Buying a charger sight unseen on Ebay

[Charger440RDN]

Hey guys, I'm new to the forum and I am searching for a running, driving project charger 1968-1970 although I prefer 1968. I live in Illinois where chargers are almost never seen at all, not even project cars, you just do not see them here. I like the convenience of ebay but I just don't feel right buying a car sight unseen. Has anyone here bought a charger on ebay sight unseen? Did it turn out OK?

[Ghoste]

Lots have but it's not something I think I would ever do.

[1970Moparmann]

Welcome....

Don't do it!  Did that, won't do it again.  Look in the classified section and you will probably find something.  Look on Moparts also....

Good luck.

[Khyron]

Never ever buy sight unseen IMO

[Charger440RDN]

I also considered a rust free rolling shell that's missing everything, but I know it would probably be impossible and expensive to find all of the parts to reassemble it after body/paint. There is a clean white 68 charger on ebay right now that looks almost rust free top to bottom, except the rear valence has some collision/rust damage. If had noticed the auction sooner I could have driven over to Indiana to look at it.

[Blown70]

Never sight unseen.  Sorry that is a HUGE risk, most that do that never do it again.  Pictures can cover a lot.

Personally as well, I would get the most solid car you can for the money and if possible something that runs/drives.  You cannot believe what it MAY take to get some cars roadworthy.... often $10,000 or better and that is often before paint.....just drive line, radiatior, electronics, dash, shifter seats etc.....

Best of luck,

Tom

[twinscrew698]

If you are close to Ohio i would try the Mopar Nats first. and use that as a very last resort..

http://www.moparnats.org/

Save yourself some headaches...

[Mike DC]

    
One thing to help you along -

DO NOT buy a Charger from a dealer in Lake Villa, Illinois.  

There's a place there that basically makes a business out of ripping off uninformed buyers for Chargers and General Lees.  They have changed names a few times trying to stay ahead of the bad word-of-mouth about them, but it's always a Charger/GL-heavy old car dealer in Lake Villa.  They do lots of pushy internet & media advertising (which usually sounds like it was written by Robin Leetch).   


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The problem with buying a car sight-unseen is that you just can't evaluate it through pics.  The bodywork and all around fit/finish is SO VITAL to determining a fair price for these things.  Pictures can lie too much.  





Hang round here though.  Sometimes you can find a website member here who is local to a car that you're considering.  You may be able to get someone to go take a look at it for you.  People around here have done it for friends before.  

Someone else's word is not enough to make a $25,000 decision, but it can help you whittle down your choices in the basic broad strokes.  

   

[dodgert68]

Stay away from M&M Classics out of St. Louis MO. also they put together some hacked up cars. I know this first hand because one is sitting in my driveway that they sold to Make a Wish and took them to the cleaners because they bought it site unseen. It even had me fooled from the pictures i recieved of it before the car arriving here ,then i could what a bondo bucket it is. Every time i go look at it i find more things wrong with it. So either hire someone reputipal to inspect the car you're looking at or check it out yourself. You can PM me for my personal info and i be willing to help you find one i have friend here that buys sells alot of Chargers i could probably get you a decent one at good price.

[Old Moparz]

If you don't pay attention to what the others have posted & end up buying a Charger, or any other car, without seeing it first, you'll be sorry. You could get lucky & buy from an honest person, but the chances of being lied to, or simply just being on the wrong end of a difference of the interpretation of what "good condition" or "restored" means, are much greater. Be patient & look at as many cars as you can before you buy one. The more you see, the more you will learn, & the better informed you'll be in determining what you get for your money.

If you have to have a car RIGHT NOW & click a buy it now, then stock up on some KY so it won't hurt later. 

[Foreman72]

you could also ask if there is anyone on the site near a charger you find on ebay and have them scout it out for you...

[Belgium R/T -68]

Bought a -70 Charger unseen on ebay last year. Should have been a matching 383, was a -400 from a 73 truck.
Will never do it again......

Per

[MichaelRW]

Never, never, never, never, never buy a car unseen. And unless you know what to look for don't buy a car you do see. Take a knowledgeable person with you.

[bearbqd]

Well, I do agree with others in that it is very risky to buy site unseen. However, I bought my showcar Cuda this way off ebay back in 06 and came out pretty well. Aside from telling me that a front fender had been replaced when it in fact had been reworked, I haven't found much on this car that wasn't pointed out in the description. I did, unwisely pay a high "buy it now" price for the car, but I still think what I paid was well worth the vehicle I received. I was one of the lucky ones for that car. On the other hand, I bought a 68 Chevelle from ebay that was supposed to be a very restorable car and was stated as being a daily driver as a car parts deliverer. On receiving this hunk of rusted junk, I was thoroughly discusted at how someone could describe a vehicle one way and it be completely different from the description. Thank God I only paid a couple grand for it, but I lost money in getting rid of it. The body was literally sinking over the body/frame mounts from all of the rust. It barely ran, and their was loud bearing noise in the front wheels. There's no way this car was being daily driven for anything. Buyer beware as always. I think if you choose to go this route to at least make sure you get as many pics as you can and make sure the seller has a very high, if not perfect, feedback rating with lots of sales. Good luck in finding one. I wish you the best.

[charge-it]

I don't even buy a parts car site unseen. That's just me but do some reading on this forum and you'll discover many horror stories about cars that people bought that weren't quite what they looked like in the pictures. Even when I sell a car I insist that any potential buyer come over and inspect it. My definition and descriptions and a buyers definition could always differ. I usually don't describe things as good as they look and have always found that a potential buyer say that the car I'm selling is better than described. I sold my 64 Sport Fury a few years ago and a gentleman took the day to drive to Maine from Ohio. He had a check list and took over four hours checking the car over. He said that he usually doesn't spend that much time to look over a car but he was suspicious after not being able to find anything wrong with the car. He told me that the car was way better than I described and it looked even better than all the pics I sent him. I had no problem selling the car to him for my asking price. He still owns and enjoys it to this day! Now I have seen just the opposite happen to people. Apersoson takes the time to check out a car and finds out that it is an over priced rust bucket. My advice is to spend a few bucks by taking the time to look or to have a trusted friend look at whatever car your interested in. It could save you thousands of dollars and years of fustration and misery or you might get lucky and find yourself a great deal.

[JT01]

I bought mine off ebay 2 years ago the car was all original with some rust but they had good pics of all the bad places everything went really good.

[suntech]

I got mine of ebay, but i had a buddy of mine go have a look at it. I live in Norway, and i found a car in Burlington, WI. My buddy is not a car guy, but i had him on the phone while he was there, and i told him what to look for.
I ended up buying the car, and it sat there for 4 months before i went over to pick it up. Checked oil and cooling water, jumped in, and drove it from Chicago to Reading, PA, without problems. I was lucky, and met an honest seller, and i got what i thought i would get.

Would i advice anybody to buy something unseen?? NOOOOOOOOOOOO

[Dans 68]

Don't do it.    Have a friend or member here check out the car first.

Dan

[Charger440RDN]

I guess if I do the Ebay route it will have to be a local car. It really would be a pain to take off work, spend money flying to Texas or California, decide you like the car and still lose the auction. Then again I still need to convince my wife that bringing another car home is a good idea I will try and have patience and look for the best car and not jump at the first thing.  Dodgert68 I'll get in touch with you on getting that Charger when Im sure it's safe to bring it home! thanks everyone for the advice.

[Silver R/T]

I wouldnt do it, money comes hard into my wallet

[69bronzeT5]

Don't do it.    Have a friend or member here check out the car first.

Dan

Everybody is correct, don't do it unless you or a friend/member of this site has checked it out in person.

[69 OUR/TEA]

I have only bought one car thru the internet sight unseen,well, had pictures but did not go in person to check out.I bought it from moparts not ebay though.I did not choose to go see it because I knew what I was buying was a car that had to be restored and did'nt run,and did'nt want to take the chance losing it since it was in Florida,and buy the time I would get there it probably was going to be gone.Rolled the dice,everything worked out perfect,it was everything the seller said it was and more.But that was the one exception,I have to agree with most and either go in person to inspect,or don't do it at all.
Besides getting to see what you are possibly buying,you now havce the chance to swing a deal to end it right then and there!!!!!Hence,when my triple black car was on ebay,looked like a scam all the way,went in person,it was evrything described in the auction,sealed the deal that night,and he pulled the plug on the auction!!!!!Works to your benifit in two ways!!!!!!Good luck!!!!!
 

[Old Moparz]

I guess if I do the Ebay route it will have to be a local car. It really would be a pain to take off work, spend money flying to Texas or California, decide you like the car and still lose the auction. Then again I still need to convince my wife that bringing another car home is a good idea I will try and have patience and look for the best car and not jump at the first thing.  Dodgert68 I'll get in touch with you on getting that Charger when Im sure it's safe to bring it home! thanks everyone for the advice.

You can do what I did, & that was plan a vehicle inspection around a family weekend trip. Depending on where you & the car are, it may only be a few hours away & can be a lot of fun making the car inspection a side trip. When I wanted my Charger it was in Indiana while I was in New York. You won't be able to do a cross country trip in one weekend, but you can broaden your area to be more than just a local car, & increase the number of cars there are to see. I bought the car I went to see, but I wouldn't have if I didn't see it first. I did the same thing with parts in Ohio, & a parts car in Maryland.

Yes it cost money to go look, but which is worse, a weekend somewhere with the family for a few hundred bucks on gas & a hotel, or getting a car that may cost you thousands of dollars more than you initially planned, or budgeted for?

[deputycrawford]

If you find one you are seriously thinking about. Post it here. I hope I speak for any one of us is saying we would be honored to go look at the car if it is close to one of us. I would use any excuse to look at an old Charger. Let us know we can be eyes for you if you want.

Jerry

[Old Moparz]

If you find one you are seriously thinking about. Post it here. I hope I speak for any one of us is saying we would be honored to go look at the car if it is close to one of us. I would use any excuse to look at an old Charger. Let us know we can be eyes for you if you want.

Jerry

Don't post the details about the seller's contact info, PM them to whoever can look at it for you. Too many people browse sites that aren't here to be friends, they're deal hunting & you could lose out on a car to one of them.