ebay sellers

[blankman]

So I am new to the s550 scene. I was looking at getting an borla s type cat back system. I have been looking around at different websites for the 140745BC part number from borla, and was curious if anyone has had any experience with the sellers on ebay. The reason I ask is the kit from borla itself is a little over $2k, and I've found some sellers on ebay for around 1700$. Would ove to save the money to go towards long tubes and a blower, im just not sure if I can trust the sellers.

Sponsored

 

[Slopoke]

I guess you would have to see what kind of feedback the seller has and if they have a return policy. I do believe if you send it back, the shipping back to the seller is on your dime.

 

[OLD8BA]

here in Australia i go to their feedback then look up top it should say what country they are from/selling from
we had trouble with them saying Aussie seller and using our flag but in reality coming from china with inferior knockoffs
just something we find here

by the way most on our ebayers are chinese sellers be it students in Aus acting as agents and not having the goods here or chinese selling from china

 

[Torched10]

here in Australia i go to their feedback then look up top it should say what country they are from/selling from
we had trouble with them saying Aussie seller and using our flag but in reality coming from china with inferior knockoffs
just something we find here

by the way most on our ebayers are chinese sellers be it students in Aus acting as agents and not having the goods here or chinese selling from china

If you use PayPal and have issue they warrant it f for 180days and free
but return shipping .but it is a hassle. Fit that small amount if stick to thr brand if it were me

 

[Bitten in '69]

There are trusted vendors who support this site that have pricing better than the manufacturer sites (usually).

 

[MadRabbit]

Buying off Ebay is a good way to save money, been using it for over a decade. That being said, a few tips to help find the treasure in the trash.

Buy from sellers who have a 98% or better rating, and when you find a good seller, save them so you can easily find them again.

Look at and compare the part numbers on the Ebay listing with other (reputable) websites to be sure you are getting the same item. (seriously, AM has a cat back listed for almost 500 dollars but if you sniff around Ebay, you can get the same one for less than 300 shipped)

If you run into any issues with a seller or item, do not hesitate to go to PayPal about it, they are VERY aggressive when dealing with claims and will very often have an issue resolved in a few days.

 

[DougS550]

I have to say, I've ordered alot from ebay without any issues. I do only buy from star rated sellers with a free return.

 

[Timbuck]

I’ve brought a million things from eBay never had an issue. I do it through paypal.

due to a few of my mates buying these 3 inch exaust systems and having zero issues. One has been on a car for 3 years and its perfect. So I pulled the trigger on one.

Got it on special $650 AUD. Yes $429 usd.
i went and picked it up as they are stationed 30 mins from me. They are a huge warehouse like Walmart/bunnings. They have a bit of everything.

quallity…. Well pretty awesome for the money , with genuine 3inch straight through centre resonator , Great sound , zero drone and after 3 years still looks new with no corrosion. welds are all pretty good TIG welded And it fits perfect. Hard to say something bad to be honest.

it already has a X pipe type of deal just before resonator , sounds great and not raspy and deep sounding. BUT a few weeks ago I decided to put a H pipe cross over in mine. It will be interesting what mine sounds like When comparing. I’ll find out this week once I put my new engine in.

ebay For the win in this case. I’d recommend this exhaust to anyone , save ya money and buy boost.



https://www.ebay.com.au/itm/132282663363

 

[Skye]

I've been buying diecasts and memorabilia from EBay for the last year or so.

I feel the overall experience of checking a EBay listing or store is akin to researching any other web-based company.

Once you find an item for purchase, review the company as much as possible. How long have they been in business? What are their ratings? Do they sell the occasional odd item or do they sell in volume? Is their store a hodgepodge of items or do they cater to a theme?

I also research the item, looking for comparables. You have a general idea what the item is worth. See where else it is selling for and for how much. Something priced way higher than expected, or way lower, leaves me asking, "why?" Way higher is avoided. But way lower than expected is sometimes avoided as well, especially if other factors give me pause.

Finally, the details of the listing itself. How clear are the photos? How good is the description? I stay away from anything with blurry photos and poor descriptions.

Simple items that they are, everything that I have bought has been wrapped well, with shipping information and updates of status.

I've found the majority of the owners are small shops or individuals trying to do the best they can. And they realize that, in the digital era, a handful of poor reviews or feedback and scuttle their business quickly.

Regarding the EBay account itself, it hasn't been compromised. I'm using a strong password with two-factor authentication (password, with 2nd code sent to phone). I do get occasional emails for like items, to see if I'm interested, but nothing near the level of spam.

The one negative on Ebay: auctions. I've learned to avoid them. When you're watching auctions on TV, the item and the audience give anyone a feel for the energy in the room, how the bidding is going, etc. On EBay, it can be what I consider "cheesy". You bid $100 for an item. Someone comes in behind you with a bid of $100.10. You make a strong bid which holds for days. But at the last minute, someone bids .25 more and takes it. Some things I've seen go at auction are later flipped.

One of the best aspects of EBay is you can find the most obscure items of any kind, in fine shape at a fair price.

Other than auctions, EBay has been an overall good-to-great experience for me.

 

[blankman]

Thanks for all the replies everyone. I've purchased plenty of cheap items from ebay before, I think im just being weary because it's a bigger priced item. I just wasn't sure if anyone had been burned by certain sellers and such. Pretty much all the photos for the cat backs just stock photos from borla itself.

 

[Skye]

Pretty much all the photos for the cat backs just stock photos from borla itself.

Whomever you're considering, I think it's quite a reasonable to chat them up beforehand, confirm if the product is new or used, what their return policy is, maybe ask for an actual photo.

I suspect they're buying old stock from vendors, stock that had not been selling, stock from companies which have failed, etc.

However they acquired the item/s, a message could help build confidence.

 

[D Bergstrom]

I purchased a Borla ATAk cat back for my 2020 GT about 2 and a half years ago from eBay. Great price and no issues, shipped fast. I buy quite a bit on eBay and have never has an issue. I pretty much only buy from sellers with over 99% feedback.

Doug

 

[ORRadtech]

Just like buying anything from the internet, do your due diligence (reviews, feedback, even the BBB can be helpful).
Make sure you use a means of purchase that affords you recourse if something turns out to be fishy.
Hoaksters can be anywhere but in over 20 years of using eBay I've only had one, maybe two, that weren't perfectly acceptable.

 

[MAGS1]

Thanks for all the replies everyone. I've purchased plenty of cheap items from ebay before, I think im just being weary because it's a bigger priced item. I just wasn't sure if anyone had been burned by certain sellers and such. Pretty much all the photos for the cat backs just stock photos from borla itself.

I agree with Skye, message them and ask them for an actual photo (with a paper with the seller name and the day’s date written on it so you know it’s legit). I’ve done that a few times with higher priced products and every seller has been more than willing to do so.

I agree with a lot of the others, stick with highly rated sellers (I will rarely dip below 99%, if I do its high 98%’s). I’ve bought a good chunk of my 1/18 diecast from one seller (Wholesale Diescast Models) who also has a website they sell from. I’ve also bought brand new golf clubs from country club pro shops that have an eBay storefront to move out remaining stock when new models start coming out at a pretty significant discount. As long as you do your homework you should be good. And ALWAYS use PayPal. They are really good if you need to dispute something.

 

[Cobra Jet]

Been an eBay member since 98 (both seller and buyer), a year or so after they went online…

So here’s a tip for those seeking parts or items:
If you are a signed in member and are looking at buying XYZ on a ‘Buy it Now’ listing, tag the item so it ends up in your watched list. Then give it a day or 5…. Sometimes the seller will send you a discounted price either by % off OR $ off the original ‘Buy it Now’ price. I’ve saved a bundle by doing this over the years…. So don’t immediately “jump” on an item, tag it first and give a little time to see what happens… It won’t happen on every item, but I’ve had at least a 75%-80% success rate over the years….

and there are plenty of snipe tools available to snag a live auction listing too….

Sponsored