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Great fun for any auto enthusiast by Drivin' Ivan
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As an automotive enthusiast I have always found browsing through the classified ads to be a great passtime, as I'm sure many of you fellow car fanatics can relate. Though I may not be serious about buying the prospective car, it's very fun (and harmless) to look. Sure the Sunday classifieds are a great place to browse to see what strange and forgotten classic someone might be trying to rid themselves of. That old MG that just never gets driven anymore, or perhaps the one owner Porsche 944 that has to be sold to send the kid to school, or just maybe that Dodge Dart GT Convertible owned by a little old lady.
There are several places in print and online to look for cars, but I think there is one that stands out above all others... Ebay! At the time I am writing this article there are 50,583 cars for sale on Ebay. Another plus is that often times there are lots of pictures to see, and usually a good history of the car and its current condition. And because the auctions are from all over the world you never know what you might find.
A 1979 308 GTB with a 288 GTO front end and only 5,000 miles on a rebuilt engine first caught my eye. The seller says he's selling because he needs a 456 so he can tote his kid around in the 2 extra seats. Bidding starts at $25,000 for this fly yellow Ferrari. A 1955 Chevrolet Bel Air with a 327 and a 4-speed transmission hit $21,200 with 46 bids and just 3 minutes left in the auction. After 54 bids the final price was $22,400. There was a rust-free California 1973 BMW 2002 Sedan with Zender Box Flares for just $1525 after 5 bids, but the reserve price had not been met. A 1969 Austin Mini Cooper in rally trim had a buy it now price of just $4500. Decisions, decisions, decisions!
Though I have probably looked at and drooled over thousands of cars like these on Ebay, I have never bought one on the site. I've purchased plenty of parts, but I would caution any buyer considering an ebay car purchase. To buy a car over the internet sight unseen and without driving it first, you would either want to be a very good mechanic, or have an unconditional warranty, or both! You do usually get a correct VIN number for the car at auction, so you could www.carfax.com it if it is a newer make and model. But if you are very savvy and are able to wait for your new prized possession to be delivered, you may just end up with a great car at a great price! Or at very least you can enjoy countless hours pondering what you "could" be driving if you won the auction!
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