I'm thinking about buying the Nikon D5100 (probably on eBay), is it worth the $750?

I'm pretty new to photography. I'm starting beginner classes in 3 weeks. You could say I'm like in the middle of beginner and intermediate. I know about aperture, exposure, ISO, mega pixels, focus, lenses, all that basic stuff. So I've definitely got enough knowledge to know what I'm doing.
I'm thinking about getting the D5100 as my first SLR, but the price is just a bit steep for me. Should I back down and just go for the D3000, or is the D5100 worth it?

Yes, it's totally worth the money if you've got an interest in photography. It's something that you can grow and learn with. If you really think the D5100 is a bit too much for a first dSLR, you can drop down to the D3100. Still a great camera that can produce excellent photos, but it's about $100 less.

P.S. I would personally recommend buying from a more reputable site like B&H, Adorama, or Amazon. I understand that a good chunk on eBay can be trusted, but there are a few that can't.better to be safe than sorry and buy from a reliable seller!

http://bhphotovideo.com/...video.com/

Personally, I would buy local. This is a big purchase and $750 is not the greatest deal in the world. If something goes wrong - would you rather go to your local store have it fixed or replaced or deal with shipping to a store and waiting to get it back? Not only will you be helping your local economy, you;ll have real live people to support you.

I learned more at my local camera shop in an hour then I did reading web page after web page. Yeah, they were a few dollars more expensive and WORTH EVERY SINGLE PENNY!

I think it is beneficial for you to go to C-Net and read the reviews. If your looking at the two above cameras I would suggest you go with the Nikon d3100.It has image stabilization and high definition video and also other upgrades from the 3000 and the 3100 is near the same cost as the 3000. Read the reviews and be informed before you make your purchase.