Advice Whats the best way to buy to prevent getting ripped off
Advice Whats the best way to buy from members to prevent getting scammed ?
Also I noticed some members do not have a post count under their name it just says member and does not indicate how many posts they have. Is there ay significance to this?
best way to buy is always local, obviously. Barring that, COD works well and if seller insists on certified form of payment then both parties are protected. Aside from that, what I did once was have a member on another forum post an item for sale on ebay and I bought it off ebay with Paypal so I could get the payment protection guarantee.
Buying from well established members who actively post in non-classifieds is always a good idea. It seems people on this board are a lot more trusting that I am though so some will say I'm overly cautious. Small dollar items, like less than $200 I'll just paypal and keep my fingers crossed, but higher dollar items I'll try and be smart about it. Good luck with whatever you're trying to buy!
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2003 M5 Le Mans Blue
Quote:
Originally Posted by Greco
...There seems to be less logic and more hot air in this white paper, maybe to sell more of his products...
Avoid Cashier cheques and money orders. Avoid people who are out of country (IE third world country kinda deal). Paypal Via credit card would probably be your best bet, if you have an issue deal directly with the CC company.
Its always better to deal with members who actively post on the board to, as they are likely less inclined to rip you off. Although im sure it happens, before i deal with someone one of the first thigns i do is type their name into the search and see what kinda threads/posts they are making. If the guys trying to sell you a supercharger kit and he has no prior posts regarding anything to do with it, i would be a little hesitant.
Use common sense, this place is pretty good in terms of the members here. Most of us seem to be grown up mature adults who truely love the M cars!
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2000 Alpine White M5
Performance: Custom CAI, Tubi Exhaust, Open Brake Ducts, UUC Evo3 + DSSR
Exterior: Euro Mirrors, Black kidney grilles, MY01+ Updated, Mtec 3W AE, Altec retractable license plate
Interior: 16:9 Nav, MK3 Navigation, MY01+ dash, Silverstone Leather
Wheels: Volk CE28N Time attacks 19x10.5 275/30/19, 19x8.5 245/35/19 Pilot Sport PS2
Its always better to deal with members who actively post on the board to, as they are likely less inclined to rip you off. quote]
I don't mean to hijack the thread but I think it is unfortunate that many "members" seem to take the view quoted above. I am one of those unfortunate few that has not yet earned the privledge of being able to PM other members, even though I have followed this board on a very regular basis for almost a full year and have absolutley no intentions of ripping anyone off. My goal is to find an M5 that has been well cared for and purchase it. Until that happens, I do not feel that I have much to contribute to this forum. Sure I can pay compliments ad nauseum but actively posting in an effort to secure my "status" without even owning an M5 seems a bit odd. I am all for being cautious and smart about who you deal with, but there are other approaches and ways to protect oneself without disregarding someones inquiries due to the fact they haven't made countless useless posts. Other forums I have belonged to allow posts and PM's by new users, then it is up to the buyer or seller to take ones status as a new user into consideration when making a decision.
Sorry for the intrusion, I'll get off my soapbox now. (happier knowing I am yet one post closer to being able to participate fully)
If buying out of state or town, there is one absolute. Have the vehicle taken to the nearest BMW (not any other) dealership, and insist the vehicle is inspected before purchase. It is well worth the money and will provide you with a complete vehicle history, as well as any current issues that may need to be addressed.
as for PMs they're no big deal, you can ask all the general questions on the board itself and usually they'll give out emails in their ads. also i think while you have to have 100POSTS to PM you can still leave messages on their homepages here on the forum - just click on their name and it'll give you the option to visit their PUBLIC PROFILE
the members that don't have post counts are usually at different stages of their count (after 31 POSTS you won't have a post count either and it'll jus say MEMBER) but you can view their exact count on their PUBLIC PROFILE at the top right corner
...a lot of people do come on here just to sell their cars and the view on that is kinda 50-50 because while we get people who are trying to dump an abused car others like BIGGAR & HOCKEYTYME put up some really great cars
and as for posting - as long as it's an educated opinion or view you don't have to own an M5 to post it
"A year. That's a long time. I didn't realize it could take that long to pm. It would be nice of we could atleasr email other members with questions."
I didn't mean to imply that it takes a year, it actually takes a required number of posts. I have been trying to find the right M5 for almost a year by utilizing this and other boards. There have been a number of occassions where I have not received a response from a seller, I do not know for certain why this would be, but I think it is reasonable to assume it is because they have been told (too often IMO) not to deal with new members, or just to deal with members with lots of posts. Too bad for everyone involved! Again...be cautious, but not so much so you miss out on a transaction.
Its always better to deal with members who actively post on the board to, as they are likely less inclined to rip you off. quote]
I don't mean to hijack the thread but I think it is unfortunate that many "members" seem to take the view quoted above. I am one of those unfortunate few that has not yet earned the privledge of being able to PM other members, even though I have followed this board on a very regular basis for almost a full year and have absolutley no intentions of ripping anyone off. My goal is to find an M5 that has been well cared for and purchase it. Until that happens, I do not feel that I have much to contribute to this forum. Sure I can pay compliments ad nauseum but actively posting in an effort to secure my "status" without even owning an M5 seems a bit odd. I am all for being cautious and smart about who you deal with, but there are other approaches and ways to protect oneself without disregarding someones inquiries due to the fact they haven't made countless useless posts. Other forums I have belonged to allow posts and PM's by new users, then it is up to the buyer or seller to take ones status as a new user into consideration when making a decision.
Sorry for the intrusion, I'll get off my soapbox now. (happier knowing I am yet one post closer to being able to participate fully)
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