Hello all!

I time to time go by the adds at ebay.com - of course searching under "volvo 122"'s and from time to time it strikes me, that some of the parts for sale there, are NOT original, out of reality regarding price and so on..

I was just wandering then, Do many of you buy parts at ebay?

Of course, I can imagine that some of you have done a "found" there, but for the "normal" daily restoring/driving/serviceing - is ebay for you a place for parts you have to live with?
(I am located in Denmark, for you americans, only some 300 km from Gothenborg, Volvoland and I am at the moment building up, what I would like it to be, the best webshop for the classic Volvos - yep! -for the quick ones, thereof my username!)

Could you give me feedback on how you would respond to be able to buy A LOT of the "good" items, directly online, paying by creditcard?

The webshop will in time, be a "univers" for the classic Volvo-lovers, parts, info, tech and forums and all that. I hope you will welcome me, and please don't hesitate to give me pos/neg respond!!


I'm 32, never driven anything else, enthusiast and original-freak to the bone, today the "fleet" is:

'56 PV 444 KS
'62 122S, 4 door
'64 121, 2 door
'64 221, st.wagon
'67 221, st.wagon
'67 1800S
'69 221, st.wagon
'71 145 Express
'76 245 van

Best regards!
Soren, a.k.a GammelVolvo (danish for "Old Volvo")

I am intrigued by the NEW Bilstein shocks that were on German Ebay (finished yesterday). A set of 2 (front) for Amazons went for about 56 euros, which is a substantial saving on the £120-130 pounds that I would probably pay here. They looked kosher, so was there a catch?

I search ebay for bits regularly, but don't do much buying of Volvo junk, as I have a pretty good source locally... mostly in my back yard.

That said though, you bet... if I'm needing something rare, ebay is the first place I look. For about anything from Volvo and Jaguar parts, stereo stuff, books... It seems for new parts, there is a good assortment on ebay, but one can usually find similar items on other websites for a similar price that have a phone number to place an order.

Of course, there is a gamble... but that is much better than it used to be I think.

From your (very nice) listed colllection of cars, I'm assuming you are not in the US...?
--
-Matt '70 145s, '65 1800s, '66 122s wagon, others inc. '53 XK120 FHC

Hi Matt,

Yep, I'm danish -not as the pastry - but the little Kingdom next to Sweden. ;-)

What I'm working on at the moment, is a website full of information regarding original parts and so for the classic Volvo's (PV's, 122S's, P1800's and the 140/160 -series) - I've also wondered a bit, since it seems that a lot of you (you = americans) -seem to not be that much into "true originality" ? To me it seems that you often change bits and parts into newer fabrics - bushings, bearings and the like. Is that because the warm weather over there is too hard on rubber-bushings for instance?

Here in Scandinavia true originality is very much the "thing" - NOS parts, re-ewing old parts is more "accepted" here, than "upgrading" to newer technology!

Well, anyway, your own "fleet" seems quite allright!!

/Soren

Having a little trouble with your syntax but it seems you are setting up a website to sell bits? Will we visit and buy from you? Credit card?

As posted below, Pay-Pal (for all its faults) is exceptional at getting payments where they need to be for a fair fee (and buyers love it).

As a veteran e-bay buyer and seller the key is to know your market. If you are a neophyte and expecting to make a "haul" you will get burned 80% of the time. If you know the suppliers and understand the market (and charge a fair ship and handle) and are up front and quick to repond to queries... you will do quite well.

I have been burned only once on e-bay and have several times taken a gamble (by my estimation I "won" all those but it wasn't a killing by any means) so I'm pretty happy with the free market at its electronic-age best. I've sold two cars, bought a plethora of parts (few rubber or suspension bits... for some reason they are too pricey) and generally goggled at the stuff people sell and the prices people will pay!

Mike!

Dear Mike,

Sorry for the syntax - I am danish and I agree, I think I tried to write more into the sentences.. :-)

Yes, correct! I'm building a (hopefully!!) very nice site with parts for the classic Volvo's. New original parts and used good parts. With time, it should also be a "community" -worth visiting for questions regarding originality and more!
I will not sell at Ebay - its an auction-site and for the customer, I think it is important also to have trust and liability to a part-deliver. Ofcourse there can be a nice scoop from time to time on Ebay - but for the true information and so, I find it better not to be "unofficial" - My site is a business, we can't sell untrue items and so.. There's a phone/fax and you can buy directly online safe and from a enthusiast whoes intentions are true to your car and can give you the information you likely need regarding service, originality and so on..
:-)

Hope my syntax as better, I will practise!

Regards,
Soren

Soren,
Judging from the comments made by the others, I must have been lucky the two times I've bought something on eBay. I got a new $250 Bosch B20E fuel pump for $102.50 and a set of new 140 rear mudflaps ($41.80 from ipd) for $24, including shipping. So far, so good. Hope my luck holds.
If you are going to sell Volvo parts on the web; and the more the merrier, say I; you will be getting some orders by e-mail rather than directly to the site. In that case Pay Pal will make life a lot easier for you and your customers. Credit cards work fine for direct-to-the-site orders.
Bob S.

Bob,

Thanx a lot! I'm working on the possibilties to claim the payment, and yes, Pay Pal is a very likely way, regarding the customers outside Denmark. My site will in time be in both english and "scandinavien" - and I have already some experience in shipping parts as far as New Zealand, Australia and so..

And.. I know!.. A lot of orders will be either due email or phone, BUT what the site can do for you (and me!) is helping you placing the right order and also make you feel at "home" ! :-)

Hope to see you there!

Regards,
Soren

I once got excited about seeing vintage volvo items on ebay, but then I realized what a scam most ebay stuff is. Sure once in a while there is a cool 123GT tach or something, but it usually goes for a fair amount.

But a lot of the stuff is some goon striping a volvo and selling every little part or actual volvo part suppliers making a little extra on the side from lazy people that won't do a little research.

For example :
Hand brake ring on ebay:
http://cgi.ebay.com/ebaymotors/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&rd=1&item=2489940110&category=34206
Current Ebay price US $15.37

US $6.48 starting bid

But on their website its listed at http://www.vintageimparts.com/vip2004122.htm
For
US Can
660651 Hand brake lever ring 1/car each $6.14 $8.59

which is less then the starting price.

You can buy this part cheaper from scandcar for 5.81, or from 5.59 from swedish treasures (who I think also has parts on ebay for a higher price).

also in the long run you end up paying more for shipping too.

ebay? Bah.
Direct from Europe, or a us supplier. Better (but buy more then a couple of items or the shipping kills you anyways).
junk yards - the most fun (but not new)

shane

I've bought a few things from ebay. There are several pick and pull yards where I live and the cars are changed out often but some items are hard to find in good condition...ie glove box, wheels.

Some things I have bought:

...a passenger seat that I converted to a drivers seat for $10.00 but his shipping and handleing fee was $40.

...a aux cooling fan for $30. It wouldn't fit. It was from a '92 and my car is a '85

...a intermittent rear wiper relay and switch

...a radiator that was like brand new (aftermarket made in Mex.).

I look in ebay all the time for parts that are in exceptional condition.

Hey Kyle, are you interested in selling that aux cooling fan? I need one for a '92...
--
'88 244GL, '89 244GL, '90 244DL, '91 244, '92 244

i bought items before , i no longer do unless its something extra ordinary.

to my experience, sellers dont "lie" per say, but they do omit many negative aspects of their items - like a newly chromed part that was done in the cheapest way possible and will rust at the first hint of rain.

so unless you ask the right questions - which half the time you dont know what those are and often times the seller doesnt respond or claim not to know or claim they are selling for someone else and have no knowledge etc

- better to buy from someone you can deal with directly, has a reputaion and have access to them if you need to return an item


good luck

sw
122s

Same opinion here - unless it is something you absolutely can't find elsewhere.

Often times the price gets bid up to the point that it's really not a bargain.