BulletHead
Adventurer
I bought my 200 sight unseen, but it was at a new Land Rover dealership and I was able to contact the previous (original) owner to get the full history. I had a very pleasant experience and I didn't see it until I had it delivered to me, and of course that was after I paid for it. The salesman also wanted to fully disclose everything, but the dealership itself had a good reputation.
I also had bid and won an ebay auction on a 06 LC at a Nissan dealership just outside of NYC and went to see it in person before I actually bought it. But it wasn't represented accurately and I was glad I made the 200 mile trip to look at it in person. Over 75% of it was re-painted, missing VIN tags (>=1 accident), missing rear spoiler, but the dealer salesman "forgot" to disclose that and none of it appeared in the carfax history.
Another deal, I had put a rather substantial deposit down on a HJ61 and 1 day before I was to fly out 3k miles to pick it up and make full payment, the owner calls and tells me, that there is a rather loud knocking sound coming from the engine and he will drop it off at his regular cruiser mechanic and let me know about the diagnosis and if I want to pursue the sale still. After I demanded my deposit back and received it, I never heard back from the seller. Nor did the mechanic (I contacted them directly) ever see that HJ61 for that issue. The seller had clearly either changed his mind or had someone else who probably offered more $ for it.
HZJ75 sale, agreed to pay seller his asking price after multiple long conversations over the phone. After taking off and while in transit, flying 3k miles to make payment and drive back, the seller tells me he has to go out of town because of family issues. It's been >4 weeks currently and he hasn't returned my calls, texts or emails regarding the sale. I understand family issues arise, but having that much time being passed without any communication sounds dodgy, especially since I was in transit, oh well, goes around comes around.
So it all depends on the proximity, having the situational awareness, vehicle history, # of owners, how the seller comes off over the phone and most of it is probably your gut feeling. I'm learning to always trust my gut feeling. From the sight unseen personal experience, I would say, always go out and see it in person, unless you feel you have been disclosed everything. And putting a deposit down doesn't mean anything anymore.
I also had bid and won an ebay auction on a 06 LC at a Nissan dealership just outside of NYC and went to see it in person before I actually bought it. But it wasn't represented accurately and I was glad I made the 200 mile trip to look at it in person. Over 75% of it was re-painted, missing VIN tags (>=1 accident), missing rear spoiler, but the dealer salesman "forgot" to disclose that and none of it appeared in the carfax history.
Another deal, I had put a rather substantial deposit down on a HJ61 and 1 day before I was to fly out 3k miles to pick it up and make full payment, the owner calls and tells me, that there is a rather loud knocking sound coming from the engine and he will drop it off at his regular cruiser mechanic and let me know about the diagnosis and if I want to pursue the sale still. After I demanded my deposit back and received it, I never heard back from the seller. Nor did the mechanic (I contacted them directly) ever see that HJ61 for that issue. The seller had clearly either changed his mind or had someone else who probably offered more $ for it.
HZJ75 sale, agreed to pay seller his asking price after multiple long conversations over the phone. After taking off and while in transit, flying 3k miles to make payment and drive back, the seller tells me he has to go out of town because of family issues. It's been >4 weeks currently and he hasn't returned my calls, texts or emails regarding the sale. I understand family issues arise, but having that much time being passed without any communication sounds dodgy, especially since I was in transit, oh well, goes around comes around.
So it all depends on the proximity, having the situational awareness, vehicle history, # of owners, how the seller comes off over the phone and most of it is probably your gut feeling. I'm learning to always trust my gut feeling. From the sight unseen personal experience, I would say, always go out and see it in person, unless you feel you have been disclosed everything. And putting a deposit down doesn't mean anything anymore.