Would you buy a 99p car from eBay?

Word got to me today that a lucky bidder on eBay has potentially bagged themselves an absolute bargain.

http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&item=4539597484

I’m sure there must be some mistake but through sheer stupidity or damned good fortune this particular eBay auction was ended early to award an almost brand new Peugeot 407 2.0 SE in a tasteful colour to “the current highest bidder at the current bid price”…which appears to have been £0.99p!

Of course I’m sure there’s a logical explanation for it all and it will be resolved amicably and archived in the myth and folklore building around the infamous auction site. Can you imagine though the poor punter’s face when he was under the impression he’d got a brand new car for 99p?! Even if it was a Peugeot (we have a history, I’m psychologically scarred by a vivid green 307 I used to own) I’d certainly be planning what to do with few grand I’d managed to save.

Maybe there’s hope for me yet, I have an ambition you see to buy a ‘decent’ and interesting motor, that is driveable with at least 1 months tax and an MOT from eBay for £50 or less. A pipe dream I’m sure, but so far I have bought a 1994 Saab 900 for £750 which is a pretty good sensible car, albeit with a slight air of ‘eau du wet mutt’ about it.

Someone allegedly wise to this sort of thing once suggested to me that cars should be bought £1 for every cc of their engine which is an interesting theory, so with that in mind my 2.0 Saab was pretty triumphant. I also know of at least 3 other eBay car purchases that have been very successful.

But then there have been the horror stories. For the most part I think the majority of transactions are excellent, but there were a few that slipped through the net. Descriptions not being quite accurate, like the story I heard of a mini purchase which on the journey to collect it transpired there had been just reason for only front view photographs, there had been a rearwards incident with a skip. The vendor on that occasion did point out he hadn’t lied on the description; he just forgot to mention that (vital) nugget of information. Also there was the VW Polo that had been given some careful engineering work to ensure that my unwitting Doctor friend got the car to just within 3 miles of her house and the engine died – permanently.

But, if you do see that Golden Fleece of a car for me….don’t nab it for yourself …do let me know