To back out of this car purchase?

[NotSoFabReally]

I bid on and won a car on eBay yesterday. Was very pleased as it was a good price for what it was, if the listing was correct. High mileage but long mot, only a few minor cosmetic problems.

This morning I started getting cold feet as I checked through completed listings just out of curiousness to see what other similar cars had gone for. I noticed that the exact same car (as in the same seller’s one) had sold for a little bit more money just three days before I won the auction. This made me think that either he had a time waster buyer, or worse that someone who knew what they were looking at went to pick it up and realised that there was something majorly wrong with it.

I don’t really know a lot about cars, I can check obvious things but I’m no mechanic, and the friend who was going to give me a lift doesn’t really know a good one from a bad one either.

I messaged the buyer to ask about the other auction and he assured me that the car was as described, drives really nicely, it was just that the other buyer had won the auction and then decided he had some kind of emergency and couldn’t collect it.

So I thought ok, I’ll give him the benefit of the doubt. Then this evening I thought I’d check online to see what advisories were on the last MOT, and it turns out it’s only got an MOT until March, not July as stated on the listing.

So by now I’m thinking this guy sounds like a dodgy cunt. I messaged him tonight and told him I no longer wanted the car as the MOT was much shorter than stated. He messaged back to apologise and say he will put a 12 month ticket on it in the morning, as he knows it will pass no problem.

Aargh, don’t know what to do! I’m just worried if he was dishonest about the mot, what else on the listing is wrong? It’s a long way to go and get it (2 hours), so popping over to take a look at it isn’t really an option. Also I don’t have anyone who knows what they’re looking at to take anyway.

It’s only £1100 (but he misspelt the car make on the listing and it’s worth more like £2k), but to me that’s a hell of a lot of money.

Should I accept the offer of a new MOT or bail on it?

Get an AA assessor to come and check it for you. You can do that locally to the car I think, then anything mechanical will show up. Check the paperwork carefully, always difficult buying online but he could be genuine.

If it gets a 12 month ticket in the morning then hopefully not much wrong. Buying a car is always a gamble, as something can break a week later that was fine at the time.

If you are getting cold feet, use the MOT issue and bail.

But - cars sometimes go wrong. They may have the least dodgy seller and the best car history.

I'd refuse to buy and tell him it's due to not being as described (misquote on MOT date). You don't know that the previous bidder pulled out due to an emergency. You only know that's what you've been told.

I wouldn't risk it.

Just had a look and for the age of car and location an AA check would be £202...which seems like a lot of money considering the value of the car to find out whether or not it’s a dog.

My instincts are telling me to run away.

Motor listings on eBay are non-binding, you can back out.

Back out. It’s just not worth the risk.

Even if he was to get a new MOT for the next 12 months, he wasn’t truthful in the listing and say that you don’t believe that the car is being sold in good faith.

There is a check that Experian (I think) do for not much money that provides a few other checks to make sure it’s not stolen etc. You could try that?

@lookslikeimstuckhere yep that’s how I feel...and the fact that he said that he would have an MOT on it in the morning made me wonder if he ‘has a mate’ who will sort him one out (I’ve known a few one eyed MOT testers myself over the years). Around here you’d have to be booked in at least a week before to get it booked in anywhere decent.

You can do a hpi check on the car for a tenner or so.

If you're happy to PM me the link I'll have a look and tell you what I think. I've bought and sold a lot of cars though I'm no expert.

If it passes its MOT on Monday then you have cover to next October not next June so a good result on that front I guess.

Buying a second hand car is risky though. I assume you don't want to go through a dealer, or can't at that price point?

If in doubt walk away. I would use the not as described reason (MOT)

It may well be a genuine seller but the fact this car was "sold" 3 days earlier would make me have second thoughts. A well known scam is to try to get winning bidders to pay by Paypal. Cars are not covered under Paypal buyer or seller protection so it is in the best interest of both parties to only have cash on inspection.

Unless you need an extremely specific type of car you're crazy for travelling 2 hours to buy a £1k banger and I very much doubt a misspelling in the description means you've picked it up for half price!

If I were you I'd look on ebay for your max budget with search settings at ''nearest first'' when something suitable comes up you could arrange with the seller to meet at a local garage and get them to give it a once over, a lot cheaper than an AA inspection.

Could you specify where he gets the MOT done? Somewhere reputable rather than his mate?

If you "don't really know a lot about cars" then what on earth are you doing buying one on Ebay????