUOTE><font size="1" face="Verdana, Arial">quote:</font><HR>Originally posted by ewave:
Wow- I just tried the buy this viper, and for about 2 minutes I had the high bid at $52.5K. Talk about a FREE adrenaline rush! - My hands are still shaking!! I thought I had it for $52.5K... Was just thinking about what it would look like parked next to my yellow/black 97GTS. Then I got out bid with 2 minutes to go. Then mysteriously at about 45 seconds till the end, the whole auction got canceled and all bids were cleared... VERY WEIRD!

I was willing to buy the car as long as "no paint" = no accidents. If it was a original undamaged car this was a good deal.

I'm am thinking about reporting this guy to the ebay police for holding bogus auctions...

Comments?

<HR></BLOCKQUOTE>


It isn't fair, but I think they can do it if they wish (I am sure they would say the car had mechanical problems or some lame excuse to get away with it). They seem nice enough to talk to, give them a call and see if they will take your offer. Considering they would've sold me the car for 55K I don't think your bid is that far off... I never expected to win the auction with 55K, I think someone over bid me and then canceled their bid since I amazingly "won" the auction for the amount I bid - usually you win with a dollar amount under your bid. That's another Ebay game they may play (I think that is called bid shilling and Ebay will go after you for that). I got a bad gut feeling about them, just make sure you get one hell of an inspection with the car and I don't see how you can lose. I think they also use the Ebay ID txcarcom or something like that... that is the same person/company (it is the first feedback for the seller). There is more fun feedback to read about there too... I never wanted to waste the time to give them a fair chance, I can’t stand dealing with jokers, but then again I should have done the homework before I bid. I would guess they buy these cars at auto auctions so it is buyer beware for everyone. Some of their deals are probably good and most are probably lemons (just a guess). Looks like they have nice deals on lots of cars. I would take a gamble on the cheaper cars, but not on Viper. I think they have a list on txcars.com (or something like that). I just noticed that someone left some "constructive" feedback for them today - pretty shocking...

 

[snowmann]

Car is back up on Ebay... looks like it is going to sell for pretty cheap...
http://cgi.ebay.com/ebaymotors/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&item=1869761204

 

[ewave]

There are some odd peculiarities about the seller and the "private" auctions:

The seller is constantly relisting cars that apparently sold at really low prices without reserve. Check out the red BMW540

My guess, and it's only a guess, is that the seller is bidding his own items as a form of a hidden reserve. Many of the cars never get high enough, so he keeps relisiting them, because the actually winner is not real.

 

[joe117]

Last February I won an ebay auction for a 93 Viper. It was a private owner in Virginia who had no reserve but started the bidding at $35k. I was the only bidder, $35k, and he refused to sell the car. He said there were "not enough bids". I reported him to ebay and they said they would suspend him. Ever since, I have watched for that car and it has never returned to ebay.
Shortly after that I was bidding on another Viper and found that I was always quickly outbid by another bidder. I checked his history, found he had never bought anything but music CDs. I asked ebay to check him out. They removed him and all his bids. I suspect it was a kid playing. I let that car go and bought mine locally. There are many pitfalls to buying expensive cars on ebay.

 

[ViperCorp]

Did anyone ever follow up on this one ? I continue to see this car on Ebay!

 

[SCS]

The seller has 8 negatives on his feedback and has now elected to make his feedback private...In other words he doesn't want potential future buyers to see how badly previous buyers were screwed over...There are too many honest sellers out there to mess around with a situation like this...I use ebay all the time as a buyer and a seller and have been ripped off at least a 1/2 dozen times by sellers failing to deliver mechandise...With a purchase of this size you definitely need a thorough pre-bid inspection to protect yourself...

 

[Chuck 97 GTS]

I say we should all place fake bids just to f$%# with him.

Remember kids, only use eBay to buy ****.

 

[snowmann]

I don't know what the deal is with the car, but it looks like a steal to me... but my gut wouldn't let me do it (and other reasons). I am still dying to know what the deal is with the car, WOW is that cheap... now they listed it with NO reserve (don't worry they will bid shill you watch). I bet the car was wrecked, but the carfax comes up clean, I don't know...

Someday we'll get the story...

 

[Chuck 97 GTS]

<BLOCKQUOTE><font size="1" face="Verdana, Arial">quote:</font><HR>Originally posted by JF58854777:


I bet the car was wrecked, but the carfax comes up clean, I don't know...

Someday we'll get the story...

<HR></BLOCKQUOTE>

I thought carfax only could tell you if it had a salvage title.

Either way, this is a scam and you were wise to pull out. Keith is on drugs; don't listen to him.

 

[kverges]

Nice, Chuck. You are a scholar and a gentleman.

What's wrong with suggesting that someone inspect BEFORE bidding, heeding the ebay warning that a bid is a binding contract if it wins?

 

[picflight]

I buy and sell alot of stuff on ebay, not expensive items though and have been since 2000. Like kverges and joe117 mention, when you bid you are in a binding contract, you agreed to the terms of the contract when you registered on ebay. As a bidder it is your responsibility to check the item out or ask the seller all the neccessary questions. I would not be scared of buying expensive items on ebay as long as I inspect the item before I bid.

Having that said, I would NOT, NEVER purchase anything from a seller who has their feedback 'PRIVATE'. It clearly shows that the person has something to hide. If you are an honest business person who should not have anything to hide.

my2cents.

 

[ViperCorp]

Here it is again...
http://cgi.ebay.com/ebaymotors/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&item=1873535159&category=6209

Now he is using a different userid with better feedback.

Private auction as well so he can post fake bids and win the auction himself to relist...

Who wants to bet if this one expires under 50K that it will show up again on Ebay next week?

My o My..... It smells in here....

 

[SteveT]

I drove over to check out the car a couple of weeks ago...

I had not told them on the phone when I would be there, so when I showed up I was told that the owner had the car and was at his daughter's soccer game. They tried to call him but could not get hold of him. I never got a look at the Viper.

I was also there to check out a Prowler that they had on Ebay. The Prowler was listed as "Clean" and "Excellent". The Prowler looked like it was 10 years old...nasty. The top had several cut/abrasions, the paint was in crappy shape, the body panels did not line up, the interior smelled bad and the seats were worn/scratched. I have seen rental Prowlers in Vegas that looked better.

Overall impression of the people involved was just ******.
I would stay away from this guy.

Steve

 

[Chuck 97 GTS]

<BLOCKQUOTE><font size="1" face="Verdana, Arial">quote:</font><HR>Originally posted by kverges:
Nice, Chuck. You are a scholar and a gentleman.

What's wrong with suggesting that someone inspect BEFORE bidding, heeding the ebay warning that a bid is a binding contract if it wins?

<HR></BLOCKQUOTE>

Nothing wrong with that. I was bored yesterday and wanted to stir the ***.