Thread: Car bought off ebay (I know probably dodgy but advice would be appreciated)

Hi I bought a car off a guy who sells casr as a business through ebay. He did state in the description to check it before I buy, but as I was unable to do that not knowing about cars and just having a baby and my old car breaking down I phoned him a few times discussed the car with him and then bought it after he assured me it was safe to drive.

His ebay description only listed selling points of car, and none of the negative points. It was an old car with me being short on money after just having a baby. After taking it for a drive to a town about 20 miles away, it broke down just before we got home. (Shuddered and conked out). This was as well as noticing the car locks were not always locking, the front drivers wheel was banging about, the drivers seat belt kept working its way loose while driving and few other minor things.

I contacted the seller back and he told me I've bought it and thats that, but he'll be good and come and have a look at it. After 3 weeks of putting me off, he eventually collected the car and bought it back the next day saying the problems were fixed.

Took it on another shorter drive this time, and the locks are still only working intermittantly and the seat belt is still broke. So far the wheel isn't making banging noises as he said the new wishbones he'd put on it hadn't been tightened properly. and he said the reason the car conked out and wouldn't start was due to the spark plugs being old and dirty so he said he'd replaced them. Didn't realise spark plugs would do that while driving, but it started ok. also the air conditioning started making noise from the engine that wasn't there the first time.

Contacted him back, but he said he isn't coming out again and isn't obliged to do anymore to help and quoted to me that in the end he sells old bangers which is why he asks us to check out the car before buying.

I was wondering as he's selling the car as a business (even if its through ebay) and he's sold me an unsafe vehicle after stating that it was a good working car and not stating any of its faults if there was anything I could do apart from leaving him negative feedback and cutting my losses.

No, not yet. He wouldn't let me pay through paypal so I paid cash, even though I have a receipt. It was only an old car £500. I think the ebay dispute process just opens up discussions between you and the person. But I've already been doing that for 3 weeks and with used cars I'm not sure there is anything else they can do. The only thing I could think of is that the car wasn't as advertised.

This is a copy of the text copied straight from it, and it was followed by pictures of the car

<H1 class=vi-is1-titleH1>VAUXHALL ASTRA PREMIER 12 MONTHS MOT * 3 MONTHS TAX</H1>Item condition:--Ended:20 Dec, 200918:49:29 GMT

Sold For:£495.00

Postage:Read item description or contact seller for details.See more services See discounts | See all details Estimated delivery time varies
Payments:, Postal Order or Banker's Draft | See details










Returns:No Returns Accepted


This is a 'Buy it Now' auction so you don't have to wait for the auction to end just click the button and she's your, a Vauxhall Astra 1.6 Premier It was Registered new on 1st August 1996 and has an MOT until December 5th 2010, it is also taxed to the end of March so it is ready to drive away, it has covered 112k miles and has the old mot data to back this up but no service history,although there are recipts for a new clutch fitted in Febuary this year and suspension arms and an exhaust for this mot the car drives very well it starts, stops and steers as it should and is very easy to drive with the benifit of power steering, the 1598cc petrol engine works fine as dose the 5 speed manual gearbox, the bodywork is in good condition for a car of this age with only a few scuffs and dinks, the interior is in black cloth and is also clean with no rips or tairs, there is also a CD/radio fitted, all the wheels and tyres are in good condition.All in all a good clean car with a full mot and 3 month road tax for under £500, it won't hang around long at this price.



Please view this car before committing to buy,




Viewing is welcome before you buy, this can be at any reasonable time by prior arrangement, collection is from CV22 Rugby, payment in cash on collection
Please check the photo's to make sure its the car for you before you purchase it.


Viewing is recommended and encouraged as you bid to buy,[FONT='Arial','sans-serif']as with any Ebay auction, you are entering into a legally binding contract of sale, you are bidding to buy, not to look and haggle at the end of the auction. Please remember this is a used vehicle, and does NOT come with any guarantee or warranty implied what so ever. Payment in cash and collection to be made within 72 hours. Please would the winning bidder make contact straight away even if it is just to say Hi! That way I can relax as I have had a few no show bidders and it costs me each time, so please call and supply a contact telephone number straight away on purchase, the car will be re listed within 24hrs if no contact is made.[/FONT]


If you have a questions please call me on ...

This is very important. Was it a buy it now or was it through the bidding process?

I think this could get complicated as it shows as an auction and is stated as such.

Personally I don't think you have a lot to go on but the peeps here who are up on consumer law might argue differently.

Whilst I sympathise with your problem, it's a £495 car and it ain't going to be perfect.

The MOT test is an ambiguity that I have long criticised. The regs state that the item should either pass or fail and then it's left to the opinion of the tester. He/she has to make a decision as to the likleyhood of a failure before the next test. This leaves it open to abuse.

Now I'm not saying this has happened or implied it goes on but highlights that you cannot rely on an MOT.

The reallity is that a car for £495 automatically sends out signals that all is not well in one form or another and for a business to do that is just plain stupid.............hence the question about auction. If it's determined it was an auction then end of story I'm afraid! (Well as I understand it anyway)

Yeah I know it was a cheap car, but then its 14 years old and is about the going rate for cars that old. Basically all I know I can go on is that it wasn't sold as described.

As for it being an auction. There was no option to bid on it. It was buy it now only. So even though he said it was an aucion. It was never put up o be auctioned.

Originally Posted by heliosuk

The MOT test is an ambiguity that I have long criticised. The regs state that the item should either pass or fail and then it's left to the opinion of the tester. He/she has to make a decision as to the likleyhood of a failure before the next test. This leaves it open to abuse.

Now I'm not saying this has happened or implied it goes on but highlights that you cannot rely on an MOT.

I agree that a current MOT certificate should not be taken as an indication of the cars condition, however the part that I have highlighted is not true. The item is deemed to be a pass or fail at the time of test only, otherwise there will be plenty of complaints of failing cars on things such as tyres when they are 0.1mm above the limit.

He's a trader, it wasn't an auction (if it was the car was not as described), he should have responsibilities under SOGA.

I think you are being a bit picky here. The gest of the post is that it is left to an individuals opinion as to the likeyhood of failure before the next test. The problem with this is the nature of the MOT network. For cars and light vans my view is that it is open to abuse and that the level of knowledge just does not exist today in the industry. It would be far better to operate the MOT system as they do with HGV's and how it operates in Germany. What these systems do ensure is that there is a reasonable level of consistency which does not happen in the UK.

Further, it is highly unlikely that tyres would be passed at 0.1mm above the tread allowance as for 1. The gauge used is not calibrated to that accuracy 2. If the tyres were 0.1mm over then they would be obliged to fail anyway as the part is in immediate danger of becoming illegal anyway.

I can post a link to a listing of all this guys auctions, but not sure i'm supposed to because then you can see the person i'm talking about? All of his sales are buy it nows though. A few cars. some as working, some as spares or repair, and lots of car parts.

I already investigated what it would cost to get the AA to check the car. Says it would cost £195. That is money I don't have going spare now that I have to look for another car and is also nearly half the price of the car itself.

The main reason I'm upset with this, is that I have a baby 3 months old that I told the guy when I bought it. Money is tight which is why I asked all the questions before I bought it. He informed me the car was safe to drive which it obviously isn't and ruined my and my families first christmas with my baby as they haven't been able to see him. All I can say is glad there are webcams about nowadays!

As for the MOT, it was done on the 4th December by a different garage. Then put on ebay on 20th by the seller. SO they can claim that this could have broken in the meantime, but I still don't think he's allowed to sell a car unsafe as a trader unless he's actually mentioned the issues?

Irrespective of what you do, i think you must report this to VOSA. The garage who MOTd the car needs to be investigated for the seat belt issue at least. Check milage on MOT with that in advert or what was on car when you bought it. If this is small, then i think you have him under SOGA. Question marks over MOT garage---do they regularly pass dodgy cars for this seller? (or anyone else for that matter)

Would be impossible to prove. At the time of test it supposedly had a working seat belt. It could have gone wrong half an hour later.

I appreciate the situation but frankly for a £495 car is it really worth pursuing??? Report it to TS by all means though as they log all complaints