Top tips for buying a used car on eBay

Buying a car through an online auction site such as eBay can be a great way to snag a bargain. Using an auction site can also be a good way to get your hands on that elusive classic car you’ve been seeking, or allow you to quickly find a sound and sensible daily driver in your local area.

However, there are plenty of potential pitfalls when it comes to buying a used car from an online auction site – ranging from inaccurate descriptions to a simply overwhelming array of options. To help you avoid tearing your hair out, and to make your purchase as straightforward as possible, bear the following in mind.

1. Try to nail down what you want

It’s easy to get overwhelmed by the sheer number of cars on offer online. You might start looking for one type of car and then, after browsing for a while, have all manner of unrelated oddities stuffed into your watch list.

Consequently, if you do have a car in mind, focus your search on that particular model to avoid burning up countless hours staring into the auction void.

2. Cast your net wide but consider logistics

Increasing your search radius makes good sense if you’re in the market for a rare classic car, modern classic or special edition. Just remember to consider the costs involved in getting the car on your drive, lest they blow your budget.

If you’re otherwise shopping for something more common, it's best to save time and money by concentrating on cars that are relatively local – unless, of course, you happen to spot something that fits the bill perfectly.

3. Use previous auctions to your advantage

Many sites let you look at completed auctions. Aside from letting you get a good handle on what the going rate is for particular cars, this means you can also check to see if the car you’re interested in has been auctioned before.

You’ll be able to see what it went for, which will allow you to identify if it's affordable, but you'll also be able to see if it has been listed repeatedly. If it has, it could be indicative of an undisclosed problem.

4. Do as much research as possible beforehand

There’s a lot you can check without actually seeing a car. You can look at the MOT history online, carry out a background check, ascertain if it’s due any recalls and search for its registration number for other snippets of info.

If it’s something more special, you might even be able to find online forum posts from its past or present owners. Research all the common failure points, servicing requirements and market values beforehand, too; forewarned is forearmed.

5. Tread carefully if you can’t view the car

What a seller thinks of their car and its actual condition can be mutually exclusive. The auction description might also say exactly what you want to hear, and the pictures might look perfect, but the car might not be any good at all in person.

Consequently, if you’re making a hefty and committed purchase, it’s worth making the effort to view the car. Otherwise, you have to be willing to accept that the car might not be as good as imagined.

6. Watch out for fraudulent listings

Scams are common, despite the best efforts of many an auction site. Fortunately, it’s usually obvious if a listing is fraudulent; odd details, cloned pictures, text descriptions that are in fact images with embedded email addresses – these are all issues that should ring alarm bells.

In any case, if you do win an auction for a car, don’t just blindly transfer money to an unidentified seller. Ideally, only pay for it once you've seen the car in person and have made sure that everything checks out.

7. Pick a bidding method you’re comfortable with

I usually just enter my maximum bid in the last 15 seconds or so of an auction and leave it at that. Doing so gives me a good chance of gazumping other bidders but it also prevents me from bidding again, which could lead to me spending more than planned. There are tools that automatically bid for you at the last moment, though, which can improve your chance of winning.

Most bidding typically happens in the last minute of an auction, as an aside, so don’t get too drawn in by what may initially appear to be cheap cars. Keep an eye on them, by all means, but you won’t know if they’re actually a bargain until the hammer has fallen.

8. Be prepared to walk away if you’re not happy

If you are the winning bidder and haven't viewed the car beforehand, don’t expect perfection when you collect it. You’re buying a used car, for one thing, so be prepared to overlook the odd minor or unmentioned issue. You could have looked at it before bidding, after all, if its condition was that important.

However, if the car really isn’t as advertised, don’t be afraid to walk away – even if you have travelled a long way. There will be other cars out there and bailing out is a far better move than accepting a car you’re distinctly unhappy with. 

Tempted by a physical auction instead of an online one? Check out our top tips for buying a car at an auction

Need a budget runabout? Have a read of our guide on what to look for