Ebay lemon paid via bank wire - what now?

[moretolove]

What is the name of your state? Buyer: CO Seller: FL

I bought a used vehicle off ebay from a seller with 100% feedback after 100s of confirmed auto sales. In reading reviews, buyers noted that paying by wire made them nervous, but the cars were always in great shape with no issues, so I bought the car, paid a small deposit via ebay, then paid the rest via wire transfer. The vehicle was listed as having zero mechanical defects and no frame damage. Upon having the vehicle inspected, the shop found unbelievable damages and repairs done laughably bad (zip ties used to hold components in place in the wrong place, frame damage, engine seated improperly, embedded grass sod simply painted over, etc). The listing included an unspecified "2,000 mile warranty."

I want nothing to do with this vehicle and the seller is offering to take the vehicle back minus the cost of shipping both ways. I suspect I do not have ebay purchase protection bc ebay channels were not used to pay for the bulk of the cost, what other avenues can I pursue to get the full value of the vehicle back? Thank you!

 

[Zigner]

Pay the shipping and learn your lesson.

 

[AlmostThere]

Take the refund and run.

Next time buy a local car where you can bring it to an independent mechanic before making the purchase.

Consider yourself very lucky to walk away from this only out shipping costs.

 

[quincy]

Shipping costs are a relatively small price to pay for a full refund of the purchase price.

Especially when purchasing a used car, personal inspections are important. The car issues should have been easy to spot in person.

Lesson learned, huh?

 

[moretolove]

I obv do not trust this person to follow through on their end of sending the $ back once they receive the vehicle, what is the best way to do this transaction? I've never set up an escrow on my own.

 

[AlmostThere]

Start by asking Ebay how they suggest you do this.

 

[adjusterjack]

I obv do not trust this person to follow through on their end of sending the $ back once they receive the vehicle, what is the best way to do this transaction? I've never set up an escrow on my own.

What is the year, make, model, and mileage?
How much did you pay for the car?
How much is the shipping each way?

what other avenues can I pursue to get the full value of the vehicle back?

You would have to sue the seller in a Florida court. You would need a lawyer at $300 to $400 per hour, probably with a few thousand retainer if you paid more than the small claims limit You would probably need to travel back and forth. You don't recover your legal fees, travel costs, or time off from work.

a seller with 100% feedback after 100s of confirmed auto sales. In reading reviews, buyers noted that paying by wire made them nervous, but the cars were always in great shape with no issues,

I'll bet that the scammer wrote all those by himself.

 

[quincy]

I obv do not trust this person to follow through on their end of sending the $ back once they receive the vehicle, what is the best way to do this transaction? I've never set up an escrow on my own.

Collect on delivery, or plan a trip to Disney World and either collect from the Florida seller in person or file suit against him when there.

 

[zddoodah]

The listing included an unspecified "2,000 mile warranty."

The listing said this? What about the contract?

I want nothing to do with this vehicle and the seller is offering to take the vehicle back minus the cost of shipping both ways. I suspect I do not have ebay purchase protection bc ebay channels were not used to pay for the bulk of the cost, what other avenues can I pursue to get the full value of the vehicle back?

Your remedies are dictated by the terms of your contract with the seller (which presumably incorporates provisions of eBay's terms and conditions).

Buying a car online without having the car first inspected is...well...the opposite of smart to the nth degree, and the issue you're having illustrates why, as does this:

You would [presumably] have to sue the seller in a Florida court. You would need a lawyer at $300 to $400 per hour, probably with a few thousand retainer if you paid more than the small claims limit You would probably need to travel back and forth. You don't recover your legal fees, travel costs, or time off from work.

The only part of this I potentially disagree with is the part I struck out. There may well be an attorney fee provision in the contract (if there isn't, then I agree with that).

 

[moretolove]

What is the year, make, model, and mileage?
How much did you pay for the car?
How much is the shipping each way?



You would have to sue the seller in a Florida court. You would need a lawyer at $300 to $400 per hour, probably with a few thousand retainer if you paid more than the small claims limit You would probably need to travel back and forth. You don't recover your legal fees, travel costs, or time off from work.



I'll bet that the scammer wrote all those by himself.

2019 Honda, shipping was $1,000 here, and looks like $900 back.

Here is the agreement the seller asked me to sign:
---
Seller agrees to purchase the car back, as a gesture of goodwill minus the shipping fees of $1,900 for a total of $16,200 payable within two days of vehicle receipt.

Buyer agrees to deliver the car back in the same condition as it was received and make no further claims and relinquish all ownership rights to the vehicle and to return the title. Buyer agrees to not write any negative feedback, reviews, or comments on eBay or elsewhere pertaining to this transaction.

Then seller requested bank routing and account info for the wire transfer.
---

My concern is that the seller will claim that the damage was done by me and that I did not return the vehicle in the same condition. He claims he drove the vehicle for two weeks with absolutely no issues, so anything that is obviously not the fault of the crappy repair job is my fault; ie: the broken brake caliper or alignment issues. Trusting him to wire me the money after receiving the vehicle is seems like a terrible idea as well as agreeing to not post a factual review of how awful this seller is seems wrong as well.

 

[Zigner]

2019 Honda, shipping was $1,000 here, and looks like $900 back.

Here is the agreement the seller asked me to sign:
---
Seller agrees to purchase the car back, as a gesture of goodwill minus the shipping fees of $1,900 for a total of $16,200 payable within two days of vehicle receipt.

Buyer agrees to deliver the car back in the same condition as it was received and make no further claims and relinquish all ownership rights to the vehicle and to return the title. Buyer agrees to not write any negative feedback, reviews, or comments on eBay or elsewhere pertaining to this transaction.

Then seller requested bank routing and account info for the wire transfer.
---

My concern is that the seller will claim that the damage was done by me and that I did not return the vehicle in the same condition. He claims he drove the vehicle for two weeks with absolutely no issues, so anything that is obviously not the fault of the crappy repair job is my fault; ie: the broken brake caliper or alignment issues. Trusting him to wire me the money after receiving the vehicle is seems like a terrible idea as well as agreeing to not post a factual review of how awful this seller is seems wrong as well.

Well, enjoy your car then.

 

[Bali Hai Again]

My concern is that the seller will claim that the damage was done by me and that I did not return the vehicle in the same condition. He claims he drove the vehicle for two weeks with absolutely no issues, so anything that is obviously not the fault of the crappy repair job is my fault; ie: the broken brake caliper or alignment issues. Trusting him to wire me the money after receiving the vehicle is seems like a terrible idea as well as agreeing to not post a factual review of how awful this seller is seems wrong as well.

You didn’t mention these items in your first post. Granted some used car dealers can’t be trusted. But someone who sells cars (a nearly $20k car) with a broken $50 brake caliper and a needed $150 alignment seems absurd. Hopefully you will get your money back and you do it right next time.

 

[adjusterjack]

The only part of this I potentially disagree with is the part I struck out. There may well be an attorney fee provision in the contract (if there isn't, then I agree with that).

Wanna bet there is no written purchase "contract."

Probably emails and texts and maybe a bill of sale. Good luck with that.

 

[adjusterjack]

2019 Honda, shipping was $1,000 here, and looks like $900 back.

Here is the agreement the seller asked me to sign:
---
Seller agrees to purchase the car back, as a gesture of goodwill minus the shipping fees of $1,900 for a total of $16,200 payable within two days of vehicle receipt.

You spent $18000 to buy a Honda from the other end of the country without an inspection? A HONDA!.? There must be thousands of Hondas in CO.

Rather than lose $1900 and maybe all your money to this crook, I suggest you put the money into repairs and then recover as much as you can by reselling it or keep it and get some use out of it for a few years.