A human is not just a computer with a camera.

It was a stolen unit. As the article says, best course of action is to go back to eBay and report it.

I only wonder if there is something a potential buyer can do beforehand to check if a unit is in good standing with valve.

Just have it repaired for a fraction of the cost. I had a stick replaced for like 10 bucks.

I saw in Asia there is a Chinese EV, I think the brand is Wuling, for about ~13-15k with about 180 miles of range. Small car but perfect for local driving.

Has reddit actually been negatively impacted by their recent actions?