Are certain ones best, how do I avoid junk? What do I look out for?

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1998 Ford Escort ZX2 5 speed - 279,000 miles My Daily

1992 Mercedes 300D 2.5 202,000 - Pure junk
2000 Mercedes E320 Black - 136,000 miles - Needs repair

Don't forget to grease the screw and threads on the spring compressor.

I have the same questions. I remember an ebay user named gordygadgets was the go-to for these, but I had no luck the last time I looked.

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All Diesel Fleet
1985 R107 300SLD TURBODIESEL
2005 E320 CDI (daily)

LOTS of parts for sale!


EGR block kit
http://www.peachparts.com/shopforum/diesel-discussion/355250-sale-egr-delete-block-off-plate-kit.html

1985 CA emissions 617 owners- You Need This!
Sanden style A/C Compressor Mounting Kit for your 616/ 617 For Sale + Install Inst.

Sanden Instalation Guide (post 11):
http://www.peachparts.com/shopforum/diesel-discussion/367883-sanden-retrofit-installation-guide.html

I think there is no way to tell and frequently eBay sellers have a item they are selling they know noting about.

What you want to see is that the seller tested it and tells you it is working normally. The importance of that is that if it dosed not work you can start a case (I can't remember what ebay calls it) against the seller and you want to say that the item was not as described by the seller. The seller said it worked and you found out it did not work.
How ever eBay is first going to tell you to contact the seller to see if you can resolve it with the seller. There is X amount of time allowed for that. If not resolved eBay steps in and decides.
One of the things when you look at an ad is you like to see if the Seller pays for the return shipping and has that he accepts returns. Some sellers say no returns. You may end up paying for the return shipping.

Example. I bought a used Alternator that the seller said was tested as good. I took it to Autozone and Pep Boys and the alternator failed. Pep Boys gave you a little print out showing the results of the test.
When I contacted the seller I attached a pic of the print out. And I said item was not as described because the seller said it had been tested and working. The Seller refunded the money and did not ask for the return of the item.

So you can get your money back if you read the ad carefully and follow eBays procedure but it takes time.
I buy 2-3 items a month on eBay. Sometimes you get burned but the bulk of the time you save money if you know the item you are buying.

As it turned out when I took the alternator apart it the insides looked as if it had been underwater for a long period of time. Of course you don't want to ever tell the seller you took the item apart.

Below part of the alternator. I was going to fix it but I bent the tail shaft trying to remove the rusted on bearing with a puller.

Attached Thumbnails

 

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84 300D, 82 Volvo 244Gl Diesel

In this case a promise to post a picture of the alt insides would have been very effective. I wouldn't hesitate to say it looked rusty and I took it apart.

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84 300SD
85 380SE
83 528e
95 318ic

Actually a lot of it is still based on trust. Even with a print out I could have tested another alternator I had that was no good.

In this case I think they had an idea it had issues. Both time when the tested the Alternator it was clear from the sound of the bearing there was issues.

Note I have sign on my Door that no one is to leave packages outside (they still do any way or sometimes they leave them at the back door).

This is another issue but I got hosed on it by eBay. I bought a pair of $75 shoes. The USPS delivered them to my Porch with no one home and someone took them (they deliver at or around the mail box). My porch can be seen from the sidewalk and when school get out there is all kinds of cars and people walking by.

The seller said he would not be bothered trying to get the insurance and eBay said because it was marked delivered they would not do anything.

So if it is something that won't fit into the mail box or expensive you have to ask the seller to ask for a signature before it is delivered. I also got a larger outside mail box and put a pad lock out there for the Mail Carrier to use. Most of the time the Mail Carrier complies with that sometimes not.

FedEx is the worst and Amazon likes to use Fedex. The package goes on the porch the knock on the Door and run for the vehicle and are gone by the time you reach the door.

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84 300D, 82 Volvo 244Gl Diesel

Still unsure

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1998 Ford Escort ZX2 5 speed - 279,000 miles My Daily

1992 Mercedes 300D 2.5 202,000 - Pure junk
2000 Mercedes E320 Black - 136,000 miles - Needs repair

Don't forget to grease the screw and threads on the spring compressor.

I'm thinking review their feedback for similar sales.

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Jim

Gordysgadgets was the Ebay seller of choice for a while...that's where a number of us got ours. Apparently no longer in business.

Just have to find a seller with lots of great reviews.

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14 E250 Bluetec 4Matic "Sinclair", Palladium Silver on Black, 154k miles
06 E320 CDI "Rutherford", Black on Tan, 172k mi, Stage 1 tune, tuned TCU
91 300D "Otis", Smoke Silver, 142k mi, wastegate conversion

19 Honda CR-V EX 61k mi
Fourteen other MB's owned and sold
1961 Very Tolerant Wife

This is the result of many people wanting low cost / free shipping. . .