Buying a 2nd hand engine - what should I do?

[pjb]

I've been contacted by someone selling an engine I need (via my parts-wanted ad on trademe). They're based in Dunedin, I'm in Auckland.

They've accepted a sharply priced offer I've made. And offered to cover the shipping. ($100 for freight apparently - that sound right?).

They're pushing for a fast deal, as they claim to need the cash. I'm worried I'll pay the money and that will be the last I hear of it.

Do I just roll the dice and hope for the best? Or perhaps propose a deposit or something? Or should I just pull the pin on the whole thing?

[Sadam_Husain]

use trademe safe trader or whatever they call it to handle the money, its a small cost to keep your money safe, it gets held in their trust account untill the goods are delivered, if they dont want anything to do with it then its a pretty good guess they are suspect... the jokers name isnt pieter or something like that is it?

[NJV6]

I will be in dunedin next monday evening if you want something checked out?

And judging by the other trade me thread there are plenty of dunedin people willing to help 'right the wrongs...'

[Jerry]

could get one of the dunedin ore'ers to have a look at it first

[Sadam_Husain]

($100 for freight apparently - that sound right?).

it cost me about $130 to get a chev engine picked up in chch and delivered in Wellington by mainfreight last year (not depot to depot) so $100 is in the ball park?

[ClassicCruiserSpares]

Depending on wht the motor is, I think $100 is to cheap, it normally costs me $150-$200 to send deisel motors to Auckland from Chch, but they are are pretty heavy.

[juz]

Railways are cheap to send engines, got a 4cyl Nissan engine from wellington to Chch to Gaymouth for $90

[pjb]

Cheers for the replies folks. Mentioned I was uneasy about the transaction, now the dudes gone quiet.

[juz]

What was the engine and who from?

[callum007]

I can drop the cash off and drop it to the freight company for them....$100 freight sounds pretty good these days. cost me $48 to get 2 lengths of steel from dn to chch

[pjb]

You guys are too generous! ORE definitely the way to get shit done!
@callum007 - cheers for the offer mate, will keep that in mind; the guy isn't responding to messages anymore, so probably a no-go.

Engine is a 6G74 (mitsi 3.5 V6).
Bloke's name is Regan - who might very well be perfectly legit, you just never know...