Buying form a dealership that is selling a car on e-bay is safe. Always try to buy from a larger dealership before you go to on of those corner lots. Why? Well those corner lots sell what the big boys don't want to because it would have costed them more dollars then it was worth. The guys on the corner lots buy them cheap and patch them up and make them look real puuuuurty.
I ran some cars on Karpower on different Civics.
1998 Civic LX 69k miles Auto
Wholesale Retail
$6975.00 $9620.00
Take this car for example, if a big named dealership took thi in trade he most likely paid between 4500 and 5500 will advertise it for 8995 and when he sells it to you for 7995 he made a tidy profit, not counting what he will make on he back end. If the car was at an auction and is clean the little man will not be able to pay as much as him, which means they get the leftovers.......frame,flood,salvage and general pieces of shit.
You buy off e-bay MAKE SURE you have the car inspected, get the vin# and run a carfax take the vin# to a local dealers service dept. and have them run the history on the car. DO NOT buy from someone who demands cash and wants to meet in a parking lot somewhere.
DON'T buy a salvage title as it's hard to get it insured and you will regret it. If you find a particular car the peaks your interest, drop me a pm and I will help. If you see one at a dealership DEFINITLY drop me a pm with the info as I can call and save you some dollar bills no matter what state you in with a 10 minute phone call to them as I have done for many of my friends and family that don't live near me.
Now you ask why would I help a complete stranger?? Well, this will give you a good laugh but I AM one of the few HONEST car guys still in the business, and I hate seeing people getting FUCKED by some of these scumbags that are in my profession.
Either way bro if you need help even if its asking what you should pay for a certain car feel free to ask.
Good luck and happy motoring. Oh, and I have a SL55 that has been reduced to $139,999.00 still on our lot