eBay -vs- cars.com

I had a 2002 copy of the Regs lying around so I took a peek at the relevant section.

It certainly does not appear that a typical sale or other disposition (including a disposition by reason of an accident or casualty) would trigger recapture.

The seller would also have to know or have reason to know the vehicle will become nonqualifying property (i.e. be used predominantly outside the U.S., by tax-exempt orgs, or by governmental units or foreign persons or entities), will be modified so it no longer meets the certification criteria, or will otherwise cease to be a "clean-fuel vehicle" by, somehow, failing to meet emission standards.

I couldn't find any dollar or number of vehicles limitation in the Code or Regs, either. So, I presume they just didn't figure someone would go out and buy half a dozen of these things, claim the deduction for each one, and then sell them within a short period of time.

 

I agree with tag on this issue:

Here is the language from IRS Publication 535:

Sales or other dispositions. If you sell or otherwise dispose of the vehicle within 3 years after the date you placed it in service and know or have reason to know

You should be prepared to address the following issue, in case that you are audited, though:

Qualified property. Your property must meet the following requirements to qualify for the deduction.

1. It must be acquired for your own use and not for resale.

Electric and Clean-Fuel Vehicles

 

Good point.

Also, many states limit the number of vehicles one can sell during a specified time frame before registration as a dealer is required.

 

I found the car and it does seem like one of the better prices out there for a used Prius.

But I also found there is just as much scum on cars.com. I found a dealer a few miles out from me that had a half a dozen or so 2004's that appear to be the base model going for about $27k. Also, these days I think the only cars selling on eBay are the ones about MSRP. I think the hype factor is dying just a little. I can only hope, for then my wait could be just a bit shorter than the original estimate.

 

Of course your going to have to Break it in again. :| For me, that was the hardest part. I'm still breaking mine in with only 1000 miles on it. :roll:

You have to be careful... and watch how you drive... Then as I was told.... it takes until about 2000 miles before the Silent mode really kicks in and works like it should. I hate the break in period of cars.

When I bought my BMW I didn't really worry about it so much. I figured... the car was made to be driven extremely hard and fast... so if I just drove it kinda fast then it would be like breaking it in for the extremely fast speeds later. That strategy wouldn’t work for the Prius.

 

I think I'm up to 25 or 30 purchases on eBay. I have been 100% satisfied every time, with both the quality of the item I bought, and the service I received (shipping time, packing quality). Of course, I've seen stuff I felt was priced too high. But the feedback information makes eBay a pretty low-risk affair.

Used cars are another matter, and always risky no matter where you go. Witness the reputation of used-car dealers. I don't know what kind of protections any of the on-line car auction sites provide, but I don't think I'd want to buy a car without having a mechanic of my choice check it out. But then, unless my economic situation changes drastically, I'll never buy a used car again.

 

I've completely lost count on my ebay purchases but I have over 300+ ratings and never sold a thing. I've only been ripped off twice. Once I paid 40$ for 2 yards of fabric and never got it. The seller had an extremely good rating and even set up an ebay store. So I have no idea why I lost contract with the person and why I never got my fabric. I didn't care so much about the money as I wanted the fabric that no one else had. The 2nd time was that I paid 80$ for a rare book and I later found the book in a used bookshop for 5 bucks

 

I've been an eBay-er for a couple of years, 100+ feedbacks all POSITIVE. I bought my barely used (4,500 mi) Prius on eBay. Prius was virtually new, showroom condition, less than 250 miles from "home" and delivered by the individual owner with all documentation, 5,000 mile service done, service invoices, etc. I did get, and would advise, a CarFax report. A very satisfactory transaction in every way, and there are some "protections" against misrepresentation both on eBay and the Carfax report.

I also noted numerous used and new Prii listed on eBay from dealers and individuals all over the US.

Disclaimer: I have no personal interest in eBay, nor would I receive any benefits from those purchasing autos on eBay Motors.

FYI Charles Suitt - Dallas TX

 

If YOU decided it was a rare book, ie researched and such and YOU decided $80 was a fair price for it, perhaps you did not get ripped off. Maybe the bookstore owner just didn't know what they had!

 

Like Charles, I bought my 04 Prius on ebay (after my dealer told me he couldn't get me one) and had a very positive experience. The car had less than 4K miles, smelled new; though I had to go and get it (from SoCal to NCal) and drive it home...darn!

On Ebay, I've been ripped off once after 125+ transactions. The guy had a very high positive rating, so though I was safe to buy a $400 HD giftcard...never sent. Ebay reimbursed me $200 insurance. They referred the case to the FBI and I filed my report. I was PO'ed, but what can you do...I still love Ebay for stuff!

 

Don't slam em till you've tried em. I'm an avid e-bay user. I buy and sell tons of stuff with them. There are MANY good deals to be had. There are also many bad deals too. We just picked up our 2005 Prius from an e-bay auction last saturday (11-06-04). Brand spanking new, zero miles, from a great dealer for about $350 over retail. They even beat the cost of the platinum warantee offered at this site. $350 seems worth it to me for the exact model colour and extras that I wanted rather than waiting for 7 - 12 months. I admit that it's a bit odd to buy a 25000 car from an online dealer. But like all contracts, you don't actually have accept anything if the item is misrepresented.