We found a jeep on E-Bay and called Beach Bound Auto to enquire about the jeep before bidding. Jay, the owner, talked multiple times to us about the great condition of the jeep. We stressed over the phone that we would have to drive over 10 hours just to pick up the vehicle and that we did not have money to waste on a vehicle with problems.
I am a teacher and single mom, I have a daughter in college and a son in the 10th grade and I needed a vehicle that would be dependable. Jay assured us that this was a great vehicle and that it was definitely in good shape and well worth the drive to purchase. We drove up to Deleware to pick it up and it looked very clean, but had some significant rust on the bottom of the frame and skid plates that was not mentioned in the conversation and in the E-Bay report (see below) it says 0 rust.
Since we did not see any rust in the paint, we thought that this could just be attributed to salt from the highway from a northern driven car and that we would be able to address it inexpensively at home. His son, also named Jay, was there and is a mechanic and owns an auto shop.
We heard a sound when we pushed in the clutch - but both said that this was not something to be worried about. We decided that since they assured us that the engine and mechanical parts of the vehicle were excellent that we would continue with the purchase. However, on the way home the clutch noise kept getting louder and more significant. Whe took it to a mechanic two days after being home and it turned out that the entire transmission was shot and would need to be rebuilt or replaced, estimated at $ 2000.
The mechanic also said that the transmission fluid was brand new and smelled sweet which is how it smells when it's just been changed. The EBAY car description (below) also said that "the transmission shifts smoothly and shifts great". We called Jay back immediately and offered multiple solutions - he said he would call back but didn't. We called him back the next day and he said that he was not going to do anything.
When we offered to even drive the car back if he would reimburse us the cost of the car (I would still be out over $450 for two 20 hour trips) - he said "NO!"with a few emphatic curse words "it's your car now". We then called Ebay who gave us directions to call the local police and file a report who would file a report with the EBAY safety and trust department. We're also working with EBAY to try and suspend or prohibit BEACH BOUND from continuing to sell on EBAY.
EBAY is aware of their misreprentations - and you can read other rip off reports about Beach Bound and bad business conducted or cars purchased from them on EBAY by other dissatisfied customers. The Milsboro police department were very helpful and had heard of the company and other reports of their shady dealings. We had looked at their EBAY rating and it was excellent, 99.4% satisfaction and didn't even thing to dig deeper.
However after coming home with such as loss we started searching the internet and have found multiple reports of BEACH BOUND AUTO being dishonest to customers over the internet. We should have been suspicious when Jay the owner of BEACH BOUND AUTO said that he did very little local business and most of his sales were over the internet.
In fact he said that in Jan. Of 2009 he had sold 22 cars, only 2 locally and the other online. I can't tell you how disappointed I am. I now have a new $7000 loan with at least $ 2000 of work that I have to put into the jeep when I'm simply looking for a nice vehicle to drive that will not need a lot of extra money put into it. I shared my situation with Jay and his company and took him at his word.
I appreciate the efforts of the local police in Milsboro in investigating the issue. But really my only recourse is to adverstise how dishonest they were in hopes that no one else will purchase a vehicle from them and share this experience. YOU can read the wonderful ebay report below that mis-represented the vehicle I bought.
FROM THE EBAY DESCRIPTION ON THE SALE PAGE—
"You are viewing a gorgeous 2001 Jeep Wrangler that is in great condition with a super low buy it now price of only $7,495.00. This like new Jeep has an excellent color combination of a Black exterior with a matching Gray interior. This stunning Convertible looks and runs perfect, when you see this 2001 you will know that it has been taken care of to the full extent and will provide its new owner with many miles of hassle free transportation.
The powerful 4.0L 6cyl engine not only offers plenty of power, but also offers great fuel mileage. The engine runs and sounds 100% perfect with no leaks or power lag. The transmission shifts smoothly and feels great. This Wrangler is riding on 4 matching tires with about 85% tread left. This 2001 Jeep is guaranteed to make its new owners more than happy with their buy. To make you even more confident when bidding on this Wrangler we have changed the oil and checked the fluids, so now this rugged 4x4 is ready to ride and drive anywhere. This beautiful Wrangler looks and runs so good its hard to believe its a 7 year old car with only 117K miles.
As you can see by the pictures this beautiful Convertible shows hardly any wear and will impress its new owners in every aspect. The inside of this sporty Convertible shows very little wear. The carpets have been taken care of and are almost stain free. The seats are in great condition and only show normal wear. The exterior of this Wrangler is showing some normal light chips and super light scratches but overall looks great. There is no rust. This Convertible is clean enough to be on a dealers showroom floor and will make its new owners proud.
You will not be able to find a nicer Jeep Wrangler for the money. Here is your chance to buy that car you've always wanted in great condition that has been serviced and very well taken care of for thousands less. To make this auction even more appealing we have decided to offer it for a 7 DAY NO RESERVE auction and if you cant wait till the end of the auction you can take advantage of BUY IT NOW PRICE OF $7,495.00. Deadbeat bidders will not be tolerated! Good luck to all and happy bidding. Please feel free to contact me via e-mail by clicking here or you can call me at 302-934-1406. Thank you for your interest and I look foward to hearing from you."
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