Unfortunately I have a bad experience…
Unfortunately I have a bad experience with Bilweb Auctions service.
I recently bought a very nice example of Saab 9-3 OG Aero. The car was listed "as close to a new one as you can get" with just tires to be replaced. I got engaged on the basis of the description, photos and soon decided to take part in the bidding. As an international buyer I had a limited possibilities of inspecting the vehicle, so after the purchase the car was just collected by the haulier and delivered to my place. When the car arrived I was amazed with the condition of the exterior and interior, but soon after that I noticed the front suspension columns to be repainted. Not a big thing - I thought at that moment. After a month, when I finally was able to register and move the car, I lifted it and got really disappointed while noticed more things to be done. The car needed complete brakes replacement, there was a huge leakage from the gearbox and the underbody had to be cleaned from surface rust in many places with majority of steel parts to be replaced with new ones due to corrosion. The overall condition of the car was still good, but many noticable and costly needed to be done, I could not ignore them.
After that I of course took some photos and informed Bilweb Auctions that I was not aware of the noticable and serious imperfections. In reply the inspector informed me that he cannot see any parts in need of replacement, there is just a surface rust, the car is beautiful and it just needs a proper underbody treatment. In reply to his brilliant advice, I informed that the underbody first needs a proper cleaning and rust removal to be finally treated with rust protection. Maybe in Sweden technological process looks different and they just skip the underbody preparation and the protection layer is just being applicated straight on the rust and remaining of the old layer. I can do the necessary work, but it costs money. I am not a mechanic, I do not have a workshop and I have to pay for the materials and labour. Also new parts or in better are hard to find.
The car is not worth the money I paid for it. I feel tricked, ignored and left behind without any support. I already brought the car to generally repaired shape, but I nearly doubled the money I paid for it. I would like to remind the car was advertised in "as close to a new one as you can get" shape. That was not truth. The whole situation leaves a very bad taste.
My bad I have not requested more detailed photos of the underbody. Maybe those were not listed on purpose.
There were even problems with issuing the sale documents correctly - please always double check all details including the vehicle data!
Of course I have everything documented to prove my statement.
Other known issues not mentioned in the description: many stone chips one the whole body, left headlight wiper motor not working, SID has missing pixels, A/C panel with damaged display, door and rear speakers out of order, broken amplifier, a lot burnt bulbs...
Inspector Ted, you really have not noticed that or you just did not want to include all the above in the description to avoid significant drop in the price?
Reply from Bilweb Auctions
Thank you for sharing your experience. We are truly sorry to hear that the car did not meet your expectations. Our goal is always to provide clear and honest descriptions, and we take your feedback very seriously.
We understand that purchasing a car from abroad comes with challenges, and transparency in both descriptions and documentation is an important part of our work. The issues you highlight will be noted and taken into consideration as we continuously improve our inspection routines and communication.
I would be happy to continue the dialogue with you directly to better understand the details and see how we can best address your concerns. Please feel free to reach out to our customer service or directly to me.
Best regards,
Pontus Bärnarp
CEO