| 39Fordfan | -- 03-10-2020 @ 3:20 PM |
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Hi there, I'm looking at a car for sale in a classic car magazine. After contacting the seller, it turns out the car I am interested is being offered by a 3rd Party Broker - www.eautonova.com out of Boston, MA. They've been in business since 2012 and they seem to be legit. Eautonova wants you the buyer to deposit funds into an escrow account and they will ship you the car. You have 10 days to inspect the car and decide if you want it. If it doesn't meet with your approval, for any reason and you let them know and they will come and get it and give you your money back. Shipping and Returns are free for the Buyer. If you are looking to sell, they can arrange that too. I was committed to go and personally look at the car in a different region, but its in a warehouse and unavailable for inspection that way. I've done some searching and they seem like the real deal, like a PayPal for cars purchased or sold online or from National Car Magazines or Craigslist. We all know how many scams and scammers there are out there. I was just wondering if anyone had heard of a service like this, or if anyone has used them to buy or sell a car and your thoughts? Thanks!
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| ford38v8 | -- 03-10-2020 @ 3:28 PM |
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I wouldn't touch it with a ten foot pole. Alan
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| kubes40 | -- 03-10-2020 @ 3:33 PM |
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I'm with Alan. While I have purchased a number of cars sight unseen, they are the aberration. If at all possible, get on a plane and inspect the car personally. Mike "Kube" Kubarth
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| 39Fordfan | -- 03-10-2020 @ 3:35 PM |
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Thanks Alan!
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| 39Fordfan | -- 03-10-2020 @ 3:40 PM |
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Thank-you, Mike. That was my idea too. Though I was probably going to avoid the airport and just drive down a day or so to have a look at it myself. I figured I could rent a car carrier and pull the car back myself. I've never purchased a car sight unseen. How did you manage it. Did it go well?
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| mfirth | -- 03-11-2020 @ 4:45 AM |
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I purchased my 52 Vic on line....never again. A "professional" appraiser [Hypo GT] was hired to inspect & drive the car. He did get the price down, but he missed ALOT of things that cost me lots of $$$$$$. DO NOT EVER BUY SIGHT UNSEEN !!!!! mike
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| kubes40 | -- 03-11-2020 @ 5:31 AM |
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The few cars I'd purchased sight unseen were known commodities to me. Other than two -a new Aston Martin and a '36 Ford roadster. Being new, the Aston was what it was so I didn't feel the need to inspect it. the '36? I knew the owner quite well and knew his representation would be accurate and honest - it was. Also, as has been mentioned in a different response, having another person inspect the car can have a number of issues "built in" if that person is not an expert on that particular make / model. Yeah, if you're a day away in driving, make a little "vacation" out of it and go see the car for yourself. These old cars are supposed to be fun. I'd hate to think you got a disappointing car from the start. it would, I'd guess, be difficult to overcome that initial let down. Mike "Kube" Kubarth
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| cliftford | -- 03-11-2020 @ 5:57 AM |
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If you are not allowed to inspect the car before depositing money on it, it is almost certainly a scam. My opinion.
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| trjford8 | -- 03-11-2020 @ 6:53 AM |
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I wouldn't touch that outfit with a 10 foot pole. Sure they say they will refund your money, but you may have to hire a lawyer to get it. Brokers are a middle man and most know absolutely nothing about the car they are selling. If you are looking to buy an early Ford V-8 I would start by looking in the V-8 Times magazine. There are lots of nice cars coming up for sale from private parties. Take the time to go look at the car yourself. If this is your first purchase you want it to be a positive experience and one you can live with because it was your choice. Right now the market for these cars is a little soft so you can buy a real nice car for less money that they were 5 years ago. You have the money and you are in control.
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| TomO | -- 03-11-2020 @ 7:13 AM |
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I am with the others in not buying a car that you personally have not inspected. If you don't know much about cars, bring along an expert (after making sure he knows what he is doing). If the seller can't be bothered with making the car available for inspection, start looking elsewhere. You may have to wait to find ano0ther car that fits your wants, but that is much better than having "Buyer's Remorse" until you can sell the car. This outfit is asking as much as 40% of the sale price, so the seller has to increase his asking price in order to get what he considers a fair price for the car. You can't ship a car for free, so someone has to pay for that. Tom
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| 37RAGTOPMAN | -- 03-11-2020 @ 8:56 AM |
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hi you should maybe try HEMMING'S MOTOR NEWS, they have many cars listed, depending what you are looking for, I bought a car from a dealer in MASS, I went and looked at it and he delivered it to Maine, give it a try., hope this helps, 1937RAGTOPMAN look before BUYING, for SURE,.!!!!!!!!!!!
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| therunwaybehind | -- 03-11-2020 @ 11:12 AM |
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I once was consulted on a car purchase by someone who had returned from the Navy. It was Winter and the car was well back in deep snow. The owner got a dump truck loaded with coal to pack down access and we soon had the car running. The oil pressure came up quickly but it wavered at first and the final value was only about 32 psi. I cautioned the potential buyer but he did not think I had given a valid reason for not buying and the car was "hotter" than my own car. A few weeks or maybe months later the buyer called me to come and look at the underside up on a rack at a gas station with the pan off. There was scored shim stock wrapped around the crank pin of one rod journal. I have learned later about Ford free floating rod bearings and a "spun bearing" with insert bearings is fatal. That was more than 50 years ago. I have also learned that Ford put their engines together in a climate controlled building and started them with natural gas. Building the lower end in an unheated barn and then starting it after installation in the hot climate of Southern California on a hot Spring day is way too risky. I lost a future friend. I also knew someone who bought a Model T after the Mackinaw bridge was completed and pickers scoured the Upper Peninsula for salvageable hulks. He scr*ped his own Babbitt bearings and built everything from the ground up. (no rotisserie!)
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| 39Fordfan | -- 03-11-2020 @ 3:47 PM |
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Cliftford, I totally agree with you.
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| 39Fordfan | -- 03-11-2020 @ 3:49 PM |
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mfirth. No doubt. I've heard of some real bad deals like that too.
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| 39Fordfan | -- 03-11-2020 @ 3:53 PM |
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trjford8. Its good advice. I will heed it.
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| 39Fordfan | -- 03-11-2020 @ 4:05 PM |
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Tomo. Agreed. This outfit www.eautonova.com has apparently been in business since 2012 and says they will deliver the car for inspection without taking any money from the buyer. If the buyer backs out the Seller pays for the shipping. They are billing themselves as a middle man for big stuff like PayPal. I can't figure it out. But I wondered if maybe someone here would say something different.
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| 39Fordfan | -- 03-11-2020 @ 4:10 PM |
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37 Ragtopman. By all means, good advice. This is a similar deal in that the car is owned by this company and they are an online dealer. They claim they are willing to ship it to me for inspection without me paying anything out first. They seem legit, but I can't verify any of it. So back to the drawing board. Hemmings seems like a good place to start. THANKS!
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| 37RAGTOPMAN | -- 03-12-2020 @ 7:16 AM |
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ALWAYS go and inspect., if you go to HERSHEY in the FALL, in OCT, there are HUNDREDS of CARS, in CAR CORRAL and you can make OFFERS, and many transporters which are insured, to transport it to your house, even it in a FOREIGN county., hope this helps, 1937RAGTOPMAN
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| deluxe40 | -- 03-12-2020 @ 11:59 AM |
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I have purchased seven cars unseen since I retired in 2003 - with mixed results. Only one was "not as described" on eBay - a beautiful restoration that was done on a junk '51 Coupe. It was two cars welded together and still rusty under the paint. I sent it back and received a full refund, but it cost me shipping both ways. Three cars have been exactly as described and were good cars that I enjoyed for years. The others were as described except that crucial things had been left out of the description. Worst case was a hot rod '40 with a narrowed front axle. Again, a beautiful car but rode so rough that the doors flew open on bumpy corners. The Fords that remain in my collection were purchased from friends. At this point the stories that go with the cars are as important to me as the cars themselves.
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| 1934 Ford | -- 03-13-2020 @ 4:42 PM |
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I have purchased a few cars on line. If I had gone to see them I would not have bought them. However after getting them home, I was glad I had them. Before the Internet I flew all over the country and only bought one (A week later) I also drove all over the place to look at possible purchases, sometimes with my trailer. Results were similar to the Internet. Recently I had a friend 1100 miles away look for me. I would have passed if I had seen it, but again I'm glad to own it. Nothing beats your own inspection. But even you can make a mistake, maybe you can admit too. I can. 1934 Ford's since 1972 This message was edited by 1934 Ford on 5-6-20 @ 10:41 AM
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| acereske | -- 03-16-2020 @ 10:33 AM |
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About 15 years ago I purchased a 1970 Volvo on Ebay. It was in Conn. and I was in Mich. I didn't personally inspect it or use a service either. Used pictures and discussion with owner. Was only $7,000 including shipping. I was really lucky or people were more honest back then. The car arrived as described and pictured. It was my daily driver for 5 years with only regular maintenance and sold it for what I had in it. It appears that my purchase was not what happens today as it seems you can't trust the majority anymore. I was one lucky guy but not really the brightest thing to do. Al C.
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| 37fordguy | -- 04-26-2020 @ 9:07 AM |
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Dont do it-I got scr*w*d from a place in Michigan
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| annaneves | -- 07-26-2021 @ 8:05 AM |
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Message deleted by Web Administrator This message was edited by efv8CofAAdmin on 7-26-21 @ 9:25 AM
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| supereal | -- 07-26-2021 @ 12:11 PM |
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Try to buy from a Club member, if you can. All of the scammers out there make selling or buying a car a dangerous pursuit these days for any buyer or seller. My '47 convertible has been for sale for several months, and I know first hand how, even locally, it is. Any Club member interested can contact me via message box.
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| sofomon | -- 08-11-2021 @ 11:32 PM |
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I recently bought a car online. It was an old Ford Bronco. I think the loan company took it away from the owner because the owner was putting it up for collateral. I checked the license plate history of the car, and it was practically like new. The owner probably rarely used it. I bought this car back at the auction. They offered to come pick it up or to use car shipping quotes. I didn't go get it because the auction was 2,000 miles away from my house. It was possible to track the driver via GPS. I even knew when he stopped to sleep. My car was delivered to my house, it was less than 2 days in transit. This message was edited by sofomon on 8-16-21 @ 8:45 AM
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| dean333 | -- 08-13-2021 @ 9:59 AM |
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Sofomon, your post is very confusing. First you bought it online, then at an auction. Then you had it shipped and said you picked it up. ????? TIM CARLIG
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| Danyellbals | -- 08-16-2021 @ 12:28 PM |
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I did. My current car was bought from a dealership in Germany. To be honest, if you are thinking of buying a car from an online dealership, I will totally recommend you to do that because it's cheaper than buying it from your local car dealership. Still, the only disadvantage is that you will have to find a way to ship it to you. But I was lucky that the guys from Tiger Containers Fremantle helped me a lot with this problem. By the way, if there is something else I can help you with, feel free to text me. This message was edited by Danyellbals on 8-17-21 @ 12:42 AM
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| AlexRobbinson | -- 03-21-2023 @ 5:56 PM |
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I’m aware this answer comes a bit late, but for I’d like to share my ideas. It's always good to be cautious when making big purchases like this, but it sounds like you've done your research and found a trustworthy option. Hopefully, others who have used the service can chime in and share their experiences too. I recently came across a reputable auto transport dispatch company. They specialize in transporting cars and have a solid track record of reliable and safe deliveries. I recommend doing thorough research, as the dispatching process is essential for the safe delivery of your vehicle. This message was edited by AlexRobbinson on 3-24-23 @ 4:56 AM
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| wmsteed | -- 03-22-2023 @ 12:41 PM |
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In the last couple of years I have purchased two vehicles that were listed on line and sold one very expensive unit that I had listed on craigslist. Due to Covid I did not want to travel to look at the cars I bought, one in Ill and one in Denver. I was very familar with both cars, a 53 Olds 88 and a 38 Buick special, having owned similar cars years ago. The Olds was being sold by a dealer in Ill., the Buick was being sold by a private party. I had the sellers send me pix of specific areas of the vehicles with copies of the legal Doc's and tracing of the VIN's/Body numbers. I also required copies of any repair/service tickets that the sellers had. I paid for the vehicles with a Bank Check from my bank, contacted Intercity Lines to have the cars picked up and delivered to me in CA. I had several phone conversations with the sellers prior to pulling the trigger on the deals.. I would be very slow to deal with a broker, especially if you cant talk directly to the owner of the vehicle. To many fingers in the pie. i also would be reluctant to deal with escrow accounts, they are used extensively by off shore scam artists. Bill 36 5 win delx cpe
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| gwistrup | -- 03-22-2023 @ 6:43 PM |
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If it sounds too good to be true it probably is. I would be very suspicious of the fact that the vehicle is not available for inspection.
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| Steve Kennedy | -- 03-23-2023 @ 11:14 AM |
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Be sure to ask for a photo of either the chassis number or registration. Years ago there was someone offering a '36 for sale, but "Too Busy to find the chassis number", "working too many hours", other excuses. Find a local V8 member to go look at it.
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| Kens 36 | -- 03-23-2023 @ 11:51 AM |
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Why all the comments on a question that was asked over three years ago?
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