E Bay purchase question..

[gazelle]

Looked at an FJR at a dealer that's for sale on E Bay. I've never bought a bike on E Bay. Can the dealer add "doc fees", "used service cost" fee, etc to the winning bid ? When I looked at the bike they wanted to add $600 in these fees...They have since reconsidered and dropped the used service cost fee of $400. I'm considering a bid but don't want to get s#$&^#$...Thanks !!

 

[RidingGuy]

They can do whatever they want - dealer-wise - as long as they disclose all fees prior to opening for bids. You don't have to bid, but if you do - and win - ebay will "punish" you for reneging on the deal. Best thing to do is contact the seller when the auction is about to close. If they don't have any bids above reserve, make them an offer. Or put the auction on your watch list and see if you can't make them an offer if it doesn't sell.

 

[rushes]

Looked at an FJR at a dealer that's for sale on E Bay. I've never bought a bike on E Bay. Can the dealer add "doc fees", "used service cost" fee, etc to the winning bid ? When I looked at the bike they wanted to add $600 in these fees...They have since reconsidered and dropped the used service cost fee of $400. I'm considering a bid but don't want to get s#$&^#$...Thanks !!

Deal with them off ebay if you can.

 

[Road_Runner]

I bought a close to totaled 10 year old F150 for $800 from a local Ford dealer many years ago. I showed up after winning the bid on EBay to get the truck, and they advised me that there were dealer fees added on. But... they didn't put anything about the fees in the EBay listing, so I called BS and got the truck for $800.

So is the fact that they are adding fees in the listing? Even if it is not, you have been in contact with them so you know what they intend.

From what I have seen on EBay lately, the prices are not any better (and sometimes much worse) than what could be negotiated for in person. Best to go ahead and add whatever fees they are asking to the price, then figure if it is really that good a deal.

 

[Unicycle52]

The above information is correct. If the fees are specified in the ad as being above and beyond the bidding/purchase price, you simply factor them in when you are mentally deciding what you are willing to spend for that particular bike. I sold a high mileage 101K miles on an 04 FJR on Ebay in October. I only got one bid on the bike and it was a little lower than my reserve. At the end of the auction (according to Ebay rules) I had the option of offering the bike to the highest bidder for HIS/HER bidding price (and no more). The bidder has 24 hours to respond. Considering the time of year, the mileage on the bike, the price etc., I decided to present the offer to my only bidder. He ultimately bought the bike giving me more room in my garage to farkle my new to me low mileage FJR.

 

[Granger]

Over a five year period on different occasions I have found two bikes I liked on ebay and it happened that one was a dealer and the other was a personal owner. I lived close enough to each to go see the bikes. In each case I made an offer directly to seller outside of ebay and closed the deal that way, using the traditional certified bank check for final payment, after a $500 deposit to hold the bike and price while I arranged the bank check.

If the seller is a dealer it is traditional that they reserve themselves the right to cancel their ebay listing without penalty if someone has not bid on the it yet and if you go to them directly via the dealership and make an offer. Once someone has placed a bid through ebay then the auction time period has to run its course or ebay dings them financially (only the largest dealers have special eBay contracts that excuse this).

Dealers will usually be upfront about any fees they are adding on, and you should ALWAYS ask anyway. Every price is negotiable, especially if they do not get a bid as high as their reserved price for the bike. Used bikes typically go for less than the asking price, so dealers usually set a retail price higher than they actually want to get as their "bottom line". I have never paid the asking price for a bike (or a car for that matter).

 

[Wlfman]

Just another reason to avoid FLEABay

 

[creg-ny-baa]

Don't blame it on eBay. Blame it on dealers who pump up the purchase price with meaningless "doc fees." They already charge for tax, title, and tag. They employ the notary, so there's no cost to them there. Since "dealer prep" fees have disappeared, and freight (on new vehicles) is listed on the sticker, this is the current way to add several hundred dollars to their bottom line.

 

[TomInPA]

The dealer saves on Ebay commissions if you buy off the net. Most sales have a condition that the item is available for local sale and the auction can be cancelled by seller. If you are into making an offer, just make your best offer in person. If you can't make a deal in person, you sure as hell don't want to deal with them online.

 

[canadianfjrowner]

I've bought many vehicles and motorcycles on Ebay. All you really need to do is your homework. READ THE COMPLETE LISTING. look at the shipping and payment tab carefully. As well, buy from registered dealers only. Then, make sure they actually exist. Use Google Earth etc. to look at the physical address. Try and actually talk to the Ebay rep at the dealer. You can normally notice right away if there is something wrong. Use your spider senses. I bought an almost new 1000 mile 2007 FJR in 2011 for $7600,= Now that was a steal. Just because nobody was looking at the bike.

 

[FJRBluesman]

I've bought and sold bikes on ebay. Not an issue. Doesn't mean there aren't bone heads that sell too...