Image via Complex Original
As the growth of online purchasing has hit enormous heights, it's easy to get carried away. Click, click, click, Paypal, click. Boom, you have three new sneakers, a boss leather jacket, five pounds of Haribo gummy bears, and a Vespa. It's legitimately that easy these days. However, there's always a huge risk of buying something that isn't really what you think you purchased. As it turns out, those sneakers are all fake, the jacket is pleather, the gummy bears are Trolli, and the Vespa is actually a Honda.
It's easy to be deceived, and in our automotive realm, deception simply cannot happen, when we're looking for a new car. In order for us to spend thousands of dollars, we need to be 100 percent sure of what we're getting. As you're strolling through listings, make sure you keep these suggestions in mind, so you don't get scammed. Here are 10 Signs Not To Buy a Car on eBay.
Related: The 25 Worst Cars for Sale on eBay Right Now
LIKE COMPLEX RIDES ON FACEBOOK
10. It Has a Ton of Aftermarket Parts/Decorative Accessories on It
Done properly and tastefully, aftermarket mods that you might see in the Fast and Furious films can be acceptable. The problem lies within the fact that a large majority of the cars with aftermarket accessories and parts were modded by 16-year-olds in their own garage with the wrong tools. Cars that have heavy aesthetic graphics, giant intakes and mufflers, and colored tubing all over the engine make us extremely nervous about the past work that's been done on that car.
9. There Are Mentions of Minor Dings, But No Pictures Show Them
That's very kind of you, sir or ma'am, to let us know that there are scratches and dents on your car. But why won't you let me see them? Oh, because they're actually the size of watermelons, not baseballs, you deceptive scumbag.
8. The Car Is Still Dirty in the Photos
If the seller can't even take the time and effort to clean the car before trying to sell it, how do you think that person took care of the vehicle all those years of owning it? It's one thing if it's a barn find, and the photos are taken as is, but if a person doesn't clean the exterior of their car properly, it's a good indication that they didn't maintain the under-workings in any capacity.
7. There Is Any Negative Feedback About Previously Sold Cars
It's pretty rare to find any vendors that have 100 percent ratings on eBay. There are always the dickheads in the world that complain about something that was clearly stated or was their own fault. However, you're not buying a $20 T-shirt or a poster of a Shelby Mustang GT500 here. You're making an investment; an investment that costs thousands of dollars, so it's worth taking every single precaution. If there is a legitimate complaint about a car that the seller has previously listed, that's enough reason not to trust the car that you're considering.
6. The Odometer Is Broken
Look at that, you finally found a 2005 Acura RSX Type-S that's got less than 50,000 miles on it. Just one thing: The 48,876 miles are actually 189,298 miles. Now, an Acura might be a bad example, because they last forever, but you catch our drift. Broken odometers allow people to get away with selling vehicles that are more worn down than you know.
5. Regular Features Are Listed in ALL CAPS AND LOTS OF EXCLAMATION POINTS!!!!!
Do you really want to buy a car from a douchebag that's trying to attract attention by exaggerating about normal things?
4. The Tires Are Worn
It's difficult to really figure out how somebody has driven a car in the past. However, tires can often be a great indicator as to whether or not the suspension and alignment has any problems or if the driver was using the car as a wannabe drag racer. Low tread, not great. No tread or uneven tread, just pass.
3. They Make Side Offers Available
Side offers break every rule of eBay. You're actually in danger of losing your auction privileges, you're no longer protected by eBay, and you have to wonder why he wants to do it on the side in the first place.
2. You Can't Go See it in Person
We're more talking about a sign from above here than a physical sign on the listing. If you're purchasing a car, trust us, you need to see it in person before swapping money for titles. Even with a bevy of pictures, there are extremely obvious red flags that you could be missing, if you don't see the car up close. You can't pop a hood, drive the car, or look at the underbelly online.
1. There's Only One Picture
Some people are simply technologically challenged, leading to the single-picture listings, but others are doing this with full intent of hiding whatever you can't see. You think that's a great-looking front end on the new 2012 Dodge Ram, don't you. Well, pull the other half of the picture up, and you'd see that the truck bed doesn't even exist, thanks to a collision with a freight train.
