A Porsche 911 GT3 that recently sold on eBay Motors
I recently had the chance to interview Dan Tsuchiya, Sr. Business Development Manager at eBay Motors. Dan is a big Porsche enthusiast, and I love eBay Motors with it’s endless possibility of great deals to be had, so I was excited to get his take on a few things.
What’s the best deal you’ve seen on eBay Motors from a buyers perspective?
A non running 996 (with clean title) for $5k in California. I only noticed and bid on it because I was looking for something like this since I had a spare drive-train to use. The thing is, there are deals like this going on with all makes and models on eBay Motors so you just have to look. We don’t yet have an alert system that spots a “deal” within the $50k plus listings (but that would be nice).
What’s the most outrageous car you’ve seen up for sale on eBay Motors?
Usually the movie or TV show cars are the best, not the most outrageous, but fun to read about. (Batmobile, replica Barricade from Transformers, etc.)
How about the most outrageous Porsche?
917 race cars, always cool.
What’s your personal opinion about the celebrity owned Porsches that have popped up on eBay Motors the last few months? Think they’re worth the premium people have paid for them?
There are a lot of celebrity fans out there that also like nice cars. It’s a great conversation piece and can bring in higher value as long as there are others who share the same passion. The beauty of eBay Motors is the auction process proves this out. If you go into it for the love of the celebrity instead of the investment…you’ve got the right mindset.
Where do you see the best deals on Porsches being online? Cars, Parts, Etc.?
Of course I’m biased, but you can find a lot of deals on eBay Motors. You can also find pretty good deals on forums, but these are sometimes difficult to navigate and are usually limited to local buying. For parts, forums do very well, like Pelican Parts, PCA’s site, and Rennlist. Given our vast selection, though, eBay Motors is probably where you’ll end up finding what you’re looking for, given both cars and parts are transacted on the site, and you have access to local, national and international inventory.
What are the top 3 tips you’d give buyers for purchasing cars on eBay Motors?
1. Reach out to the seller, get to know them and the car.
2. Get an inspection.
3. Don’t be afraid of dealers, especially for cars which were built within the past 10 years….our dealers back them.
What do you think about the horror stories buyers on eBay Motors have circulated over the years?
We have protections in place that make eBay Motors the safest place to buy and sell anything automotive online – things like seller feedback, vehicle inspections, free VHRs and Vehicle Purchase Protection. We always advise buyers to do their due diligence in terms of getting to know the seller, only communicating through the eBay platform, and taking advantage of vehicle inspections to ensure a smooth process. eBay Motors is a marketplace where literally millions of people transact on a monthly basis. With this volume, you do have the occasional issue, but it’s truly a very small percentage of overall transactions on the site.
In the Porsche category, for instance, what’s your take on the quality and representation of the sellers on eBay Motors? More legit than not or vice versa?
Within Porsche cars and parts, generally speaking the sellers and buyers are pretty knowledgeable about the products and are pretty aware of the online tools and communities out there. Because of this, the group as a whole is very legitimate and sell with high standards. Since we have a feedback system, try and navigate towards those sellers with a strong history of selling on eBay and if they are new, reach out to them.
Where do you see eBay Motors going in the next 3 to 5 years?
The world is heading online due to convenience, we will see more users coming to eBay Motors because we are the largest site that has both vehicles and parts in one location and are transaction-based instead of lead-based. Parts and accessories will continue to be a big focus for us – cars on the road are almost as old as they’ve ever been, and we see quite a few folks coming to our site for repair, replacement and performance parts. We’ll also continue to improve the buyer and seller experience. We’re making the site more personalized overall for a tailored experience based on past history and the current vehicles you own, making it easier to quickly find exactly you’re looking for, which helps both buyers and sellers. Mobile will also be a big part of what we do going forward. In 2010, eBay generated nearly $2 billion in global mobile sales, which is nearly triple its mobile sales in 2009. Look for an eBay Motors mobile app coming soon, that basically puts eBay Motors in your pocket, allowing enthusiasts to browse, bid and buy from just about anywhere.
If you were going to shop for a Porsche on eBay, what would you be looking for?
1. History on the car, even if it’s a dealer, knowing where it came from and condition.
2. Inspection (third party).
3. Total costs including shipping.
What do you think about the other exotic car categories on eBay Motors?
Fantastic, whether you are looking for a Gallardo, 599, 250 Lusso, GT2, or Quattroporte…..you’ll find it on eBay Motors.
Thanks Dan for taking the time to answer questions. Check out eBay Motors here: eBay Motors. I check it nearly every day and love seeing the cars up for sale and find it a good gauge for prices overall.
Ryan, I shopped ebay nationwide for 2 years before buying my 911. I found it on ebay, 3 miles from my house, owned by a friend from church, who I did not know owned a 911!
@Brad – That’s crazy! What are the chances you’d find a car so close to home from someone you actually knew.