How to Buy Cars on eBay — Online Car Auction

eBay Motors is the largest online marketplace for buying and selling used cars in the world. Thousands of vehicles are actively being listed on the site on any one day. New and different cars appear every day. A car is sold on the site every 57 seconds! Many people routinely buy their cars on eBay and have been doing so for years.

What's good about eBay Motors?

Thousands of cars for sale on any given day, all makes and models, from all over the country, which offers plenty of choices and lots of options

You can choose by a large number of factors - make, model, year, color, mileage, type of transmission (manual or automatic), price range, location, seller type (individual or dealer), and more

Multiple ways to buy – auction, buy it now, or best offer

Free buyer protection plan

Easy to check buyers' reputations and make direct contact

Optional services for checking vehicle history, getting a professional inspection, shipping, and financing

Are eBay car prices good prices?

In general, yes. We'll explain why in a moment.

However, since most cars on eBay sell by auction (some are "buy it now" priced only) and are bid upon by multiple people, it's sometimes easy to get caught up in a bidding frenzy and end up paying more than "book" value for a car. However, if you are looking for a particular car, in just the right model, with just the right options, and just the right color, there's no problem paying a little extra to get it because you'll probably never find the same car anywhere else. That's the beauty of eBay auctions.

About prices, most people feel that eBay vehicle prices are lower than you can find other places. There are two reasons. First, eBay seller costs are relatively low, which means generally lower prices. Second, many sellers realize that potential buyers may feel that buying through an online auction brings risks (even though eBay offers many buyer protection features), they are willing to sell at lower prices to offset the perceived risk.

How are cars priced on eBay?

There are several ways in which sellers price listed cars on eBay. Most are listed with a "starting bid" which is the minimum the seller is willing to accept. You must bid at the minimum price or higher.

Some may have a hidden minimum, called a "reserve" price (that you can't see). If the reserve price isn't reached in the bidding, the car isn't sold. If this occurs, the auction ends with a notice that the "Auction Has Ended. Reserve Has Not Been Met." In this case, the seller may re-list the vehicle, possibly with a lower reserve price — although we have no way to know that the reserve price is lower

Some sellers may not mention a reserve price and other make a point of advertising "no reserve" to make their vehicle more attractive to bidders. In this case, the car must sell to the highest bidder, even if the highest bid is lower than the seller was expecting.

Other cars are listed with a "Buy It Now" price, which is the price the seller is willing to accept if a buyer doesn't want to bid at auction. And other cars are listed with a "Buy or Best Offer" option so that potential buyers don't have to bid but can send offers directly to the seller, and the seller can reject or accept the offer.

What does it cost to buy a car on eBay?

There are no fees to buyers on eBay, so the price you bid or agree to pay is the final price. This is unlike conventional car auctions, which charge successful buyers a "premium" over the selling price. Your only other costs might be for shipping. Remember, If you submit a winning bid, you are legally obligated to follow through with the purchase.

Is it safe to buy cars on eBay?