Oh instruments on eBay.  Super scary... as in, so many to choose from and a lot of the times they go for a steal.  Dangerous place to go 
I've had it work out and not work out.  I found if I go for the ones that are really cheap , I usually get what I pay for or they are good instruments but need work that will make them more expensive than if I had just paid a little  more and gotten on that has been checked over before being listed.   The piccolo came from a highly rated seller and she said it had been checked out, serviced etc.  It was buy it now for what is a good "used" price.  I could have gotten the same one cheaper, but this looked like it was in better shape.  
I got a cheap sax a while back.  It needs new everything.  I think I'm going to contact the intstrument repair training program and see what it would cost to let them use it for practice.  If I can't get it back, I may just donate it