...instead, I'm becoming an ebay hater!!! [img]i/expressions/face-icon-small-disgusted.gif[/img]

<rant: on>
I was cruising through the Polaris junk on ebay yesterday and stumbled across a 2003 Scrammy that was in 100% condition. It supposedly only had somewhere from 17 to 24 hours on it. Knowing that 99% of the ATV auctions are bogus, rip-off scams, I didn't get real excited at first. I wasn't even positive what I wanted but the Scrammy makes perfect sense because I need another bike since my wife wants to ride and I only have the new 400 Sportsman. I'm 5 minutes from the Pismo Dunes but still need a trail bike so after much thought, the Scrammy makes good sense for my situation. There was 3 hours left on the auction and the seller was in California like me so I sent him an email to determine his legitimousy. I asked several questions about the bike and its title and also discussed payment and pick up of the bike. I gave him my cell phone number to call me so we could talk. I figured I had the upper hand in this situation because I could drive 4 hours south and pay him cash but if for some reason the bike was not as represented, I could turn and walk and risk the negative feedback should he file it. The bike was at $3550 and it stayed there for nearly 3 hours. About 20 minutes before it closed it went up $50 then another $50 to $3650. I figured all hell would break loose right before the closing bell but it hung there then had an obvious proxy bid take it to $3820.

My wife and I unexpectedly stayed home from a ride on the Dunes just because of this auction. She was as excited about getting this as I. I set my limit at $4200 and watched the auction tick down to the final minute. I am on a broadband connection so my refresh is about 1 second and I had a timer going that was synced with the ebay clock....LOL! I know...how scientific of me! Anyway, at 53 seconds left, I submitted my bid for $4200 and hit enter. I was just so confident that we were headed to Orange County tyo pick up a bitchen quad at a great deal. The frikkin' screen pops up "AUCTION CLOSED, NO BIDS ACCEPTED!" After my wife grabbed me by the feet and pulled me from the chalky drywall ceiling that I had just shot through, I proceeded on a "what the f***!" campaign. There was more than 45 seconds left on the clock and it turns out that this jerkoff shut it down early just after some ZERO FEEDBACK bidder bumped it $50 bucks and took it for $3870!!!! Man, I tell you....we must have hit the buttons at the exact same time....more like he hit his 1 nanosecond before I did. I swear I'm still so torqued by this that I have to take a frikkin' Valium!

I emailed the seller right away and asked him what was up with those auction tactics and he said he couldn't sell to me because I had "negative" feedback. That was pure BS because I have 100% POSITIVE feedback. Then he had a different excuse evry time he communicated back with me. I'm starting to think that maybe he was actually a fraud but the jury is still out on that one. I sort of think that if it was a bogus auction he might have panicked because he new I would be face to face with him as opposed to the ol' "Bank Wire it to my account" jive like so many of these frauds do. Sorry for the rant but I feel better now that I have communicated my woes to my fellow ATV'rs. DANG.....I was THAT close to being a Scrammy owner! [img]i/expressions/face-icon-small-frown.gif[/img]

</rant: off>

 

don't give up on the Scrammy!!!
Like you I bought a sp400 and soon found out that my wife was getting it. I saw a scram at the dealer and it sat there brand new for over 6 months and the dealer just wanted to get rid of it so I jumped at it

Now I have a great bike for her andI both!!!

Chris

 

I bought my scram off of Ebay, well, sort of. The There was a "but it now" price of $3750. I went over every detail of it with my parents. I had my loan approved and ready to go. I made numerous phone calls to the owner and asked lots of questions on the machines and the shipping. I was finally ready to hit "but it now". But my dad asked me to go get some gas in my moms van. So I went and got her gas. I came back 10 minutes later and found that someone else had already hit "but it now"!!!!! I WAS PISSED!!!! I sent the seller an email telling him that if the deal fell through, that I was still interested in it. I figured that couldnt hurt. He emailed me back a few days later and told me he had a deadbeat bidder. So, we struck a deal for the $3750 plus shipping and the rest is history

 

I just bought my 2002 500 Scrammy off of eBay with no probblem at all.Emailed the guy a feeew times before tthe auction was over and after I won it I took him $3600 120 miles to Louisville KY which was half way for both of us and we were both happy.There is a shop that sells on there from here in So.IL that ships for a decent price .They have good bikes onthere along with good used parts and will talk to you abouut the machines if you call them on the phone.If you want their name PM me.Dont like to post shop names on here.

 

I bought my '99 scrammy off ebay for 2750.00. I also wanted to see it before paying. I drove three hours to Akron, OH from Dayton. Awesome deal. Everything was exactly as described. I love it. Yeah Ebay. I also bought a '96 Suburban off ebay for 6500.00. It was in Chicago. A five hour drive. Again another awesome deal. Better than I expected. I love ebay.

Steve Lubecki

 

Tree Doc -
I think you are probably right about him being a scam artist. His response to you regarding negative feedback and his other comments make me think he wasn't ligitimate. He was looking for the door because he did not want to meet anyone face to face!

 

Thanks Sod. I feel better thinking it was a scam as opposed to thinking someone is riding around on a cherry Scrammy for only $3870 that should have been MINE!! [img]i/expressions/face-icon-small-disgusted.gif[/img]

Just so everyone knows....I don't really hate or blame ebay for this. I'm just pissed! [img]i/expressions/face-icon-small-tongue.gif[/img] They really have no control but I will say that ebay is quickly becoming a sewer pit for scam artists and there is no way in hell I would put up or front any more money than what I would be willing throw in the storm drain outside my house without some absolute gaurantees. Those gaurantees don't come easy though as even many escrow services are coming out corrupt. I buy through PayPal on small items. A high ticket item like a quad would only be in my ebay future if I could see it up close and personal before anybody touches my cash.

 

Hey TreeDoc, let me know when you are throwing money down the storm drain, I will come clean the drain out for you. I had a friend buy a Land Cruiser from Florida off E-BAY, that was 3 or 4 years ago, before the scammers started to get too bad. Now don't forget my offer.AlaskaBoy.

P.S. I need 14 days advance notice to when you are going to do this, plane tickets are cheaper. AS they say on the commercial " I don't want to pay to much"[img]i/expressions/face-icon-small-smile.gif[/img]

 

Hey TreeDoc, I just did a quick search atTraderOnLine and they have over 30 2002-2004 Scramblers for under 4500!!!

Your wife may still get her bike after all! I saw one on TraderOnLine at a dealer brand new ZERO hours for $4295.00. A dealer in Chattanooga sells brand new 2004 for $4899 out-the-door all day. Maybe you can get your local dealer to match his price on new, or grab one off TraderOnLine.

 

y not buy new, at least u get some warrenty 6months i believe and then you know that your first person to ride it.