This guide contains affiliate links to eBay. See the note at the end.
Quick answer: most bad eBay parts purchases come from a handful of assumptions: trusting the fitment checker for a Japanese import, treating "OEM" as "genuine", comparing prices before tax and postage, and thinking a "no returns" listing leaves you unprotected. Search by chassis code and part number, compare the landed price, and pay through eBay.
eBay is a brilliant place to buy car parts. It's also where good intentions meet a listing titled "GENUINE OEM QUALITY FITS ALL" and lose on points. Here are the assumptions that catch buyers out most often, especially owners of Japanese imports, whose cars the internet doesn't always know exist.
Myth 1: "The fitment checker says it fits, so it fits"
eBay's compatibility tool ("This fits your vehicle") is useful, but it can only check the vehicles in its database, and that information comes from the seller's listing. Japanese-market models such as an Alphard, an Aqua or a Serena e-Power may not be in a local eBay site's vehicle list at all, so the checker either can't help or matches you to the nearest local model, which may have a different engine.
Do this instead: search with your chassis code (like ZWR80 or GK3) and send the seller your frame number. Our model code guide explains where to find both.
Myth 2: "OEM means genuine"
On eBay, "OEM" gets used three different ways:
| Listing says | Usually means |
|---|---|
| Genuine / Genuine Toyota (or other maker) | Made for and sold by the carmaker, in its packaging |
| OEM | Anything from genuine, to made by the original supplier in its own box, to "the seller would like you to feel good" |
| OEM style, OEM replacement, OE quality | Aftermarket. Can be perfectly fine, but it isn't the factory part |
Do this instead: look for the maker's part number and photos of the actual box. If the part number is there, search it. If the listing won't say what brand it is, that's your answer.
Myth 3: "The cheapest listing is the cheapest"
The number in the search results is rarely the number you'll pay. Add postage, then tax. At the time of writing:
| Shipping to | What happens on eBay |
|---|---|
| Australia | eBay adds 10% GST at checkout on items shipped from overseas when the order is A$1,000 or less (since July 2018). Source: eBay Australia help |
| New Zealand | GST is collected at checkout on most imported goods of NZ$1,000 or less (since December 2019). Source: Inland Revenue |
| United Kingdom | VAT is charged at checkout on goods from overseas in consignments of £135 or less (Great Britain, since January 2021; Northern Ireland has its own rules). Source: HMRC guidance on GOV.UK |
Above those amounts, tax and possibly duty are usually collected at the border instead, often with a handling fee from the courier. Rules change, so check the tax office's own pages (ATO, Inland Revenue, HMRC) for the current rules. Registered businesses that give their tax number may be treated differently.
Do this instead: compare the landed price: item + postage + tax. A local listing that looks dearer can win once a big overseas postage charge is added.
Myth 4: "'No returns' means I'm on my own"
Not quite. eBay's Money Back Guarantee covers items that don't arrive or don't match the listing (wrong, damaged or faulty), even when the seller doesn't offer returns. What it doesn't cover is changing your mind on a no-returns listing: if the part is exactly as described and you just bought the wrong one, that's between you, the seller's goodwill and your garage shelf of Parts That Almost Fit.
The guarantee only applies when you pay through eBay's checkout and meet its deadlines. eBay's policy excludes any purchase where part of the payment was made outside eBay, so a seller who suggests paying "off eBay" to save fees is also suggesting you give up that protection. (eBay Money Back Guarantee policy)
Myth 5: "Part numbers are for mechanics"
Part numbers are for anyone who'd rather not post a brake caliper back to Lithuania. A maker's part number identifies the exact part, so it cuts through vague titles, wrong fitment tables and badge confusion (Voxy, Noah and Esquire; Fit and Jazz; Prius v and Prius Alpha).
Do this instead: find the part number on the old part, in a good listing or from a dealer, then search eBay for the number itself. Search with and without the dash.
Myth 6: "Any seller who ships from Japan knows Japanese cars"
Plenty of Japan-based sellers really do know their stuff and will check your frame number against a catalogue. Some are general exporters with a big catalogue and a translation tool. Location isn't the test; answers are.
Do this instead: message the seller with your model code, frame number and build date before you buy anything that isn't a cheap filter. A good seller replies with a clear yes or no. A vague "should fit" is a no.
Myth 7: "Guaranteed Fit means guaranteed to fit my import"
On some eBay sites, eligible parts that show a "fits" match for the vehicle you've entered or saved are covered by eBay Guaranteed Fit (called Assured Fit on eBay UK): if the part doesn't fit, you can return it free within 30 days for a refund. Some items, such as tyres and wheels, are excluded (eBay announcement). Great, but it runs entirely on the listing's compatibility data. If your Japanese-market car isn't in the vehicle list, the guarantee has never heard of it, and neither has the badge.
Do this instead: treat the badge as a nice extra, not a fitment check. The chassis code and part number do the real work.
The 30-second checklist before you click "Buy"
- Searched with my chassis code or the part number?
- Listing shows a part number, a brand and real photos?
- Seller confirmed fitment with my frame number (for anything over a few dollars)?
- Landed price compared: item + postage + GST/VAT?
- Paying through eBay checkout?
Every parts page on this site searches eBay Australia, the US, the UK and Germany at once, so you can compare listings and landed prices side by side. Start with Just Imported? Fix These First or Grey Import Family Cars.
FAQ
Does eBay add GST to parts shipped to Australia from overseas?
Yes. When an item is shipped from overseas to an Australian address and the order is A$1,000 or less, eBay adds 10% GST at checkout. For orders above that, GST is generally collected at the border instead.
Am I protected if an eBay listing says "no returns"?
eBay's Money Back Guarantee covers items that don't arrive or don't match the listing, even if the seller doesn't offer returns, as long as you paid entirely through eBay checkout. It doesn't cover change-of-mind returns on a no-returns listing.
Does "OEM" on eBay mean a genuine part?
Not necessarily. "Genuine" usually means a carmaker-branded part, while "OEM" is used loosely and "OEM style" or "OEM replacement" means aftermarket. Check the part number and brand.
What is eBay Guaranteed Fit?
It's eBay's promise that an eligible part matched to the vehicle you've entered or saved will fit, or you can return it free within 30 days. In the UK it's called Assured Fit. It relies on the listing's compatibility data, so it can't help if your Japanese-market model isn't in the vehicle list.
Why doesn't eBay's fitment checker work for my Japanese import?
The checker uses each eBay site's vehicle list and the seller's compatibility data. Japanese-market models are often missing, so search by chassis code and confirm with the seller using your frame number.
Ad / Affiliate links: YOU SHOULD, SHA. Parts links to eBay. We earn a commission from eBay on qualifying purchases made through those links, at no extra cost to you. We are not eBay and not the seller. Always confirm fitment with the seller or a qualified mechanic.