I found a Landcruiser I really like in Tulsa, OK - can't go right now... my options are: 1) let it go and look for another 3 more months; 2) have local shop do a PPI for me and buy it 'sight unseen' and have it shipped to me... 3) Give the guy $500 deposit to hold it for me until I can get my personal matters resolved to make a trip out there in about 2 weeks...

Funny, my SDL came from just about the same exact place...

Anybody ever bought the car without seeing it first?!

James

__________________
1987 Mercedes 300SDL; SOLD
1985 Mercedes 300D; SOLD
2006 Honda Pilot - wife's ride; 122K;
1995 Toyota Land Cruiser - 3X locked; 182K

I bought both of my CLK 320's that way, and I am happy with my decision.

__________________
For the Saved, this world is the worst it will ever get.
For the unSaved, this world is the best it will ever get.

Clk's Ebay Stuff BUY SOMETHING NOW!!!

I bought my 240D from a forum member in NJ based on photos.

I recently bought my E500 from a used car dealer in UT.

In both cases I sent a deposit and traveled to pick up the car with a bank check. I could have walked away, but both cars were as advertised.

I you had tried walking away I assume you would be losing your initial deposit...

__________________
1987 Mercedes 300SDL; SOLD
1985 Mercedes 300D; SOLD
2006 Honda Pilot - wife's ride; 122K;
1995 Toyota Land Cruiser - 3X locked; 182K

Probably, but in both cases it was only a few $100. I had more invested in time and travel expenses. I wouldn't have gotten that far if I wasn't 95% sure it was a deal I wanted.

98% of my projects were sight unseen, Harassed many people for TONS of pictures. Why I love Gmail. Lots of storage space and next to nil attatchment size

__________________
hum.....
1987 300TD 311,000M Stolen. Presumed destroyed

In my (limited) experience you tend to discover what to look for once you own the car - and I've only owned the same type of car twice. So I've never really been able to use my knowledge.
Buying a second hand car is always a gamble. In some ways I can see benefits to buying sight unseen particularly if you expect it not to be as good as it could be. I just wouldn't pay top dollar if I were to buy it unseen. Sames goes for second hand spare parts really.

__________________
1992 W201 190E 1.8 171,000 km - Daily driver
1981 W123 300D ~ 100,000 miles / 160,000 km - project car stripped to the bone
1965 Land Rover Series 2a Station Wagon CIS recovery therapy!
1961 Volvo PV544 Bare metal rat rod-ish thing

I'm here to chat about cars and to help others - I'm not here "to always be right" like an internet warrior



Don't leave that there - I'll take it to bits!

No way - never again.

Never a concern as most of my purchases are project cars.

__________________
With best regards

Al

I bought a 1985 300D and a 1997 Subaru that way. Two of the best cars I've owned. Each car had been serviced at the dealer who originally sold it. I spoke with someone in the service department at each of the dealers and got a good comfort level. Wound up overpaying each time once shipping costs were factored in, but I don't mind paying more than market if the car is exactly what I want. I will definitely do it again if the opportunity or need arises.

Closest I have come is my little formula ford race car. I put a deposit of 500 on it and could have backed out if it was not as represented.

I sold my old Ferrari sight unseen to a nice man in England who is quite well off I believe.

I have rented apartments probably a dozen times in ten years to people coming in from the coast sight unseen. One fellow sent me six months rent for one sight unseen....over $6K.

__________________
[SIGPIC] Diesel loving autocrossing grandpa Architect. 08 Dodge 3/4 ton with Cummins & six speed; I have had about 35 benzes. I have a 39 Studebaker Coupe Express pickup in which I have had installed a 617 turbo and a five speed manual.[SIGPIC]

..I also have a 427 Cobra replica with an aluminum chassis.

Mixed results. There was more wrong with it than I thought there would be but less wrong with it than the seller thought there was.

The end result was very good after a couple of months of relatively minor work. I have had trouble-free daily driving for over three years now. But ... I would not buy sight-unseen again unless I had a thorough and honest PPI. I was a nervous wreck.

yeah, my SDL.. It worked out "ok"

It's a helluva gamble; sometimes it works out, sometimes it doesn't. The only one I bought sight-unseen was my 44k-mile CJ7; I got lots of photos, I really liked the seller (very important - don't do this with dealers), but when the Jeep showed up it was worse than my mind was hoping for. After a day or two going through it, I realized my "issues" with the CJ were minor and I love the thing.

It's a helluva gamble; for $2000, you can't get bit too much, but for $10,000 I'd never buy sight-unseen. It's just worth the $800 to go see it in person.

__________________
- Brian


1989 500SEL Euro
1966 250SE Cabriolet
1958 BMW Isetta 600

Yes.