Bought - Sight Unseen.

Kryton · 17-09-2011, 10:09 PM

Taken a gamble and bought a vehicle or something else worth a considerable amount SIGHT UNSEEN?
This is the thread to post what you have bought, whether it turned out for the better or even for the worst.

Over the years i have bought many vehicles sight unseen and am happy to do so.
Im willing to take the gamble, however, i never commit to something that, if it all went wrong, i couldnt ditch it and make my money back on.

This is my latest addition, a 1979 HJ45 Landcruiser (Diesel)

XRGhia · 17-09-2011, 10:18 PM

Bought the V8 Wagon sight un-seen.... Turned out alright for a few months (4-odd), then after that it just went down the pipe...

-Trans started to fail... Was in LHM most of the time..
-Chewed through the fuel
-Brakes were stuffed
-Ball joints needed doing
-Paint was pretty much stuffed

and the list goes on and on....

KR1STO · 17-09-2011, 10:20 PM

This is gonna be a good thread..!!

Kryton · 17-09-2011, 10:21 PM

Before this was a 1996 Yamaha XJR400 - still have:

A 1980 BMW R100S - Owned 8 years previous - still have, never to be sold:

Previous to this was a 1992 Nissan Patrol

and also a 1989 Nissan Patrol - Both have been sold.

Previous to that was a 2001 VX SS - sold:

A1984 Suzuki GS250FW - 1 of 90ish left in OZ - sold

A POS Toyota Celica i bought for $200 - sold for $2000.

03 BA Fairmont - still my current vehicle

A nice XE Ghia - sold to by my BA

And my XF Panelvan - also sold (then died of rust to the wreckers)

All have been good experiences and so far i havent been bitten in the butt.
Everything has been bought online, not seen by myself, just the pictures in the ads and questions asked.

Chippa666 · 17-09-2011, 10:23 PM

I bought a Ford Laser TX3 (KF) off ebay a few years ago with only the pictures to go off. Went to pick it up and found it had small dents all over it, the clear coat was peeling off in a few spots and it basically wasn't as tidy as the owner said it was. I still own the car and its been my daily drive for almost 4 years now.
I've won best laser at Small Ford Sunday 3 times, won best modern pre 2000 at the RSOC of vic winter concourse and came third in class at the BP Midlands/Pedders no bull Sprint series at winton raceway back in 2009. It's turned out to be the most successful and enjoyable car I've ever owned and I'm about to give it a full rebuild/overhaul/bunch of mods so I can go racing again. Funny how things are better than what you make them out to be. I thought OMG what have done when I first saw the car after buying it, but I'm glad I bought it.

When I first bought it:

And now:

Cheers

Chippa

davenl5l · 18-09-2011, 10:48 AM

bought a 1999 klx 300. 6500 klm's on e bay from newcastle gave it a quick valve adjust now step son rides it everywhere good bike as new!!(im in sa)

fat4D · 18-09-2011, 11:14 AM

did that with my xr6t. Saw it in Melbs drove my car down to the dealer parked next to my current car walked inside signed all the papers walked out and drove of 5min later. Didnt start the turbo look at it sit in it anything. And its been a perfect purchase. Recently found out i scored f6 internals. Police do somethings right

BAXR8_Ute · 18-09-2011, 12:11 PM

I've never bought a car sight unseen but I did sell a GQ Patol to a bloke from QLD over the net via only email conversations. I was paranoid he'd see it and think I'd tried to get one over him. I polished everything, fixed up little problems and took so many photos of the entire car so he could see condition of springs, seats, new alternator etc. He even transferred the money into my bank account before he came and got it. Very trusting I thought!

smoo · 18-09-2011, 12:22 PM

I bought my ute sight unseen, rode my bike 500km south to get it. If I buy sight unseen I never depsit the money before pick up, always take cash, in case the seller is hiding something or talking ***, then I can walk away or haggle with the agreed price.

Yellow_Festiva · 18-09-2011, 12:28 PM

I bought this boat sight unseen. Didn't get time to play with it till today. Took her for a run for around an hr on the water and loved every minute of it.

She needs a bit of work to make it to my liking, but other than that don't regret it 1 bit ;)

**Bundy** · 18-09-2011, 12:33 PM

"sight unseen" just pics on carsales

My daily driver, approx 1500km per fortnight, great economy and heaps of go to boot. Even got family to pick it up from Bryon Bay and get it to Maryborough.

So far so good

2011G6E · 18-09-2011, 05:08 PM

Yep...just did a few weeks back.
We sold our beloved little Morris Minor to buy another "old car", a ute this time. I ended up getting a 1982 WB ute off Ebay.
Then the fun began...it came from a town several hundred kilometers away. The description on Ebay looked good, the photos, what I could see of them, looked OK as well. The description said it needed a paint job, but that didn't worry us, as long as it ran well. It has a 253 with a 350 Holley and mild cam, a trimatic with a shift kit, and a ten bolt 2.83 diff. It had new brakes and lowered King Springs suspension at the front and reset leafs at the back, with new tyres. Cool.

I got a permit to drive an unregistered vehicle going by the details the guy sent me, and off we went, stopping in Bundaberg at our daughters house. Saturday morning we set off and went to get the ute. All was good until we got there, and saw a few rough spots (no rust, just a bent tailgate and horrible wiring) that hadn't showed up in the Ebay photos. Nothing major, I thought. Then he started it.

Good god, it was bloody loud!! He said it had a "big twin system", and we just wanted to get going, so handed over the folding, and off we went.

(This is it when we got home, complete with caked on bugs)

I had to stop in the next town to bodgy up an exhaust fix, as it was blowing loudly somewhere underneath me. The servo didn't have any putty, so I bought a can of Coke, a roll of gaffa tape, and a pack of cheap screw clamps. The exhaust had a four inch split at a join where someone had bodgied up a joint and a weld. Wrapped it in gaffa tape, cut up the coke can with my Swiss Army knife into a cylinder, cut it up the side, wrapped that around the pipe, wrapped it in more gaffa tape, and put some screw clamps on it. I was in a hurry so didn't check out the rest of the system...this will be important later on.

Off I set again, followed by the missus and our daughter driving our new G6E Falcon. I couldn't believe how loud the exhaust was, and at the next stop the missus said eve inside the extremely quiet air conditioned interior of the G6E, they could plainly hear the blast of the pipes...

At Bundy, I put the car in the garage of our house there, and set to checking underneath it. I found that both of the pipes at the rear had been routed over the diff and then through and outside the leaf springs, pressing hard against them. This, and the fact he had chained the exhaust to the floor instead of using rubber mounts, was the source of the vibration that had been annoying me on the drive there. Then as I tried to reposition the chains to get the pipes a bit better located, and was wriggling the pipes to see where they hit, I noticed something...

Ok...there's...umm...no mufflers at all. No wonder it was so loud and felt a bit gutless even though it felt like it wanted t give a lot more and had bad economy. Oh, that, and the idle mixture screws so far out they were nearly falling out of the side of the carb, and the idle speed wound up to about 2500 rpm...

I also noticed that the rear shocks didn't match...and that the bottom of the right hand one had no rubber left in the eye and was floating in the breeze, held on only with the bolt! I found in my shed a piece of hard rubber almost the right size, and made a new bush for it...yes, made one...it was 11pm by this time and we had to leave the next morning for the 480-odd kilometer drive home, so I didn't want to waste time.
We set off and up the highway, to finally get home after being pulled a couple of times by the cops...every time one went past I'd back off and coast so they didn't hear how loud it was...hopefully. Luckily they were pretty good...just wanted to check that the permit I had was the same as the car it was on, and they didn't look too close.

Then more fun began, and I discovered a few details that showed the quality of hillbilly engineering that went into it...luckily nothing too hard to fix, but some of it was bloody weird and made you wonder why they didn't give it just a tiny bit more effort and do it properly...

Seriously...who chops up the fascia of a genuine yellow needle GTS dash to fit some aftermarket gauges, then puts the originals back with the huge holes visible on the plastic fascia? Luckily they're available as new repro items...

The trans cooler piping "relocated" so they could fit an aftermarket cooler...to leave them pressed up hard against the extractors.

The cooler itself in front of the radiator...hanging on a couple of bits of wire. See, there really is nothing you can't fix with fencing wire...
...or roofing screws apparently...

The before and after under the bonnet...plenty of go nowhere do nothing wires and connectors cut out, replaced, and chucked.

Some of the "chucked" wires...

Behind the dash...apparently he never owned a soldering iron either...all the wiring has been cut and extended and modified, using different colours, and with those rediculous cylindrical connectors where you simply push in the bare ends of the wires and crimp it.

Thankfully the basic structure is straight and sound, and only needs tidying up and a paint job.

Should be fun!

Oh...and this is the auto shifter out of a Commodore, seen after I pulled up the carpet...it's been attached to the floor with half a dozen roofing screws...with a huge hole where you can see the gearbox through. This is due for a little pael work and welding to make it neater, unless I fit an aftermarket shifter.

I hated the hard wooden cheap looking sports wheel it had, so I modded this one to suit and fitted it for the time being...does that it look familiar...? I kind of like it...

The body is ready for paint now...it's going to be black with either blue and white "Sandman" stripes up the side or some Von Dutch style pinstriping front and rear.

EDIT: some of the surprises I found around the engine...
* Header bolts mostly finger tight.
* Valve cover bolts the same
* Dipstick tube just floating in the breeze, not bolted back under the header bolt.
* Sump bolts...you guessed it...finger tight.
* No guard between the gearbox and flywheel...you look under the car and you can see the flywheel and torque converter.
Now that everything has been tightened up properly, it doesn't leak oil anywhere, and the engine runs sweet and strong now I've set the Holley up properly...still bloody loud though with no mufflers. That'll soon be fixed.

So yes, you can buy "sight unseen"...and you can be lucky, or you can be bent over and do your dough. I was probably in the middle...the car is perfectly OK, but just had a lot of easily-fixed little things that should have been mentioned beforehand...or fixed before sale.

UU TS50 · 18-09-2011, 05:24 PM

Seen the thread title and thought that i could never do that but then realised that i di when i bought this off ebay 18 months ago from a fellow forum user.

Simple6 · 18-09-2011, 06:59 PM

I bought my BA off eBay sight unseen for $5000 little over 12 months ago.

It had a lot of little issues he didn't mention in the ad, more dents, more k's.

Fixed them up and its been great ever since (touch wood!).

yakcam · 18-09-2011, 07:09 PM

This was sight unseen, I've been pretty happy with it as my daily driver...

Cheers,

Kraig

mrghia · 18-09-2011, 07:35 PM

I bought a TJ2 2003 AWD Magna i seen a small pic on the net that was is paid $7500 for it then a year later traded it in to a ford dealer for $9000 (they didn't know what it was).
Still think it is the best car we have had.

Bushbasher · 18-09-2011, 08:05 PM

Yup, just bought a rare as manual turbo diesel Mitsubishi Delica for $7600 just from a Carsales ad. Spoke to the bloke on the phone a couple of times, got a good vibe from him so paid a deposit. He sent me all the paperwork for it and reciepts for work done over the last 7 years. I then organized to have it delivered to SA. Paid by direct deposit then had the van trucked from Woolongong to Adelaide and I flew over and picked it up. I drove it straight from the holding yard to Regency park for inspection and SA rego., then drove it home. Once home I gave it a once over and it was exactly what the bloke said it was and had no nasty surprises. From the first phone call to hopping out of it in my driveway it cost me about 9k all up including freight, rego, stamp duty, flight and fuel. What I got was a good honest low km unit that is rust free and mechanically sound. Ya can't ask for more than that considering the insurance company covered it for market value of about 15k. I couldn't be happier.

Bushbasher

2011G6E · 18-09-2011, 10:06 PM

Oh, and as for the old 40 series in the original post there, look at the poor old thing...jeez, i don't know about that one...it looks like it's probably only got another 30 or 40 years left in it, so be careful...

last fairlane · 18-09-2011, 10:47 PM

Going back to the nineties "pre E bay" days
I sold an 85 Camaro hatch with out a motor or hatch
through Just cars for $5000 with just the one pic
to a person in Adelaide
I got a phone call three days later
telling me the car had arrived and it was "filthy"
I said I just washed it but back then young people
spoke funny "filthy" meant good as I found out

John

Fev · 19-09-2011, 12:10 PM

Bought my 78 MK2 Escort 2L off ebay sight unseen for $3000. Drove down to Wagga to go pick her up

The car was in good condition phyically but mechanically it had problems. The ad said it was blowing smoke - possible piston ring leak - when in fact the engine was fine, some DH had drilled out the pump jet, drowning the engine. Got 40L/100km fuel consumption. It wouldn't rev above 3000rpm and i'm pretty sure everyone else behind me had more powerful cars thanks to my fumes haha

the brakes were stuffed (ultimately being its downfall as I ran up the *** of a micra) Just dug up some pics.. Oh how I miss that car!! Seeing these pics of the day I got it back home has made me sad

ms33 · 19-09-2011, 01:26 PM

Bought my fairmont Gt a few years ago from South Africa unseen. Contacted an enthusiast via email and paid him $1000 aud to locate one and send it to a shipping agent. Was shown 5 photos, paid full amount and it arrived a few months later.

Day it arrived

A photo taken last year

V8XTasy · 19-09-2011, 02:32 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by davway

Before this was a 1996 Yamaha XJR400 - still have:

A 1980 BMW R100S - Owned 8 years previous - still have, never to be sold:

A1984 Suzuki GS250FW - 1 of 90ish left in OZ - sold

.

That brought back some memories. A 1983 GSX-550 (very similar looks) was the first "big" bike I had in the UK. Great fun.

TheInterceptor · 19-09-2011, 03:35 PM

Bought my Courier from Tamworth, had it inspected and was faxed the report. Came up good.

So went over to Tamworth to do the paperwork and pickup. It had heaps of stone chips, two worn out window trims, dents, smear of rust on a dent and a rough tailgate.

Didnt bother me though. Price was great, low kms and was exactly what i wanted. All in all its a 4wd so its going to incurr some sort of damage in its life.

Happy days!

Trevor 57 · 19-09-2011, 05:51 PM

I haven't, but my son did, a week before his wedding then honeymoon, in Sydney from Central Victoria.

August last year he bought a late 2009 G6E with 6000 k's on the clock, no big deal, it was an ex-Ford exec car, I took up his trade in and bought back the G6E while he was on his honeymoon in NZ.

4VCLEVO · 19-09-2011, 09:42 PM

I bought this 2002 au3 wagon 3 years ago sight unseen off ebay. 190,000km and $4500. It's been a great car and I still have it, nothing has gone wrong with it and I think it's up to 230,000km now. The only things I've added to it are BA XR6 wheels (not pictured) and a cargo barrier.

Coyote mk3 · 20-09-2011, 02:53 PM

I drove 8-900km to see and buy my car when I first got it. I had not even seen a photo. (wasn't too sure of the colour either haha)

I was told there was a factory 5spd, reasonably straight EL xr6 with 191,xxx km on it for 4k.
Seeing as I had been searching for one for about 6 months I wasn't going to pass it up.

and with a few extras and some TLC

nvm extra p plate

Have only had a couple of minor issues that are solved now.
And I have done over 60k in it. Which includes a trip to Cairns (via Blackwater

) and a few trips to Rocky.

EFFalcon · 20-09-2011, 03:04 PM

almost 5 months ago i picked up my 83 Thunderbird, Got it from auction in NSW, took a chance flew into Sydney to pick it up then drive it to melbourne.
Has been great so far.

My EA Wagon, purchased off ebay in Newcastle.
Drove up friday night, slept in car, picked up and drove it back Saturday with a blown headgasket.
pretty good except for a lack of low beams

**Tucool** · 20-09-2011, 05:18 PM

My EA Wagon, purchased off ebay in Newcastle.
Drove up friday night, slept in car, picked up and drove it back Saturday with a blown headgasket.
pretty good except for a lack of low beams

[/QUOTE]

Is it a ex Hearse ???

SteveJH · 20-09-2011, 06:10 PM

A frankenwagon?

XESP351 · 20-09-2011, 08:55 PM

I bought this EL Fairmont Ghia 5 litre sight unseen from Tassie, flew over and brought it home on the SoT. Beautiful car. It was a low km example and immaculate in every way and just been traded in at a Hobart Ford dealer. Loved that car and still regret selling it, even with the small profit I made on it.

The EL Fairmont I bought after it which was 20 minutes from my house wasn't so good. Blew a headgasket after a week then got written off in the hail storm after 3 weeks.