Fabs when you start dealing with the high $$$ items on ebay you have to watch your back front and every side angle, very, very carefully.
I have purchased quite a few things from ebays up to a couple hundred $$$ per item and as cheap as 50 cents. I don't think I would purchase much of anything off ebay that was in the $1500 - several thousand $$$ range unless the seller was local and would take cash and carry.
I even purchased my ATV off ebay for under $1000, but the guy was in Maryland and I paid him the night I picked the ATV up through PAypal. I had several telephone conversations with him and had directions to his house before I made the Payment.
I certainly feel pretty safe paying through paypal most of the time because if somehting does go wrong I have had paypal ready to refund my money and take it out of the sellers account.
Anyway it really sound to me like Ebay isn't for you. I know quite a few people that haven't done well on Ebay, they don't like it at all and have had one problem after another. I personally have had 99% great luck and even the 1% turned out ok in the end, it was just a headache for a week or so but all came clean in the wash.
Take care and leave that Ebay stuff along....
