I bought two cars that I saw on eBay. The first was a 1979 Chrysler New Yorker. Not exactly a hot collectors item, but I've always liked them. I had a '79 Newport, which is just a cheaper version of the same car, and for some strange reason, I missed it once I got rid of it. Anyway, I bid on the car and ended up being the high bidder, at a whopping $703.00. However, that didn't meet the seller's reserve. I emailed the seller, and found out he was a used car dealer that had a small lot in West Va, about 150 miles away. We talked on the phone, and agreed on a price of $900. However, this was really an off-eBay transaction. We agreed that he'd hold onto the car until I could get out there to look at it, which would just be in a few days. If I liked it I'd buy it. If not, no big deal, as it's not like someone's coming by 3 times a day to lust after a pimpy '79 Chrysler! O0
Well, I saw it, liked it, and bought it. It was reliable enough to make the 155 mile trip back home. I still have it, and have been happy with it. This past May though, while up in Carlisle PA for a car show, I saw another '79 Chrysler New Yorker at a gas station. I have a friend who lives nearby up there, and he said he's seen it there for awhile. He called the gas station for me and found out the guy was interested in selling the car. I ended up getting it for $500. It's in better shape overall than the $900 Chrysler, so maybe I overpaid for that one!
still, I guess with cars that are that cheap to begin with, what's a few hundred bucks!
The other car I bought off eBay was a 1976 Pontiac Grand LeMans coupe that was in Cincinnatti, about 500 miles away. This was another situation where I was the high bidder, at around $2500, but didn't meet the seller's reserve. The seller sent me some extremely detailed pictures that pointed out just about every flaw in the car. We agreed on $3000. I mailed the guy a deposit check for $500, which I guess was taking a chance. But everything worked out fine. I had a friend ride out with me in my car, and then he drove it back while I drove the LeMans. I did get sort of a sinking, foreboding feeling after the deal was done thinking here I am, 500 miles from home, with a car that left the showroom when I was 6 years old...was this really very intelligent after all? Oh well, if nothing else, I had unlimited towing with AAA! And the car did make it back, no troubles at all. Not even that vapor lock that cars from that era can be famous for, where you turn them off for a moment at a gas station or rest stop after driving for awhile, and when you try to start it back up, it refuses.
Now if the car were some high-dollar collectible, like a GTO, Corvette, 300C (the REAL 300C, not this blingy badge-engineered Benz with the fake Hemi they sell nowadays), etc, then I'd DEFINITELY want to see the thing in person before just blindly agreeing to buy it!