Foo - Would you buy a car from this dealer?

My dad just agreed to purchase a Cadillac CTS LS from a guy on ebay. It is item 230360370328. The agreement came after the auction had closed. Here is why I am concerned, his ebay rating is 223 w/ 100% positive. However, I did an internet search and his reviews from customers are terrible.

Here is a link to his reviews at dealer rating (http://www.dealerrater.com/dealer/Elite-Motors-Chicago-Inc-review-22249/).

What do you all think? The car is 550 miles away so we are either going to pick it up or have it shipped. If we go to pick it up and it's not like it says then we are stuck driving back and losing the deposit. If he has it shipped then he could end up having a piece of junk or having to pay to send it back, if they would even take it back.

you shouldnt lose the deposit if the car is not as described, true?

as an avid mechanic myself, i would personally never buy a used car without a warranty OR thoroughly inspecting it myself. never trust someones description of a used car if they stand to gain anything from the deal...

I wouldn't buy a car from ANY dealer. Just sayin'

I'm car-free. :thumb:

My dad just agreed to purchase a Cadillac CTS LS from a guy on ebay. It is item 230360370328. The agreement came after the auction had closed. Here is why I am concerned, his ebay rating is 223 w/ 100% positive. However, I did an internet search and his reviews from customers are terrible.

Here is a link to his reviews at dealer rating (http://www.dealerrater.com/dealer/Elite-Motors-Chicago-Inc-review-22249/).

What do you all think? The car is 550 miles away so we are either going to pick it up or have it shipped. If we go to pick it up and it's not like it says then we are stuck driving back and losing the deposit. If he has it shipped then he could end up having a piece of junk or having to pay to send it back, if they would even take it back.
#1 I would not buy a car from that dealer just based upon those reviews.

#2. That car has been beat on. Just an FYI. It has been driven hard.

Didn't eBay stop allowing negative posts? That would mean pretty much everyone will eventually have a 100% rating, making the rating system worthless.

Didn't eBay stop allowing negative posts? That would mean pretty much everyone will eventually have a 100% rating, making the rating system worthless.

I'm pretty sure that you can still leave sellers negative, just can't leave the winning bidder negative.

#1 I would not buy a car from that dealer just based upon those reviews.

#2. That car has been beat on. Just an FYI. It has been driven hard.

How can you tell it has been driven hard?

Prudence tells me to stay away. The only way I would buy anything from that dealer is if I could take it to a mechanic to look it over first.
But if you say your dad has already agreed to a sale, then he is stuck with it right?

Prudence tells me to stay away. The only way I would buy anything from that dealer is if I could take it to a mechanic to look it over first.
But if you say your dad has already agreed to a sale, then he is stuck with it right?

He's not stuck since he did not actually bid on it, he would lose his $500 deposit though. He called and talked to them and convinced everything is going to be fine. I'm keeping my fingers crossed.

If you buy a car, sight unseen, from eBay, you really do deserve what you get.

Seriously.

No, don't go through with the deal. Buy a car you can see, touch and evaluate. Yes, many dealers (probably most) are OK, I was in the car business, the luxury car dealers I worked for were certainly not out to hose customers on used cars (not as described, etc.). In fact we used to only keep the best used cars for retail, anything less than that was easy to wholesale out.

It's common sense. Buying a car sight unseen is not sensible. It's a total crap shoot, and the odds are against you. I used to do this for a living, I know what I'm talking about here. You could get lucky of course. It's not what I would do, that's for sure.

I've found that most people that run a business are in it for the long haul. There are exceptions, of course, but if you go into it with that mindset it will typically eliminate any anxiety. People tend to focus on negatives when it comes to stuff like this. If the car is not as described then you get your deposit back, albeit through the legal system if necessary, but you (your dad) get your money back nevertheless. As far as warranty goes it might still be covered under the manufacturers warranty. And most dealers offer a minimum short term warranty. There are a lot of advantages buying from a dealer and, in my opinion, they far outweigh buying from an individual.

Edit: Pick the car up. Don't have it shipped unseen.

Edit: Pick the car up. Don't have it shipped unseen.

Great idea. Show up with certified funds for $20K+ to pick up a pricey used car, sight unseen until you show up with a bank check to pay for it, instead of carefully inspecting the car in person and driving it, and maybe doing a background check on the car before you even leave a $500 deposit.

Better yet, just have it shipped to you.

You guys are why the car business was shooting fish in a friggin barrel half the time. Buying a used car is so complicated that I don't even like to do it, and I spent a couple of years buying and selling used cars @ retail, wholesale, auctions, etc. I can get hosed on a used car, and I have an actually have idea about what I'm doing. Imagine what could happen to your Dad.

Great idea. Show up with certified funds for $20K+ to pick up a pricey used car, sight unseen until you show up with a bank check to pay for it, instead of carefully inspecting the car in person and driving it, and maybe doing a background check on the car before you even leave a $500 deposit.

Better yet, just have it shipped to you.

You guys are why the car business was shooting fish in a friggin barrel half the time. Buying a used car is so complicated that I don't even like to do it, and I spent a couple of years buying and selling used cars @ retail, wholesale, auctions, etc. I can get hosed on a used car, and I have an actually have idea about what I'm doing. Imagine what could happen to your Dad.

By "pick up the car" I'm implying inspection and driving it.

Don't know where you're at, but here in OK there is a 72 hour time window to void the contract without penalty. I have no experience with ebay however.

A question for the group. How many times have you left positive reviews on something versus negative. Take negative reviews with a grain of salt.

I'd run from this deal in a heartbeat. My dad has bought a couple of cars on eBay sight unseen. One was a great car, the other was a money pit. I wouldn't roll the dice when it was loaded against me to start with personally.

You guys are why the car business was shooting fish in a friggin barrel half the time. Buying a used car is so complicated that I don't even like to do it, and I spent a couple of years buying and selling used cars @ retail, wholesale, auctions, etc. I can get hosed on a used car, and I have an actually have idea about what I'm doing. Imagine what could happen to your Dad.

Ive had about 25 cars in my life, starting with a '59 Fiat in '74.
Ive only bought one car new, a Suzuki Aerio. Of those 24 remaining
used ones, I only got burned by a used car dealer on a Toyota.
Never a bad deal with a private seller or new car dealer.

A question for the group. How many times have you left positive reviews on something versus negative. Take negative reviews with a grain of salt.
I've left way more positive reviews than negative - usually I'm pretty satisfied with the things I buy. I'd be more inclined to take positive reviews with a grain or two of salt - no telling how many are setups from the person/company being reviewed.

I'd also be interested in knowing what Zaneluke's basis is for concluding that the car was driven particularly hard.

The car was a lease from CA and sold at auction.

carfax had nothing else to say about it.

Rule #1 with eBay: Do not buy or sell anything there that you don't mind completely losing every cent.

Unless it was a gamble for a car to buy, fix up, then sell (as used cars are going up in price), I wouldn't even touch an eBay dealership for a vehicle I'm using as a daily driver. Unless I either buy the vehicle from a large, reliable dealership, or can get a mechanic out to inspect everything down to the smell of the stale flatulence in the driver's seat, I wouldn't take the risk.

My friend is a car dealer for Chevy. He had explained to me that a leased car has to come back to the dealer at or under the agreed mileage of return by the end of the contract. It will go through a complete inspection and safety check, have things adjusted and tuned, fluids changed, tires rotated...yada yada (all the basic stuff) then has to pass a certain type of requirement to be considered a certified used car. They use this to get top dollar for it. If it doesn't pass by a smidgen, it will just be sold as a used vehicle but not certified. What I mean, by a smidgen there are still qualifications it has to satisfy. If it doesn't meet whatever is on that list then the car goes to auction. A lot of times the car is sold as is, which releases responsibility of it, should it fail shortly.

But then again, I bought my car for 10k sight unseen - or rather, by photos... and paid 1k to have it shipped to me. Had it delivered to a muscle car specialty shop that had it appraised right there on the spot, before it was even washed after taken off the truck. Somehow between Missouri and California, and before I even came to see it, it picked up another 12k.

That was the Chevelle.

I personally wouldn't go. Seems like he takes wrecks and fixes them up to sellable condition. If you do go, make a list of everything you are going to check. Spend 30 minutes checking every inch of the car. Taking off panels in the trunk, having them put it on a lift ect.
There are plenty of guides telling you how to check for certain things such as a discolored dip stick can mean it was driven really hard.. to the point it burned the enamel off the dipstick.

My dad just agreed to purchase a Cadillac CTS LS from a guy on ebay. It is item 230360370328. The agreement came after the auction had closed. Here is why I am concerned, his ebay rating is 223 w/ 100% positive. However, I did an internet search and his reviews from customers are terrible.

Here is a link to his reviews at dealer rating (http://www.dealerrater.com/dealer/Elite-Motors-Chicago-Inc-review-22249/).

What do you all think? The car is 550 miles away so we are either going to pick it up or have it shipped. If we go to pick it up and it's not like it says then we are stuck driving back and losing the deposit. If he has it shipped then he could end up having a piece of junk or having to pay to send it back, if they would even take it back.

since the reviews form customers seem negative, you must let your dad know his standing. this might avoid further damage.

Rule #1 with eBay: Do not buy or sell anything there that you don't mind completely losing every cent.


That's silly. I've saved thousands of dollars buying used merchandise on eBay from high end guitars to bicycle gear and electronics and even a pricey watch. In all that time (ten years) I only got ripped off for a $40 iPod shuffle that the guy never shipped. Paypal refunded that money to my account (after my protest) last week.

Cars are another story. I wouldn't buy a used car off eBay sight unseen. I might find the car on eBay, but I'd have to go see it and negotiate the deal directly with the seller.

buying a car on ebay is nuts. too big a deal and too complicated a product for purchase based solely on trust without personal evaluation.

Well I tried, you would think that after losing close to $20,000 on the BMW that he bought on ebay he would be a little more careful. Unfortunately he is just way to trusting. I'm hoping it ends up working out well, my mom really doesn't need to lose any more money because of my dad's ebay dealings.

The good thing is this is just going to be his weekend play toy, not his daily driver. Also they are paying cash so they aren't going into debt to purchase it. For what it's worth I agree with everyone here.

Cadillac has a LOT of things that go wrong and cost a LOT of loot to fix.

A co-worker bought one used, in better shape than that one, and he has already dumped
5800 bucks into it fixing stuff that wasn't busted the first day, but in one month stuff started
to break/wobble/creak. right now though everything is OK and it rides nice and all....it is the
best car for hauling business customers around in, if you are working with corporate weenies


it may ride like a lazy-boy, but it is still american crap.

buying a car on ebay is nuts. too big a deal and too complicated a product for purchase based solely on trust without personal evaluation.

Correct.

You surprise me with your limey wisdom. Are you drinking again?

Correct.

You surprise me with your limey wisdom. Are you drinking again?

If you were a Limey, would there be a time when you weren't drinking?

Correct.

You surprise me with your limey wisdom. Are you drinking again?

http://thestewscope.files.wordpress.com/2009/07/thinker.jpg

If you were a Limey, would there be a time when you weren't drinking?

my body is a temple.

you would think that after losing close to $20,000 on the BMW

I remember that car. What happened?

I remember that car. What happened?

Come to find out it had been totaled at one point. The car was a money pit. Every time he drove it something went wrong. I got to the point I wouldn't even drive it any more. Dad ended up putting about $5,000 into it and ended up selling it for $6,500. There was a lot kept from us when we originally purchased it. There are places in hell reserved for people like the guy that sold us that car. :mad:

Come to find out it had been totaled at one point.

Did this not show up on a carfax report?

Note that I did run a carfax report on your dad's new caddy and reported the results in this thread. It was pretty uneventful.

Did this not show up on a carfax report?

Note that I did run a carfax report on your dad's new caddy and reported the results in this thread. It was pretty uneventful.

Yes and no, but he did not check it when he purchased the car. He "trusted" the guy. Carfax wasn't quite as popular at the time. The carfax report just showed that it had been stolen and then recovered and auctioned.

I thought he learned from that but I guess I was wrong. Ever hear the saying, can't teach an old dog new tricks? Well at 72 years old he's not going to learn any new tricks. :twitchy:

C

it may ride like a lazy-boy, but it is still american crap.

Wah ?!?!?

The STS will soundly toast similar Mercedes and most BMW's today
for less money. IT isnt a '79 Coupe D Ville. :)

Yes and no, but he did not check it when he purchased the car. He "trusted" the guy. Carfax wasn't quite as popular at the time. The carfax report just showed that it had been stolen and then recovered and auctioned.

I thought he learned from that but I guess I was wrong. Ever hear the saying, can't teach an old dog new tricks? Well at 72 years old he's not going to learn any new tricks. :twitchy:

It didn't have a salvage title?

my body is a temple.

maybe. but they do some strange and perverted rituals there.

my body is a temple.

My body is a dumpster.

It didn't have a salvage title?

It had another type, can't remember the name but it was because "the car was stolen and then recovered a couple of days later". What can I say, the guy was smooth. I really did think that we learned from that experience but apparently I was wrong.

My dad still thinks that a handshake and being paid with a check means something. I wish I had as much trust in people as he does.

It had another type, can't remember the name but it was because "the car was stolen and then recovered a couple of days later". What can I say, the guy was smooth. I really did think that we learned from that experience but apparently I was wrong.

My dad still thinks that a handshake and being paid with a check means something. I wish I had as much trust in people as he does.

Depends where you are.
In florida handshake and check mean count your fingers after the handshake :eek:

It might work out. You have to remember, its human nature to find time to say bad
stuff, but not be motivated to comment when stuff goes your way.
This dealer probably moves a zillion cars a month. Some of those people arent going
to be happy no matter what. Think about the ratio of bad comments to how many
cars these guys sell. That might put it in a more positive perspective for you :)