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Kevin Considine is the director of vehicle sales at eBay. As a 17-year eBay Motors veteran, Considine is one of the auto industry’s leading authorities on how to buy a car from a private seller.
His expert recommendations will help you make the best possible deal on your next ride. And to buy with confidence—whether the vehicle is offered by a dealership or a private seller.
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Get the Whole Story
Sometimes, sellers are too brief with their descriptions. So don’t be bashful about asking for more information—using the handy “Contact seller” link in the listing. Or fire up the eBay Motors app to chat directly with sellers.
Questions to ask:
- How long have you owned the vehicle?
- Why are you selling it?
- Does everything work?
- Who drove it?
- Was the car well-maintained and garaged?
- Do you have maintenance records?
- Any accidents or mechanical issues?
- Is the title clear?
- Do you have a dog? (That can mean dog hair and stains that are hard to get out.)
Request Additional Photos
When you make contact with the seller, ask for any photos that are missing. For example, if you’d like to see a close-up of a specific aspect of the car, just ask. Most sellers are happy to oblige with new images from the angle you request. And it’s always a good idea to get a photo of the undercarriage so you can check for signs of rust.
Now that we live in the Zoom age, see if the seller will do a virtual walk-around. That will give you chance to see the car from all different angles and to hear how it sounds.
Research Car and Seller History
eBay tracks the reputation of its sellers. So don’t forget to check the feedback ratings linked under “Seller information” on every listing.
AutoCheck, an eBay partner, provides a free vehicle history for many of the cars listed for sale on eBay Motors. The AutoCheck report includes information about past service visits, title status, and previous owners. Best of all, when available, these vehicle history reports are one click away on the “Vehicle History Report” tab.
If necessary, you can also order an AutoCheck report by searching on the vehicle’s VIN or license plate. A single report is $25, and five can be had for $50.
Preview the Car
If there’s enough time left on the listing—and distance isn’t a huge issue—then consider enlisting an expert or knowledgeable friend for a site visit to the car. That’s one of the most critical approaches for how to buy a car from a private seller. A personal inspection offers peace of mind, especially if the inspector is savvy.
WeGoLook, another valuable eBay Motors partner, provides on-site inspections conducted by an approved third party. The on-site inspections for any vehicle, motorcycle, RV, powersport, or boat in the US are offered at a discounted rate.
Make a Delivery Plan
eBay’s best finds may be across the country or even across the ocean. Fortunately, eBay makes shipping a breeze via its UShip partnership. Your shipping job goes out to bid to a network of approved providers with trucks, ensuring a competitive bid. The average eBay user saves $300 using UShip, and the total savings for the community is more than $20 million.
There’s a big price difference between shipping in an open transport truck versus enclosed transit. You can also save money by remaining flexible about delivery timing.
You might also consider flying to the car’s location and driving the vehicle home. Considine has had good experiences doing that. He said:
I got to know the car on the drive back.
Beware of Fraud
Nearly all private sellers selling cars on eBay are on the up and up. But that doesn’t mean you should let your guard down. Considine has valuable words of advice about avoiding fraud. He says:
If the deal looks too good to be true, it probably is. Don’t trust that a $15,000 late-model Corvette is real.
Here are common warning signs:
- Vehicles advertised is well below the price of similar cars.
- The seller avoids allowing you to see the vehicle in person or having anybody inspect it before payment.
- There is an urgency to complete the sale quickly because the seller has a health issue, is being deployed to the military, is moving out of state, or is going through a divorce.
- The seller pushes to get money in advance and transferred through a fast payment method or sent to a questionable escrow account. The seller might threaten that you will lose out on the deal to another buyer ready to make the purchase. Resist FOMO (fear of missing out).
- View additional examples of vehicle scams.
How to Buy a Car from a Private Seller Using VPP and Escrow.com
eBay has one of the industry’s best Vehicle Purchase Protection (VPP) plans. Take note: The transaction MUST be made on eBay using the “Buy It Now,” the “Make Offer” buttons, or through a winning auction price confirmed in your user account and via a congratulatory eBay email.
That’s the key to the industry’s one-of-a-kind $100,000 buyer protection program. Considine says:
If the vehicle was purchased on eBay in the United States and it sold for up to $100,000, then we got your back.
The plan covers non-delivery of the vehicle, undisclosed titles, vehicle defects, and more.
For even more protection, use Escrow.com to complete the transaction. Here’s how it works. Escrow.com will securely hold your payment until you have inspected and accepted the vehicle. If there is an issue with your purchase, you can return the vehicle to the Seller and have your funds returned to you from your escrow account, subject to the terms of the General Escrow Instructions.
Learn more on eBay’s info page about Escrow.com.
By following the expert recommendations for how to buy a car from a private seller—and completing the purchase entirely n the eBay platform—you can buy with confidence. Now, it’s just a matter of finding your dream car.
