Jimster480

I am tired of seeing threads about ebay stuff breaking. Or people who buy things on ebay complaining about fitment. Or people bashing other people who buy things on ebay. So here is a guide on how to shop on ebay. Feel free to add onto it if you have anything useful to add. Deep-pocketed ebay haters say out

I wasn't sure where to put this so I put it here. As I'm sure it will get a good amount of exposure for the people who need it. Move it if necessary. Maybe a sticky for this would be good, idk though as thats up to the Mods.

Usually when you go to search for things on ebay look at a set of products from a wide range of sellers. Find out as much as you can about the products. Meaning if 100 people are selling the EXACT SAME item for a bunch of different prices, chances are its not good. Also when it comes down to prices, usually the cheapest price is the lowest quality, the middle price is the best product and the highest is just overpriced.
Look for sellers who offer alot of information about the product. if you find a product that you like then you can always ask the seller a question about the item. Like on a turbo; does this turbo have a balanced shaft? If so what method was used to balance it. Or what material are the seals made out of for this item, etc.

There are items from ebay which are known to be good, such as ebay intercoolers from CX Racing. Its a "JDM Sport" IC with charge piping. Cit costs about $200 shipped and its very good quality. You can even get it so that it is bolt on for your car.
Manifolds are a different story, the only ones you really want to buy are the Log style Iron ones. I made sure I found one that said it was AC and PS compatible.

Look for products and sellers who offer warranties and returns. This way if something goes wrong you can send it back. Look at the pictures, sometimes from the pictures you can tell if it is a quality product or if it is even what you want. As some sellers make claims about their products that arent true. Try to avoid people who claim something with "some modification required". Many of them will say this but usually you can tell by the pictures if it is really going to need to be modified (especially for pipes and ****).

Look at the brands on the products being sold (if in picture) or ask the seller about the origin of the product. Like for example; there is this seller on ebay who sells HID's for $60. It says Xentec on the box. These kits have passed Denso Japan spec (as claimed by the mfg). Me and my friends are all running these HID's now and they have no problems whatsoever. One of my friends has had them for about 3 years and no problems. Seller is autoluminate just incase your interested.

Look for sellers with high feedback ratings and check some of their feedbacks. Just because they have a high rating doesn't mean that their products are good. Their feedbacks will reveal whats up with the seller. Ex: Seller might have alot of problems with their products but they are good about making good with the buyers (exchanging etc). Would be better to avoid sellers who have these problems (although it depends on the item). Its best to look at some feedbacks about the product you are looking at. Once you buy a few times you get to know what sellers are good and then you can assume that just about anything they sell will be on the same quality level.

China makes many products, some are good and some are bad. Many ebay sellers might sell the same product under different brands or different names. Because China has a tendency to do that, they will brand a product for you for next to nothing. Sometimes you can even find products on ebay from big brand MFG Factories such as my exhaust which is MFG by Greddy (supposedly). Although it doesnt say Greddy it performs and sounds identical to the real thing. But was bought at a fraction of the cost. Since many big brands export to china for MFG sometimes you can pickup their products direct from MFG and not from the brand. Do research on products which look identical to big name ones.

Some other info;
Ebay downpipes are known to be ****. Fitment is very important for a downpipe and you don't wanna **** around with ebay for this. Unless you dont care about AC or PS. I wanted to keep both so I took my car to Miami Muffler and had a downpipe made for me so I could keep AC and PS.
Ebay piping, Intercoolers, hoses are good. The Oil feed/Return lines and fitments from ebay can be trusted. Sometimes they are almost as expensive as buying them in a store but this is because many of them are made by the same MFG that is sold in the store (although obviously stores have markups, especially performance stores which tend to have larger markups).
Ebay Turbos are decent if shopped properly. Make sure to get one with a Balanced Shaft (usually computer balanced on ebay). As many Ebay Turbo's aren't balanced at all. Mine is wonderfully balanced and will spin for about 2 minutes after turning the car off. Don't take all ebay info seriously though. Just because they tell you that the Turbo can do 27PSI doesnt mean you should take it that high. You will destroy it pretty quickly. I'm on 13.5 and mine is fine. I will probably be going to 16 later but might just get a better turbo and go to 20 (because I don't want to push my ebay one).
Ebay Covers, Lights etc are usually pretty good. Although the cheap-expensive rule applies here. As the cheapest one usually will discolor or break easily.
All other ebay things; read the above. If you apply those rules and do your research you can get quality products at prices unheard of in stores.

Feel free to ask me questions regarding certain items or types of items. I have bought just about every type of item on ebay. From Clothing/Jewelry (Presents)/Car Parts/Electronics/Computer Equipment/Computers/Servers/Laptops/Mobile Devices/Cell Phones/etc

Happy Shopping! Please keep flaming to a minimum, thanks!

Matt93eg

Jimster..great article man. Thanks for taking the time to do that. I was one of those "Ebay Haters" but with all your given info here I think I will start using your tactics and give it a shot.

Much Appreciated!

I put this thread in my favorites for a quick look back refrence.

Ruben19

nice info... .
i always buy my parts on ebay & never had a problem.

Bwill9886

Great article. Ebay can be your BEST friend, or it can be your worst enemy. Its all about knowing what to look for.

Only thing I had a problem with was an HID kit where the seller had lied about what the product included. Great customer service (a tad slow, but easy to work with) and got everything exchanged, but the damage was done. They even had a really good rating, (going to Jimster480's point about checking out the other items they sell and other reviews).

Everything else has gone smooth as can be.

Oh and thanks for mentioning who you used for HIDs (autoluminate). I'll be looking for them next time a friend wants me to put in an HID kit.

97-CTR

meh, ebay can be ok, but for really specific items i stick to sourcing else where, but good article

joelmatt89

great article i love ebay i buy and sell on there alot. I have always had great experiences. It seems like everyone i talk to has bad experiences on ebay, but when it comes down to it it was always their fault. Here is another tip which seems so obvious to most but apparently isn't. If the seller has high feedback it's like that for a reason. But just because you buy from them and get a damaged product or didn't get what you wanted doesn't mean it ends there and you should leave negative feedback. I have recieved so many products that were damaged or not what i ordered and every time i kindly tell the seller my problem and every time they send me a new one or give me my money back. Most the time they have either paid for shipping or let me keep the item, one time i paid for shipping. If the product they gave me was just not what i ordered usually i can end up selling it on ebay and end up getting what i originally ordered for free from the money i make selling the mistake item. Judt remember no seller wants negative feedback and most will do just about anything to avoid it, so if you look for quality items from good sellers you will be satisfied.

CivSteez

ah, +karma for this thread

Jimster480

Thanks for the responses guys. @joelmatt89 I know what you mean. I ordered a CPU a few weeks back and it had some bent pins on it and it was missing a pin in the corner (which I found in the box). I messaged the seller and he told me I could send it back. But I wanted to try to fix it myself with a soldering iron. I couldn't fix it so I messaged him again and he didn't respond. So I opened up a paypal claim (which takes about 3 minutes) and I got a response in like 3 hours and I shipped the CPU back to the seller for a replacement.
This is actually the first time I ever had to open a dispute to get a response. Although it is possible that the guy had alot of messages and didn't get around to mine. Either way its solved now. And I would do business with him in the future if need be

thurmondauto

Any idea, on the CTR headlights?

FearTheH

iTrader: (5)

after hitting a deer, i purchased a set of "Civic Type R Gunmetal" headlights from a seller(streetracinglife) yeah, ghey name, but very good product. The color isnt as dark as the CTR housings but theyre still pretty good quality and the beam pattern is very close to OEM when adjusted properly...just as an added precaution from moisture entering the lens, i did apply a layer of clear silicone along the lens seal. I've had them in for 8 months so far and havent needed to be readjusted and have not leaked at all. These and my silverstar ultras are definitely best friends.

Oh and Jimster thanks for this thread, hopefully this will show some people how to properly buy on ebay instead of buying the first thing they see and saying that everything on ebay is garbage!

Hanmin

Look for repainted oem ones if you want the cheap ones. Just do your research instead of buying it asap. Always be skeptical and you should be good=].

Adam_b16a

Great write up! I was looking for a good seller for those HID kits.

mattliston

great article!!

Ive bought several things on ebay, and have only had 4 or 5 trouble sellers/items. all turned out to be either false advertising, misprint in description, or a seller that was a friggin dirtball **** that needed a good beat down.


good shopping is the key to success. example, header shopping. most people dont realize it, but there are generic headers of various prices out thter. teh same exact seller and header could be 80 shipped on one auction, and the next selling for 160. markup, different auctions, playing with the peeps who think price is a direct partner to quality (not true EVER)


wanna know the best buys? ebay strut bar, tack weld the nut in palce. the bars themselves are fairly stiff

headers. look at the flanges, barely around the tubes, cracked within a year. look for more flange material around the primaries

intakes==you pay AEM for a friggin name. buy an ebay intake, match it with ANY brand name filter, 100 bucks overall for the same quality and performance as the brandname\'s full intake setup

exhausts, all the cheap ebay ones are perfect replicas to many brandnames. My N1 style sounded EXACTLY like my buddy's apexi. ONLY difference was slightly better sound over ebay, and teh ebay gaskets went to **** super fast

trustdestruction

Feedback means absolutely nothing when gauging the product's quality. Many people leave feedback as soon as they get the item or right after installing it. It could have broken in weeks but you as a reader of the feedback will never know that.

Another thing i'd like to add is that while many of the things on eBay are fine, the more expensive name brand versions of those things in most cases are better in one way or another. Such as the intercoolers. Those CXRacing ones work fine but you'll lose less boost pressure with a nicer one. The CXRacing radiators work great, but a nice Mishimoto one will work even better.

For exhausts, the eBay ones are usually fine, but they won't have any protective coating on the piping like an A'pexi does (might be a big deal if you're in the rust belt), and they usually sound like garbage. With exhausts the thing you really are paying for when you buy name brand is the exhaust tone. The more you spend, generally the better it will sound.

For intakes, there's no sense in buying an eBay SRI and sticking an AEM filter on it, because that would cost ~$100 total. You can buy an AEM SRI for ~$105 shipped. I would only do the eBay piping/AEM filter setup if you're buying a CAI.

To add to your HID comments, most HIDs on eBay nowadays offer warranties and are for the most part good quality. However, nothing beats a retrofit. Or for cheaper you could just buy some nice name-brand halogens with a ~4500-5000k color temperature and have great visibility. Keep in mind that I once had HIDs but switched back to halogens for the simplicity and i'm using Nokya Cosmic White bulbs which I have found to work great.

For headlights and taillights (and foglights), no-name eBay products are usually decent. Just seal them up with silicone to prevent them from fogging up inside. I spent a good hour thoroughly sealing mine, I recommend meticulously doing this. The time before last, when I sealed some headlights I did it quickly and they still fogged up on the inside, making it all a complete waste of time. eBay projectors are typically pretty fragile though... I had some break on me (internally) while adjusting the beam...

For eBay charge piping, only get it if it's bead rolled. Also, eBay generic couplers tend to suck.

P.S. the generic eBay header flanges are billet, not cast like a name brand header will have. Generally the welds have increased in quality on eBay headers. I've seen one in person with flawless welding on it. However, the efficiency of the tubes' bend design compared to that of a slightly more expensive name-brand header is yet to be known.



Lastly, i'd like to add that, to show that I am not biased, I love eBay. In the past year i've made 55 purchases on eBay and most of the transactions have been great. For the most part though, I only buy name brand parts. The things I have bought that are generic are only parts that are foolproof, meaning that the manufacturer would have to be a complete idiot for the part to not last an adequate amount of time. For example, my strut bars. (Yes, I know the hinged brackets suck, but the point of this comment is durability, not effectivity.)



Watch out for shady looking sellers. I bought a genuine iPod cable a month or two ago and the seller said he was in the USA on his listing and even promoted this fact in his description. The only reason I bought from him is that he was a "USA seller", because I could have paid less and bought from someone in Hong Kong. However, I wanted the cord ASAP so I could sync my new songs to my iPod. I waited 2 weeks and didn't get the item. I messaged him, he said it was returned to him (I WASN'T EVEN NOTIFIED) and that he'd send it out again. I waited 2 more weeks and still didn't get it. He said it must have been lost in the mail. I contacted him a 3rd time and he sent it again. I gave him 5 days before filing a claim (5 days is the maximum first class mail time for in-US shipments) and didn't get it. Then 2-4 days after filing the claim and getting a refund, I got it in the mail. Guess where it was from... Hong Kong.
The seller is "newlaunch", by the way. Avoid this seller.

MHDesigns

Sticky

Jimster480

Suprised to see so many responses
@ trustdestruction I dont lose boost Pressure with my CXRacing "JDM Sport" Intercooler.
Although the shitty vacuum lines that you get on ebay tend to leak easily. But mine were the ones that came in the kit. My friend ordered some blue ones on ebay (idk the seller) and his are fine.
Also if you get a short ram like the one I have Mr.Gasket Co is the MFG for AEM so its basically the same thing. Although you could just get a really cheap one for like $20 shipped and then get a K&N Filter for $50.

Ebay products wont make as much power as their name brand counter parts. But for the price they make more power per dollar than the name brand ones.

Feedback can mean something about quality especially with car parts, because some people leave feedback after they install it. So if they were raged at the install process then there is a good chance they are going to put it in their feedback. Although trustdestruction is right. Its not a guarantee of quality, but it will help you get a feel for how the seller is when it comes to shipping and return policies.

FearTheH

iTrader: (5)

like i said before, when you buy name brand, that is exactly what youre paying for...the name. I've picked up several intakes off of ebay minus the 3" i have now which is too big, ive never had any problem with ebay intakes but as stated before the filters are crap. If you paid 300 bucks for an Injen intake, youre a F*cking idiot. You just paid 10x as much as i did for the same tubing bends and the same filter location, how can you argue that? Apparently the name is what makes the power right? name brand stuff is all good and well but pretty much shows you have more money than brains...dont get me wrong im in no way talking about engine internals and things of that nature. But as for things such as intakes, *SOME* headers, and as far as a catback, i dont have any personal experience with catbacks seeing as im pretty hooked on my magnaflow. Again, eBay gets a bad rep because people dont know what theyre looking at and just buy the first product they see and it turns out to be complete **** so they assume all of ebay is like that...remember assume= *** out of U and ME.

Matt93eg

X2!!

-Gambit-

where can i get the cliffnotes version of this thread

green99civic

Great Thread ill keep that in mind for my build.

sp00ledbseries

Ebay coil overs and springs- I have seen decent ones. I have a set on my hatch right now I have had them on for two days. They are WAY to bouncy in the back. But the front rides decently. My buddy has a set on his hatch and they ride great.
Ebay headers. I bought one for my D series worked decent never cracked or anything.
Ebay intake. Same thing as a intake at autozone but you are paying less than half.
Ebay exhaust. The stainless ones have a decent sound and fitment. The gaskets wear quick though from what I have seen.
Ebay "short throw" JUNK every one i have seen has broke
Ebay tail lights and headlights. Seal them up with silocone.

PS sticky this thread

ALLxMOTOR EG

Cool

Jimster480

I actually forgot to mention the other stuff I bought on ebay. I picked up a set of Tien Springs on Ebay. Used for a month for $70. The normal price is $180. So after shipping I saved $100. I also got a kit off of someone locally who bought it on ebay, YCP 75mm Vitara's, NPR Hastings, All the D series Motor Seals (Rear Main, Cam Gear, Etc), Metal Headgasket for $160. Although he said he paid $220 for it on ebay. The seals were all good, the HG was pretty crap. Although its not fair to blame that on ebay because my friends who were helping me to it put my motor together pulled it off like 5 times because they kept ****ing up the torque. Finally me and my dad decided to mount the head and we did it in the first time. Needless to say the HG leaked and had to be replaced in like 2 weeks lol.

I also got a set of SCAT 4030 Forged Steel H-Beam Rods with ARP RodBolts for $215 Shipped. (D-Series) No problem with those either.

For those of you who like name brands, you can shop ebay for those things too and save on them compared to other dealers (usually).

trustdestruction

eBay generic coilovers and springs have sagging problems. They don't last long. Also, the coatings on some of them come off easily and the springs rust. Lastly, most of them are uncomfortable due to bad spring rates.

generic eBay intake filters make their intakes more restrictive than the stock intake. If you ever buy an eBay intake it's highly advised that you buy a quality filter to go with it.

Definitely. A couple years ago I bought H&R Sport Springs for $180 shipped, and a full set of KYB AGX shocks for $330 shipped. Bought my A'pexi WS2 for $435 shipped; there's only one site on the web cheaper than that but I didn't know of it at the time.

It's also great for finding rare OEM parts or rare parts from overseas.

Jimster480

so sticky mayb? mods?