Bought a boat on Ebay. How do I pay?

[homer2911]

I don't think anyone has mentioned credit card payments. Even if only part of a purchase price is paid using one, the whole of the price paid is covered if things go pear - shaped - or doesn't this apply to boats? My PayPal account is linked to a credit card

[Alan de Enfield]

I don't think anyone has mentioned credit card payments. Even if only part of a purchase price is paid using one, the whole of the price paid is covered if things go pear - shaped - or doesn't this apply to boats? My PayPal account is linked to a credit card

 

I wonder how many private sellers on ebay have the facility to take either credit or debit cards.

Not many I'd suggest.

 

"Cash is king"

[series3]

Nice to see you again Dean. I assume the payment went through ok. Hope you made it back. Oh...nice smoke trail....

[Captain Pegg]

 

"Cash is king"

It's abdicated. Cash is for old timers. The modern world is electronic.

 

I don't want to touch large sums of cash and for money laundering protection I believe it isn't well received either.

 

I bought Vulpes with a debit card deposit and two online transactions between accounts (CHAPS ??). I knew the boat was real. I stood in it and didn't sink to the bottom.

 

The first large payment caught the attention of my bank's fraud protection unit. No bad thing but it delayed things at the other end so I also benefitted from a patient broker who understood people and boats (Sammy Rose at Ashwood Marina).

 

I would still hesitate at not buying through a reputable person.

 

JP

[Starcoaster]

Really?

You have bought a boat you haven't seen.

No survey?

How much do you know about boats and boat builders,engines,gas installations,12V electrics,Boat Safety Certificates,mooring requirements,C&RT licence,insurance et al?

Everything I hope. Otherwise,unless this is a joke I expect we'll hear quite a bit from you.

Still I do admire your optimism and pioneering approach and hope all pans out well for you.

 

It worked out ok for me, albeit the seller had a six week old hull survey from a verifiable surveyor to show me...

 

Don't pay via Paypal Dean, if you look at their T&C's, they provide no buyer protection for items like cars and boats.

Earlier this year I had to go to the bank to make a transfer of over 20k, 20k was the cut-off to DIY it without charge. Over 20k there was a £25 fee-But when I explained what it was for and said I'd just do it in two parts (It was only something stupid like £35 over the 20k!) They waived the charge as a courtesy, so they do have the power to do that.

For 10k, you should be able to do it yourself on the spot.

Paying by bank transfer offers you no protection from the bank at all-but from a cynical point of view, I'd rather not rock up somewhere with the other party knowing I was carrying mega-bucks in cash, in case they decided to send a mate to relieve me of it before I got there, or afterwards if I decided not to go ahead.

[Laurence Hogg]

I find it odd no link has been posted to the sale. I have done a completed listings search for 30th August and this came up: http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/36-FOOT-NARROWBOAT-PROJECT-WITH-FULLY-WORKING-BMC-1-5-ENGINE-LIVEABOARD-BARGAIN-/252507081593?hash=item3aca984b79:g:yrwAAOSwdzVXutm7

 

Its the only boat sold on that day in the price range.

[GoodGurl]

I find it odd no link has been posted to the sale. I have done a completed listings search for 30th August and this came up: http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/36-FOOT-NARROWBOAT-PROJECT-WITH-FULLY-WORKING-BMC-1-5-ENGINE-LIVEABOARD-BARGAIN-/252507081593?hash=item3aca984b79:g:yrwAAOSwdzVXutm7

 

Its the only boat sold on that day in the price range.

looks a tidy boat for the money:)

[Theo]

I find it odd no link has been posted to the sale. I have done a completed listings search for 30th August and this came up: http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/36-FOOT-NARROWBOAT-PROJECT-WITH-FULLY-WORKING-BMC-1-5-ENGINE-LIVEABOARD-BARGAIN-/252507081593?hash=item3aca984b79:g:yrwAAOSwdzVXutm7

 

Its the only boat sold on that day in the price range.

 

5000W inverter is a bit ott I would think.

 

Nick

[AllanC]

I found that one as well. It does say...no survey, no BSS, so not a sail away upon payment as I understand it. It does seem to have had a lot of work done to it and doesn't seem a bad price.

[sharpness]

Presumably the seller would not object to you taking a mugshot of him with your phone, just in case of course.

 

Steve

[Bewildered]

They seem to have stopped doing it now, but a few years ago bank tellers would ask what the money was for if you went in to draw largish sums of cash out.

They never did like my standard answer of "drugs and prostitutes".

I know this questioning was to do with money laundering rules but I was taking cash out, not trying to put large sums in. And what the hell has it got to do with them what I spend my money on?

[series3]

Wasn't red...looked like it was in primer.

[Bewildered]

5000W inverter is a bit ott I would think.

 

Nick

It says posts to the United Kingdom and the United States, how much would it cost and how many stamps would you need?

[MtB]

They seem to have stopped doing it now, but a few years ago bank tellers would ask what the money was for if you went in to draw largish sums of cash out.

They never did like my standard answer of "drugs and prostitutes".

I know this questioning was to do with money laundering rules but I was taking cash out, not trying to put large sums in. And what the hell has it got to do with them what I spend my money on?

 

 

Reminds me of George Best's comment when asked by a journalist what he'd done with all his money. "I spent 90% of it on fast women, fast cars and alcohol. The rest, I wasted."

[Tony Brooks]

I don't think anyone has mentioned credit card payments. Even if only part of a purchase price is paid using one, the whole of the price paid is covered if things go pear - shaped - or doesn't this apply to boats? My PayPal account is linked to a credit card

 

Be very careful about this. Banks have refused refunds when the payment is to a third party like Paypal, Amazon etc. I doubt the boat.s vendor is set up to take credit cards.

[DeanS]

I'm happy.
Paid with bank transfer after first doing a £20 test (which he refunded me in diesel)
Spent most of the day with seller.
Had also spoken with father seperately.
Photographed seller.
Photographed father and car reg.
Seller knew the boat inside and out, down to the smallest detail. (him and father had refitted it to a certain standard).
A lot of extras.
No issues with the engine besides smoking, but I'm not intending much cruising with it. Fun to cruise a short boat though compared to a widebeam. Loved it.

Boat not perfect, but in the clear Bridgewater canal waters, the hull condition was clear to visually inspect. I've seen a lot worse still floating. If it needs some hull work in future, I'm ok with it. My choices were limited and this boat saves me a lot of fitting work I didn't really have time for...ceilings and most walls done.All steel. (most in that price range have been wooden boats)

My first boat I bought, was the first boat I ever looked at....also no survey...was lucky...the back story of this boat is that it was built by a private engineer...who then passed away...his family pulled it out the water...eventually a charity asked if they could sell it to get funds for the charity, and the new owner purchased it....stripped it, did it up, and then decided to move on...

Whether or not it was a mistake or not, is too late...I made the decision and went for it. So far, it's still floating, and I'm quite happy

Thanks for everyones comments.

 

ps...a lot of boaters in that area seemed to know him...as well as the CRT enforcement officer, who didn't believe I was actually going to be moving the boat that same day....took a lot of convincing, as he'd seen it on that stretch before:)

Edited September 1, 2016 by DeanS

[Jrtm]

I find it odd no link has been posted to the sale. I have done a completed listings search for 30th August and this came up: http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/36-FOOT-NARROWBOAT-PROJECT-WITH-FULLY-WORKING-BMC-1-5-ENGINE-LIVEABOARD-BARGAIN-/252507081593?hash=item3aca984b79:g:yrwAAOSwdzVXutm7

 

Its the only boat sold on that day in the price range.

Feeling curious were we???

[Laurence Hogg]

Feeling curious were we???

 

As a reasonably seasoned ebay seller with over 30000 sales I thought the boat I found (if it is the one purchased) was well described and had all the detail you needed including a direct phone number. It seems odd that no arrangement had been made to get a deposit (usually via paypal) and pay the balance by agreed arrangement. I have sold cars and similar expensive items on ebay and invariably the bidders get in touch to see if they win how we would complete.

[Greylady2]

Any odd out of character behavour when moving money into or out of a bank account raises an alarm.

 

Dean i would never pay anyone that sort of money unless they were stood in front of me.

 

All the best with your new boat. :-)

Edited September 1, 2016 by Greylady2

[patty-ann]

Hope all goes well with your purchase Dean. If it felt right guess you were OK to go with your instincts. Not everyone out to cheat folks..trouble is we all get so jaded by seeing people ripped off we just don't trust anymore.

Its good when everything goes well.

[DeanS]

I'd never pay in advance without seeing what you're buying or who you're buying from.

I won the bid, sent a text message to the seller...

phoned him in the morning.

caught a 1hr bus to the boat.

spent most of the day on the boat with him

Paid £20.

Checked he received it.

Went with his dad to fetch 4 solar panels from his home.

Paid the rest.

Cruised off with the boat.

 

I had to ask another boater who was an ebay pro how to bid. He taught me the secret to winning a bid. It worked...but it was very nerve wracking.

[Dave Payne]

So you now have a fat boat and a slim boat?

[Ace 01]

So you now have a fat boat and a slim boat?

.

 

And a slimmer wallet. LOL

 

Cheers

 

David

[DeanS]

yes. And Ebay is sending us snotty emails saying we haven't paid for the item yet.

[Dave Payne]

Just ignore the eBay mails, or you can mark the item as payment sent....