Why are all the good bargains on eBay always at the wrong end of the country?

The more I look the more I am not sure..

I could spend £400 on a new minilathe from Hugh in East London and collect it myself to save the £45 carriage.. or the same on a 1950's Boxford BUD/CUD or a less well preserved A/AUD or about the same on a Denford Viceroy TDS or similar... and it'll cost me £100 carrier or van hire to go get it... with the possibility the eBay one turns out to be a load of crud.. then again so could the minilathe.. I just read the Arctools preparation guides for the C3 - its quite extensive re-engineering of some parts not including replacing the main bearings!

I nearly won a Hobbymat - yes I know its a tad small but it would do to make the new leadscrew nuts and leadscrews for the big lathe so that could be used - and it was literally just up the road from me but just as it was about to go for a reasonable sum some idiot lept in an bid way over the top for it...