There are a few different ways to find a car on eBay.

The most basic is to use the drop down menus to select a make and model to narrow your search from the homepage.

Or you can browse by vehicle type for better accuracy. On the left hand side of the Motors homepage you'll see a section called Cars & Trucks. You can choose a vehicle type and then refine your search with the details you want, like make and model, year and location. More criteria will focus your search down. Fewer criteria will give you more results. You get the idea.

Then there's advanced search. See the link on the top-right hand corner of the page? You can search all eBay categories or you can narrow the search down to the specific category you want. And you can select more search options like price, specific sellers and location.

Check out our search tips for more info.

If you search on eBay.ca, you'll see cars from both Canada and the United States. Many U.S. sellers will list their cars as "available to" Canada which means they'll ship north of the border. These listings automatically appear on eBay.ca.

If you're only interested in cars located in Canada, once you've done a search, you can use the Location option under Search Options and select "Canada Only" from the drop down menu.

This is your opportunity to drill down into the details of cars that you're interested in.

Look at the Search Options section on the left hand side bar of the search results. Here you can find cars that are within a specific distance of your location. You can also look at completed items to find out what previous buyers paid for similar items. You can enter your price range. And you can check listings that are ending or starting within certain time limits.

Other ways to tailor your search:

Customize your display - How do you want to see your search information?
Comparison shopping - See listings side-by-side.
Favourite searches - Save, edit, and have your favourite searches emailed to you.

There's lots of information about the seller on eBay. If you look on the right hand side bar of a car or truck listing you'll see a section called Meet the Seller.

The Feedback number after the seller's name will give you ratings and comments from other buyers who've done business with the seller before. You can tell how long the seller has been doing business on eBay too. And you can see where the seller is located to determine whether you have to get more information on importing a car.

If you see a PowerSeller star, it means the seller has maintained a 98% positive feedback score and provided a high level of service to buyers.

If you see a small red door, this shows the seller also has an eBay Store where you can find unique items to buy right away.

You can also Ask the seller a question by clicking on the link in this section if you have specific questions.

The car looks like the one you want. Now you need the whole story.

In the description box of a car listing, you'll find basic information like mileage, condition, engine type, number of doors, colour and more.

In the item description below, look for details on the car's condition. The seller may give you more information on the car's history. Is it still under warranty? Has the car been inspected?

If you look in the Item Location field near the top of the listing, you'll see where the car is located. If it's located in the States, you should read our Learn About U.S. Cars section for more details.

Before you bid on a car, you should know the seller's terms and conditions. If you go to the bottom of the listing, you'll see the shipping, payment details and return policy section. Here it will say who is responsible for pickup or shipping. The seller should also tell you what kinds of payment they will accept, how long you have to pay, and whether they want a deposit.

Although shipping a car sounds like a major undertaking, it is surprisingly straightforward. Under the Services section you can find businesses like Hansen's Vehicle Shipping Service that will arrange door-to-door shipping anywhere in Canada or the U.S. Make sure you have all the right papers: title documents, registration, and other documents necessary for importing from the U.S.

If the car is located in the United States, there are a few extra things to consider. First, is the car admissible in Canada? Does it require modification? You can check the list for typical modification requirements, or call the Registrar of Imported Vehicles (RIV) at 1-888-848-8240 FREE 1-888-848-8240 . If it needs modification, you should check with a mechanic for an estimate. And you should check with the manufacturer or dealer of the car to obtain a recall clearance letter to pass the federal inspection.

What are the duty and taxes? Visit My Border Pro to get a detailed quote for the landed cost of your vehicle, including duty and taxes.

Also, the Canada Border Services Agency (CBSA), responsible for assessing and collecting duties and taxes, can be reached at 1-800-461-9999 (in Canada) or 1-506-636-5064 or 1-204-983-3500 (outside Canada).

I'm buying a car from the United States. What else do I need to know?

There are a few different ways to buy a car on eBay.

First, you can place a bid during an auction. Enter your maximum bid into the box at the bottom of the listing and click "Place Bid". eBay will then automatically bid on your behalf up to the maximum amount you input if there are competing bidders.

The duration of auction will be specified so you know how long you have to bid on the car. Often the seller will have a reserve price (the minimum price the seller will accept). If the highest bid does not meet the reserve, then they don't have to sell the car.

If you see a Buy It Now icon on the listing, then you can purchase the car immediately for the set price without waiting for the auction to end.

Some sellers may also give you the option to make a Best Offer. Best Offer allows you to make an offer to the seller which they can accept, reject or counteroffer. Each Best Offer is binding, just like a bid, and is good for 48 hours

You are the proud owner of a new (or used) car. Congratulations! Now down to the details of closing the deal.

You need to contact the seller to arrange payment, shipping and documentation.

If you bought your car from a seller outside Canada, you will need to arrange for its entry into Canada. The easiest way to do this is to use an importing service. They will take care of the all the paperwork for you or ship your car over the border with clearance or do both. It's up to you.

If you'd like to handle the import process on your own, check out our Importing a Car from the US checklist for step-by-step instructions on how to bring a car into Canada.

Make sure you have all the right papers: title documents, registration, sales receipts, statement of compliance label, and manufacturer's clearance letter.