There are exceptions, but caveat emptor...

Well, I went and took a look... Not a bad looking plane... Engine room
is dirty - apparently the strict maintenance standards did not include
cleaning anything the passengers could not see readily... Looks like
some hydraulic leakage with smoking rivets around the nose gear...
Current price is $36K... For that price you could take a chance sight
unseen... Likely with the chatter on here the price will move on up by
the end of the auction...

I sympathize with his problem - bidders with no ebay history are more
likely to be tire kickers...
OTOH, I have only made a few purchases from ebay over the years so if
I choose to bid he likely will reject me, yet I am not a tire
kicker...

denny