Just to give another opinion on the ebay stuff.

1.) I spotted a "running" 200 on ebay here in germany. As I always do I asked some questions via mail and offered the guy around 300 euros which is about 200 uk pounds or 250 dollars if he offered it as a buy it now! The guy agreed by mail and i drove the 200 miles to have a look. What a mess, welded gear lever. Exhaust pipe welded to silencer, silencer welded onto frame, kick start welded, chrank cases welded underneath and somebody had cut through one of the frame tubes with a hacksaw for some reason. Strange. Felling a bit P?/ssed at traveling 200 miles i told the guy that he had a pile of cr%p and didnt want to insult him by offering well less than the 300 euros I had mentioned in my mail. The guy was very apologetic and said 150 euros to which i offered and got it for 120! Thats 80 dollars or about 70 pound uk. The forks are ok as are the wheels, brakes, tank, electrics, carb and after stripping the bike, the crank, bore and piston is also very good!

2.) same website, 240 fantic. I offered the guy around 400 euros to sell it now which he accepted. Transferred 100 via paypal and dropped by on my next business trip a few days later. (If I had not been in that area on business , I would not have started to negotiate. The bike was really quite good and much better than I expected for spares or repair! Frame, forks, airbox and engine all very usable, although the clutch slips!

My moral....at least it works here,, make the seller an offer to stop the auction and sell it for "around XXX" with a buy it now. Offer to transfer a small deposite via paypal to cover his costs and then go and haggle.

Need any parts anyone?

lee

Edited July 8, 200620 yr by Lee Harris

Sounds as if you have got a good couple of deals there.

A word of caution though... remember that if you bid on an item, including 'but it now,' you are entering into a legally binding contract with the seller.

The only way that you are justified in changing that contract is if the item is 'significantly not as described.'

Just turning up and offering a lower price automatically is not on.

Yeah, I agree with that one....and I paid the 400 euros on the 240. I think the hacksaw cut frame on the 200, which wasnt in the ebay text, woz enuff to justify walkin

Where are you at in Germany Lee?

Gosh, we liked you till you said you were a lawyer!

well that good cos its not true...i just tell them I am if the ebay deal threatens to look bad and its worked wonders so far! I

"My moral....at least it works here,, make the seller an offer to stop the auction and sell it for "around XXX" with a buy it now. Offer to transfer a small deposite via paypal to cover his costs and then go and haggle"

Got to say a deal is a deal at least where I come from.

If you agree a price you should stick to it.

Remember a seller is always positive about his product, you should factor in an allowance for exageration before you bid not after.

As a seller I would not hesitate to say that is the agreed price take it or leave it ........even from a "lawyer"

My wifes family live's near Bad Windsheim, should be east of you a touch is why I asked. We spend a fair amount of time there.... Well, at least my kids do

My brother in law rides trials as well over there, little place near Ansbach. Not sure if it was Grosshuebach or Grosshabersdorf.... Do you ride much?

Hi Alan,

Grossheubach is the german trials Mecca, its about 50 miles east of me. Grosshabersdorf is also nice, but thats about 180 miles east! Let me know if your over, I can lend bikes if yer up for a Fantic!!!

PS. I used the lawyer bit on a Ford tansit, which broke down on the test drive. Normal dont expect that! I dont think its fair to haggle either. If I get whats writen, i

Edited August 1, 200620 yr by Lee Harris

Will do, actually you and my Brother in Law have swapped e-mails when he was looking for a trailer. You had recently sold yours.

small world really....

He rides in Grosshabersdorf.

Do you mean Kilometers instead of miles?

no, i did the miles bit for you, its about 300km from me, but I have ridden a few trials there.

lee