Hi Grampi. I can understand you frustration with ebay. Every once in awhile you can get a good deal but they are few and far between. I happened across a single channel amp from outlaw audio called the M200 that puts out 200watts@8ohms and 300watts@4ohms. The reviews here and on other boards are all positive. The good news is that it only cost $299. I'm thinking of purchasing one to drive my passive sub that I built. Like you said you could pay over a $100 dollars for a 10 year old amp on ebay or just add a few hundred more and get a new one. If I purchase one, I will let you know how it performs. Here is a link for the amp:

http://www.outlawaudio.com/products/200.html#

Remember to let us know what you end up getting and how it works out.