Please Help! Was I "taken" Buying My Es300?

[dockerguy]

OK, I bought a 1993 ES300, beautiful exterior and interior, with 109K on the speedo. The car was advertised on e-bay by a seller with mostly praising feedback, saying what great cars they got from the seller. The ad said it was meticulously maintained, had a brake job recently and new tires. It did have new Cooper tires on it. I test drove the car and only noticed a clunk in the rear as I went over a bump or pot hole, so I bought it, thinking new struts would be about $50.00 each.

I took it to Sears today to have the struts and brakes inspected. The brakes and all four struts are shot, plus the power steering pump is leaking (but no oil on the ground). I told the mechanic that I just bought it and it was a trade in at the Beverly Hills Lexus dealership and it was supposed to have been well maintained. The mechanic AND service mgr. said it had never seen regular service as far as they were concerned. I had called the B. H. dealership on Friday and they said it had only been serviced by a Lexus dealer twice — once in 2000 and again 9/2004. In the last service, they advised the owner to have the timing belt and water pump replaced, and the CV boots, which are shot and leaking today. The owner declined.

I paid $6,195.00 Here is the link to the e-bay ad:

http://cgi.ebay.com/ebaymotors/ws/eBayISAP...item=2493934328

Doesn't that look and sound like a spectacular vehicle?

I called the seller this afternoon and told him what Sears said. He said he doesn't write his own ads and is going to fire the photographer/writer. Big deal. He said if I leave negative feedback it will put him out of business, but only offered to refund $200.00. I figure it's going to cost $1200.00 for Monroe struts and 18,000 mile brakes at Sears, plus the timing belt and power steering pump. Sears is having a "sale" on their strut labor at 1/2 cost. I probably shouldn't put Monroe struts on to begin with, though.

I'd appreciate any advice I can get. I feel like a fool and I'm not in a good mood, needless to say. Just don't say "Why would you buy a car on e-bay?"!!! :)

Thanks in advance.

[ArmyofOne]

OK, I bought a 1993 ES300, beautiful exterior and interior, with 109K on the speedo.  The car was advertised on e-bay by a seller with mostly praising feedback, saying what great cars they got from the seller.  The ad said it was meticulously maintained, had a brake job recently and new tires.  It did have new Cooper tires on it.  I test drove the car and only noticed a clunk in the rear as I went over a bump or pot hole, so I bought it, thinking new struts would be about $50.00 each.

I took it to Sears today to have the struts and brakes inspected.  The brakes and all four struts are shot, plus the power steering pump is leaking (but no oil on the ground).  I told the mechanic that I just bought it and it was a trade in at the Beverly Hills Lexus dealership and it was supposed to have been well maintained.  The mechanic AND service mgr. said it had never seen regular service as far as they were concerned.  I had called the B. H. dealership on Friday and they said it had only been serviced by a Lexus dealer twice — once in 2000 and again 9/2004.  In the last service, they advised the owner to have the timing belt and water pump replaced, and the CV boots, which are shot and leaking today.  The owner declined.

I paid $6,195.00  Here is the link to the e-bay ad:   

http://cgi.ebay.com/ebaymotors/ws/eBayISAP...item=2493934328

Doesn't that look and sound like a spectacular vehicle?

I called the seller this afternoon and told him what Sears said.  He said he doesn't write his own ads and is going to fire the photographer/writer.  Big deal.  He said if I leave negative feedback it will put him out of business, but only offered to refund $200.00.  I figure it's going to cost $1200.00 for Monroe struts and 18,000 mile brakes at Sears, plus the timing belt and power steering pump.  Sears is having a "sale" on their strut labor at 1/2 cost. I probably shouldn't put Monroe struts on to begin with, though.

I'd appreciate any advice I can get.  I feel like a fool and I'm not in a good mood, needless to say.  Just don't say "Why would you buy a car on e-bay?"!!!  :)

Thanks in advance.

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Seller mdr777 assumes full responsibility for the content of this listing and the item offered.

i say screw him, i dont car if it will put him out of business, if it will, then do it! leave all the negaitve feedback you want. cause that is just wrong.,

granted..."mechaincally" there is nothing wrong with it, most cars with 109K that are 11 years old are going to need struts/a few maintenance items, but for crying out loud! thats rediculous to say the car was meticulously maintaned when it wasnt./..go after him. good luck. if he is a business call the BBB.

here is the deal, tell him you want him to pay for the repairs (ALL OF THEM) and if he refuses, tell him you will leave him negative feedback.

[SW03ES]

Caveat emptor, let the buyer beware. This is why its not a good idea to buy a car without having someone thoroughly inspect it first.

As for negative feedback, thats tough luck on his part. Thats the whole point of the feedback system. Its your responsibility as an ebayer to report bad experiences in the form of negative feedback. I like Army's suggestion, he should cover the repairs (or at least split them with you) or I would leave him negative feedback.

[Capk]

OK, I bought a 1993 ES300, beautiful exterior and interior, with 109K on the speedo.  The car was advertised on e-bay by a seller with mostly praising feedback, saying what great cars they got from the seller.  The ad said it was meticulously maintained, had a brake job recently and new tires.  It did have new Cooper tires on it.  I test drove the car and only noticed a clunk in the rear as I went over a bump or pot hole, so I bought it, thinking new struts would be about $50.00 each.

I took it to Sears today to have the struts and brakes inspected.  The brakes and all four struts are shot, plus the power steering pump is leaking (but no oil on the ground).  I told the mechanic that I just bought it and it was a trade in at the Beverly Hills Lexus dealership and it was supposed to have been well maintained.  The mechanic AND service mgr. said it had never seen regular service as far as they were concerned.  I had called the B. H. dealership on Friday and they said it had only been serviced by a Lexus dealer twice — once in 2000 and again 9/2004.  In the last service, they advised the owner to have the timing belt and water pump replaced, and the CV boots, which are shot and leaking today.  The owner declined.

I paid $6,195.00  Here is the link to the e-bay ad:   

http://cgi.ebay.com/ebaymotors/ws/eBayISAP...item=2493934328

Doesn't that look and sound like a spectacular vehicle?

I called the seller this afternoon and told him what Sears said.  He said he doesn't write his own ads and is going to fire the photographer/writer.  Big deal.  He said if I leave negative feedback it will put him out of business, but only offered to refund $200.00.  I figure it's going to cost $1200.00 for Monroe struts and 18,000 mile brakes at Sears, plus the timing belt and power steering pump.  Sears is having a "sale" on their strut labor at 1/2 cost. I probably shouldn't put Monroe struts on to begin with, though.

I'd appreciate any advice I can get.  I feel like a fool and I'm not in a good mood, needless to say.  Just don't say "Why would you buy a car on e-bay?"!!!  :)

Thanks in advance.

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My ES300 (1992 model) has had some above-normal expenses since I got it in 1998 with only 33k miles on it. It has 91k on it now. I had the a/c system repaired (condensor was leaking), CV boots/axles replaced on both sides, driver side window motor drive repaired and new timing belt/outer belts replaced. Put some plugs in and wires on by myself. However, the car runs like a top, looks great and is stylish even after 12 years! You can get the axles/boot units replaced at Sears, too. Parts Bin on-line has original Toyota/Lexus parts at very reasonable prices if you're mechanically inclined. The Lexus dealership recommends that at engine timing belt replacement time the water pump be replaced, but my local Toyota dealer said mine looked fine and just replaced the timing belt. The old belt must of stretched and affected the timing as now with the new belt, my ES300 runs like new. You have to decide if you want to keep the car and if it's worth the repair cost. To me my expenses have been an "investment" since I plan to keep the Lexus for a long time to come.

[jragosta]

OK, I bought a 1993 ES300, beautiful exterior and interior, with 109K on the speedo.  The car was advertised on e-bay by a seller with mostly praising feedback, saying what great cars they got from the seller.  The ad said it was meticulously maintained, had a brake job recently and new tires.  It did have new Cooper tires on it.  I test drove the car and only noticed a clunk in the rear as I went over a bump or pot hole, so I bought it, thinking new struts would be about $50.00 each.

I took it to Sears today to have the struts and brakes inspected.  The brakes and all four struts are shot, plus the power steering pump is leaking (but no oil on the ground).  I told the mechanic that I just bought it and it was a trade in at the Beverly Hills Lexus dealership and it was supposed to have been well maintained.  The mechanic AND service mgr. said it had never seen regular service as far as they were concerned.  I had called the B. H. dealership on Friday and they said it had only been serviced by a Lexus dealer twice — once in 2000 and again 9/2004.  In the last service, they advised the owner to have the timing belt and water pump replaced, and the CV boots, which are shot and leaking today.  The owner declined.

I paid $6,195.00  Here is the link to the e-bay ad:   

http://cgi.ebay.com/ebaymotors/ws/eBayISAP...item=2493934328

Doesn't that look and sound like a spectacular vehicle?

I called the seller this afternoon and told him what Sears said.  He said he doesn't write his own ads and is going to fire the photographer/writer.  Big deal.  He said if I leave negative feedback it will put him out of business, but only offered to refund $200.00.  I figure it's going to cost $1200.00 for Monroe struts and 18,000 mile brakes at Sears, plus the timing belt and power steering pump.  Sears is having a "sale" on their strut labor at 1/2 cost. I probably shouldn't put Monroe struts on to begin with, though.

I'd appreciate any advice I can get.  I feel like a fool and I'm not in a good mood, needless to say.  Just don't say "Why would you buy a car on e-bay?"!!!  :)

Thanks in advance.

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eBay has an arbitration system. Since he clearly stated that he had new brakes on the car, you have a good chance of winning. I'd go through their system.

I don't think the bad feedback is going to put him out of business - but if it does, he doesn't deserve the business, anyway. But don't leave negative feedback until their system works.

File a complaint with eBay. Save copies of the ad as well as all your documentation. If that doesn't work (and it might not - the eBay system stinks, frankly. They don't enforce much of anything), I'd go to small claims court and sue him for the full amount of the repairs. Since he's clearly in the wrong, you've got a better chance there.

[monarch]

A simple solution to avoid another disaster like you experienced is:

Buy only from a private party, one owner seller who has extensive service records on the car. Especially an older owner who has driven the car gently. You can search newspaper classified ads nationwide for such cars at www.cars.com. Usually such sellers will want a slightly higher than average price for their well kept car. The extra cost is well worth it since the car will have little mechanical wear and tear.

[dockerguy]

Thanks to you guys who replied, and especially for not saying "Why in the hell would you buy a car on e-bay?!!!"

It's not easy finding a mint car, of any kind, in Californiad at a reasonable price. I don't know why, but TX and PA and MA and FL have hundreds of cars on Autotrader.com and Cars.com (which carry most newspaper ads). I looked for a month, trying to find a nice ES300 in Southern CA, but most had 200K+ on them. Most of the ads in SoCal are for 2000 and newer. I guess people here keep their cars longer than most.

Taking the seller to small claims court sounds like a good idea if he doesn't resolve the problem(s), but I will try to resolve it with e-bay first. I didn't realize they had an arbitration system.

Thanks again for the suggestions and I'll keep you posted on my progress.

dockerguy

[ArmyofOne]

call your CC company as well (im assuming you paid through a CC on paypal). see if they can help.

[dockerguy]

I paid cash; i.e., $100.00 bills, but I'll call Capital One and see what they can do. haha! I sent him e-mail this evening giving him the options that Sears suggested: Send me a check to repair the car to bring it up to advertised standards or refund my money or I will leave negative feedback, contact the CA Consumer Affairs Dept and BBB. He gave me a sob story that I don't buy, but won't go into detail about. (I wish *I* could afford to live in Marina del Rey!!!) He also told me that he's a Christian and if I was, my concience wouldn't allow me to leave negative feedback! Oh, he told me on the phone that he could get me used parts cheap or new parts at dealer cost. I guess I look dumber than I thought. I think he bought this car on looks alone, but he could have just stated: "Looks gorgeous" and not embellish the condition of the entire car.

I've calmed down a bit and the veins in my forehead have gone down somewhat. My blood pressure is down to 285/200. :)

This is a great "support group" and I'm glad I found you guys. Thanks again!

[blake918]

Thanks to you guys who replied, and especially for not saying "Why in the hell would you buy a car on e-bay?!!!" 

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It could of happened to anyone; it looked and was advertised as a good looking car and deal. The seller advertised it as a 10.5/10. Make sure he never sells another car on ebay again unless the car is repaired to perfect 10.5/10 condition or refunds your money.

He also told me that he's a Christian and if I was, my concience wouldn't allow me to leave negative feedback! 

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LOL, if he's the good Christian that he's claiming to be he wouldn't have sold you a car in such disrepair in the first place. ;) Screw him over just like he did to you; do what ever it takes to get what you want. It sounds like you've got a good plan of attack. Don't let him get away with this!

[SKperformance]

Ebay has a protection poilcy on all cars sold ,deal with that.

Also take it to lexus for their expensive but thorough inspection by a technition for any other faults which might have been missed by sears mechanics

[Lexusfreak]

dockerguy,

The ad mentioned at least a couple of times about how well the car was maintained......did you get ALL the service records from him before handing over your money??

[dockerguy]

What I told him in my e-mail is that I want $1,800.00 to relace the struts, brakes and timing belt or I want him to buy the car back, plus my out of pocket expenses. Sears quoted me $1080.15 for Monroe Sensitrack struts and 18,000 mile (their "best") brakes. That's with their 1/2 price discount on strut labor. Big-O Tires quoted me $906.00 just for the rear KYB struts. With the Sears deal it will leave $600.00 for the timing belt and I'll pay for the water pump and power steering pump myself if they need to be replaced.

As for records, no, there weren't any. I had spoken to a few dealerships who told me that few owners turn over their records when they trade a car in, so I thought this was normal. The seller on e-bay is essentially a wholesaler, I suppose. I have to call Jim Faulk Lexus in Beverly Hills this morning again as the woman I spoke to last week said the records report wouldn't print for some reason. I want that as proof that it wasn't maintained — at a Lexus dealership, anyway.

The deceit of the ad, that I fell victim to, was the "Beverlly Hills" part. If any of you have ever been to Bev. Hills, you know that there are a lot of Bentley's, Rolls, Lexus, Mercedes, BMW's, etc. and they are probably garaged in mansions and had the best of care. I assumed this vehicle fell into that category from the description. It also has a rear USC Trojan license plate frame, which led me to believe that it was owned by a well-to-do person, but I now know that doesn't mean they take care of their cars!

Do you think I should direct the seller to this forum for him to see your comments? I failed to mention that he had the Buy it Now price at $6995.00 to begin with, then hours before the auction ended, lowered it to $6495.00, then about an hour before, he dropped it to $6195.00, which I bought it for (there was only one bid at $1,500.00, I think.) I had spoken to him several times on the phone, priror to bidding and he told me he had never seen a more perfect car for it's age and mileage. When I bought it, he stressed that he wanted me to leave him positive feedback, which makes me believe that he bought it from the Lexus dealer on looks alone and embellished the maintanence part.

About e-bay's protection program — it doesn't cover "wear and tear" of anything, and specifically excludes suspension and brakes. Their web site suggests that you try to resolve it with the seller and if that fails, to go through "Square Deal" who will arbitrate. I wanted to feel good about this vehicle, but as you can imagine, I don't, and I don't want this to drag on for a long, making me feel worse. I have a 1999 Explorer that has never cost me a penny except for oil changes and filters, which I do religiously, and tires, brakes and struts. It looks like new, I just got tired of it.

Thank you all again for your advice. I appreciate it. As I said earlier, it's nice to have a support group during one's "grieving period". I don't feel like such a fool anymore, just stupid.

The seller is supposed to call me this morning and I'll let you know what the outcome is.

[nicksan]

Sorry to hear about your Ebay woes.

I was once victimized as well with buying a PC...something about some guy posing as another, temporarily taking over that seller's identity so that he has all the nice feedback to gain trust from unsuspecting buyers such as myself.

Anyways, I purchased a 2001 ES, thankfully from a Lexus dealer, so even though I have plenty of problems on it at least I know I'm covered.

I agree with what most are saying here.

I would try to appeal to the seller's good nature, and try to solve the problem with him. If not, then through Ebay. If that doesn't work then take legal action.

Sellers will give you any kind of sob story to make the sale.

I saw a program on TV a few weeks ago about these sleezy car sellers. They pose as private sellers but in fact they are operating a con...and selling lemons.

So I think it is important to get those service records, have it professionally checked out, etc...

I've had plenty of car woes, but I try to learn from my mistakes and make better decisions. (Obviously that didn't work with the 2001 ES!!!!)

Good luck, and I hope you can work things out with your seller...

[bkchig]

You bought a CAR from ebay???!!!! I feel bad for you...I truly do...but buying your vehicle (and it seems to be your only car from the email replies) online is not the best thing to do. Did you get screwed...no...I don't think so...you are too trusting. Like in the last few replies..."Buy Beware" is a smart thing to realize if you ever buy things online.

Get it fixed and keep the car. total of 8200 bucks spent is not too bad for that year car and the miles on it...

If it breaks down again...get rid of it. my two cents

[byohzrd]

My two cents:

Don't feel so bad. I bought a car on eBay myself, and it worked out very well. The only reason I got rid of it was because I didn't want to deal with the Utah winters in a rear-wheel-drive BMW convertible. Buying a used car is always a risk, period.

It sounds to me like you actually saw the car and drove it before purchasing it. How is that any different from buying it in a more traditional way? The only information you can get about any used car comes from the seller's description and your own opinions when you see the car. You could just as easily have been taken by a private seller or a dealer for that matter. The lesson to be learned is to have the vehicle inspected regardless of where you buy it. I bought my Lexus from a reputable Lexus dealership in Salt Lake City, and I still had my mechanic look at it thoroughly before I wrote the check.

Regarding the sob story that the dealer gave you... who cares?! Any legitimate business person should take responsibility for their product and the way it was advertised, regardless of who took the pictures and wrote the ad. That would be like me blaming and firing my assistant for writing a letter that I sign. If it's got my name on it, it's my responsibility. The seller should have checked the ad more carefully. Besides, putting him out of business (which is unlikely) will only prevent other innocent consumers from being taken.

*steps off soap box*

[jragosta]

About e-bay's protection program — it doesn't cover "wear and tear" of anything, and specifically excludes suspension and brakes.  Their web site suggests that you try to resolve it with the seller and if that fails, to go through "Square Deal" who will arbitrate.  I wanted to feel good about this vehicle, but as you can imagine, I don't, and I don't want this to drag on for a long, making me feel worse. I have a 1999 Explorer that has never cost me a penny except for oil changes and filters, which I do religiously, and tires, brakes and struts.  It looks like new, I just got tired of it.

Thank you all again for your advice.  I appreciate it.  As I said earlier, it's nice to have a support group during one's "grieving period".  I don't feel like such a fool anymore, just stupid. 

The seller is supposed to call me this morning and I'll let you know what the outcome is.

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While it's true the eBay's buyer protection program doesn't cover wear and tear, it most certainly is SUPPOSED to protect you from outright fraud. The guy claimed it had new brakes - which it doesn't. He claimed that it was meticulously maintained - but he doesn't have any records. IOW, the eBay ad was false. You MIGHT get some protection from them. Ordinarly, I'd pay the $20 for Square Deal arbitration. If you don't like the results, you can always to the small claims route. OTOH, small claims will probably be a bigger pain for him than for you, so it might be worth paying for small claims to make him defend himself. Make sure you present it as a fraud claim - that he made specific representations that are untrue. If you present it as a claim that he sold you a defective car, you'll lose. When buying a used car, it's definitely 'let the buyer beware'. But since he flat out lied, you've got a very good case.

Personally, I don't think there's anything wrong with buying a car on eBay, but I would have paid for an inspection by a good mechanic before going through with the deal.

[dockerguy]

javascript:emoticon('%20:cheers:') RESOLUTION!

I e-mailed the seller again, saying that I wanted a full refund on the car after the Beverly Hills dealership said they could not/would not repair the vehicle to sell on their lot and she told me I should take it back to the dealer and demand my money back.

He e-mailed me a nasty message and then called me saying if I kept the car he'd give me $500.00. I told him no, and he agreed to take the car back. I noticed oil in my driveway today and that was the last straw. (The garage is carpeted, so wouldn't notice any oil on it.)

Now all I have to do is find someone to drive the 75 miles to Marina del Rey to drive me back!

I just called about a '96 ES300 with 142K on it, in La Cresta, about 10 miles from me. They bought it from the original owner and a repair facility in Idyllwild (about 40 miles away) has all the records apparently. The original owner lived in Idyllwild. I will call them tomorrow. It needs tires, but he said everything else was "excellent". He wants $6500.00. It's a two-owner car and is on Autotrader.com.

I've noticed that used car prices for my ZIP code in CA are much higher than the mid west or east coast, by about $1,200.00 on a $6,000.00 vehicle, according the Kelly BB or Edmunds. I hope this doesn't upset anyone, but I may look at Maximas also now. I doubt there's a Nissan web site with members as nice as you guys though!!! <---honest. Lexus repair costs are astronomical to me. I know they don't maintain their value as well as Lexus', but "value" is pretty subjective, I think.

Does anyone have any opinions on Maxima GLEs? I just want a nice, sporty, sedan that is dependable and fun to drive. Please don't send me messages with that red-faced guy banging the other guy over the head with a chair icon. :)

Thanks again for everyone's concern and advice/help. I really appreciate it, especially since I ony discovered this web site a few days ago. It's great! I'll stay in touch and let you know if I'm still a Lexus owner — a satisfied one, I hope.

[MNJack]

If you can get anything back from the seller, great, but I seriously doubt you have any kind of a legal case or even an arbitration case. (He's actually taking it back and refunding your money?? congrats!) "Meticulously maintained" means different things to different people and is difficult to prove that vehilce has not been maintained.

I tried to mention this point in another thread. Even if an ES300 has been well maintained, there are some benchmark services that are fairly expensive. My 97 has 123,000 miles and has only required routine maintenance. Up to now I have only taken it to the dealer EVERY 5,000 miles. But now the dealer recommends the 120k service, plus wants to change the valve cover gaskets, plus the p/s pump, all for a total of about $3,500 !!!!!! So, who wants to buy my car for $7,000 ?? Meanwhile I had the brakes done and oil changed at midas, and I am going to defer the major service for a while, probably have it done at a Toyota dealer, maybe wait until 150k for the timing belt since it was changed at 60k.

My point is that most of the problems with your car are routine maintenance items, and even if your car had been serviced regularly it could have needed a major (and routine, and expensive) service. I think many cars are sold right before a major service is required. It's the estimate from the dealer that pushes the seller over the edge, "I might as well sell this and buy a new one rather than dump all that money into it!!!!"

[SKperformance]

lots of years of maximas, which ones?

If you think Lexus are expensive take a spin in a Nissan for parts.

I think you have found the worst people to deal with so far.

For $1000 i would have sold you all 4 of my 6 month old shocks and struts which are kyb already put together to reduce install.

I think you might have a bullseye somewhere.

Good luck with the other car.

This time have it checked by a pro for $100

[dockerguy]

SK, are you trying to say I might be gullible? You may be right — I tend to have faith in people. I've never bought a used car, except for a 1970 240Z in 1985 that I still have. I bought it from a friend and a month later the police knocked on my door, showed me their badges and barged into my house and went to the garage. They said it had a stolen engine in it. They had it towed, pulled the engine and tranny and told me it was my responsibility to get it out of the impound yard. My freind had no knowledge of anything — he bought the engine from what every Z owner in the area thought was a reputable Z repair shop. Both shop owners were convicted of running a chop shop! (The reason I don't drive it is because I'm too damn old to get in and out of it!) I found out later that a San Jose cop had my engine and tranny in his Z!

Like MNJack said, routine maint. on a Lexus is expensive. I guess it may be on every foreign car. A friend has an older 560SEL that costs her $800.00 every time she takes it in for routine service. I called her last night and asked what she thinks she's spent on it since she bought it. Her answer... ta da... "I can tell you almost to the penny, because it's all on my computer — $81,000 something."!!! She loves the car, but I'll be damned if I would put that kind of money into a car. A neighbor 78 year-old widower) has a 1988 American "boat" (I think it's a Mercury) with 200,00 miles on it, but you'd never know it. The day after I bought the Lexus, he saw it in the driveway and came over in awe. He wants a new Lexus and asked if I would go with him to the dealer to buy one. (He thought mine was new!)

Geeze, now I'm going to have to explain to my neighbors what happened. Of course they can probably see the bullseye on my back and will understand. :)

Anyway, I was thinking about a 97+ Maxima, I30 or J30. I've driven the Maxima (96) and it was super-fun to drive and very quiet. Maybe I'll get over my "need a different car" phase and just be happy with my Explorer. (It's sure easier to mount and dismount!)

Anway, the seller just e-mailed me again with another sob story, asking if I'd accept $700.00. Nope. I just don't have a good feeling about it, and that's not good when you've got big red circles on your back. :)

Wish me luck!

[kcpth]

i'm sorry to hear about your woes. He is definitely doing something fishy. If you check his feedback and looked at the very last two cars ebay will let you see, they are both located in Kentucky, whereas the others are in California. Like someone posted earlier, he may actually be letting other people use his name. Or he may be the middle man for the dealers.

Either way, he is trying to bribe you in taking back the car. Definitely have him pay for the repair costs or just send it back to him. I just recently bought a 92 ES300 wit some repair needs as well. *SIGH* But my price wasn't nearly as high as yours. :whistles: Well good luck

[dockerguy]

KC, the guy told me that ebay somehow didn't put a reserve price on the car and someone bought it cheap and he refused to sell it, and then relisted it with a reserve and sold it (again). I don't know. What I do know is that he just called me again begging me to take the $700.00 and he'll get me any parts I need at dealer cost. If I do that <ta da!> he won't leave me negative feedback! Can you believe that???

How do I get myself into these things??? Oh yeah, those red circles on my back! :)

I saw a '97 ES300 for $7950.00 wiith 99,750 miles on it and new tires, clean inside and out, 2 owners, for sale. I haven't seen the vehicle, though, just the ad. Does anyone think that sounds like a deal? I will have it inspected, trust me! Does anyone know of a good nationally advertised inspection service?

I've got a headache. Again. Thanks in adavance, again, for any help you guys can give me on this '97.

It's supposed to rain tonight and I'm bummed. Begining to wonder why they call this place "Sun City"!

Thanks again.

[kcpth]

omg... if you don't take that offer he may leave you a negative feedback? too bad you can't do this to the guy :chairshot: .

He really is something isn't he? Does he live in Cali or in Kentucky? If he's near you, ask him to look at the car himself and if he knows a mechanic perhaps he can bring it to a mechanic so he saves some money and you may save some money. If he gets the price at dealer cost, it can save him a bunch of money and all he has to do is bring it to a mechanic he can trust. Or you can pay $60 per hr for a Toyota mechanic to install the newly purchased item. They will not install a used or junkyard item i've asked I'm assuming your not going to keep the car right?

I'm no car expert, but as for the 97 ES300 when any car reaches close to a 100k or over, you will definitely need to be replacing Timing Belt, Water Pump, Power steering, and a few other goodies soon right? I don't know if you want to, but if you can get the vin, maybe you can pay the carfax service to make sure everything is in good and working order. Like what everyone suggest, definitely find those paperwork for the car, cause if you have to fix those parts, its going to be very $$$$. But if they have it fixed, not too shabby i suppose.

The benefits of living in california compared to New York is that your cars will always be a lot healthier than ours. We have too many elements to worry about, especially the SALTED ROADS... they corrode the undercarriage BADLY!!!

Well best of luck and keep us posted with your battle with the fraudent seller.

[brianpavlovic]

Something like this also happened to me as well! I only have one word to say......

CARFAX