Quote:
Originally Posted by dafischer
I'm not one to tempt fate, Baz. With my luck, something serious would break in Bum****, Iowa.
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I hear ya. But I also agree with what Denis said - having it checked out before driving her back is what would make the difference in the risk factor.
Two quick stories.
I have bought 2 cars now on eBay. Both sight unseen except for the photos posted on the auction site.
I bought the 356 without even contacting the seller - or asking any questions. And there weren't very many photos on the auction site either. It checked so many boxes I couldn't pass it up and hit the BIN before anyone else could glom onto her.
Well turns out the engine was in PA getting rebuilt so I had to wait a week to ten days for it to get shipped to Ft. Lauderdale where the car was, get re-installed - and "adjusted".
It was at a local foreign auto repair shop.
I took a Greyhound down to drive her back the same day the engine had been re-installed and then drove her back on I-95 - a good 3.5 hour drive with zero issues.
The second car was last year - the '97 Volvo 850 wagon. It was in Orlando. No idea about this when I won the auction, but the seller was a father and son who had a legitimate car sales business they ran out of 2 connecting units in an industrial park. They had a lift and an employee from Puerto Rico who helped and he was GOOD!
I made all the paperwork arrangements ahead of time so when I got there they had the new registration, temporary tag, and paperwork all ready for title transfer.....and the car and been thoroughly detailed and mechanically gone through - and I mean everything.
Again, I had no idea about all this (except the paperwork) until I got there. Needless to say no issues on the 1 hour drive home and couldn't have asked for a more positive transaction.
Every situation is different, I know.
I have other stories to tell but most came out good, thankfully.
Photos of the Volvo the day of pickup. That's my friend CC who drove me over sitting in my new wagon next to the father who sold it to me and ran the shop.
And from back in '05 the day I picked up the tub. The seller on the left - me on the right. In the 3rd pic you can make out it has a sunroof. Something that was not mentioned in the eBay ad. Yes, it worked fine and still does....
