I received a bad part. What should I do?

-
cudamark

cudamark

Well-Known Member
Joined
Mar 14, 2009
Messages
11,874
Reaction score
3,530
Location
San Diego
I bought a Dodge pickup manual steering gear from a guy that is worn out and has internal corrosion. Before I ordered it, I asked if he had checked it to make sure it was in good shape. He said it was. I paid in full with a USPS M/O and had him ship it to me. When it arrived, I looked it over and found it had LOTS of play in the pitman shaft. The shaft would move over 1/8" in and out at the center point of travel, and a good 1/16" sideways, indicating the bushings were worn. I contacted the seller to let him know what I found. He suggested that maybe putting in new bushings would be the answer. I told him I would take the cover off and see what the gears looked like as I might be able to use them in my old box and make one good gear box out of two. After pulling the top off his box, I immediately noticed that the grease was rust stained (see photo). I wiped off the grease from the pitman shaft and upper cover to find that the gears and bushing surfaces on the shaft were very pitted and the bushing in the cover was very worn out. I informed the seller that the box wasn't in good shape and that I wanted a refund. He offered to give me $30 back of the $85 I paid for the box and I could keep it. I told him that I didn't need a core to build and that I should get a full refund as I wasn't my fault that the box was bad. He says he doesn't think that he should bear the full cost and that I should eat some it. To me, the core isn't worth $5 let alone $55 so we're at a stand off at the moment. What do you folks think is right?
 

Attachments

  • 100_0774.jpg
    129.3 KB · Views: 450
  • 100_0775.jpg
    121.1 KB · Views: 443
  • 100_0776.jpg
    88 KB · Views: 440
Looks as though he was not representative of what he sold you. I would demand he refund you all your cash back or you will expose his identity.
 
Hello Mark, He should give you all your money back to you. What year box do you need ...... 2 or 4 wheel ?? I have one off a 72 or 73 2 wheel drive truck. Let me know if this will help.
 
That sux. Unfortunatly what one person "thinks" is good shape a more qualified person can see its actually "junk". I think that you deserve a refund for the part at least if not the whole purchase including freight. As a seller, if something like that showed up on something I sold..... I would instantly refund the whole amount and apologize for the problem. Let hope the seller realized that the box he sold is junk after he sees the pics. (since he didnt look before)

Good luck... as far as what to do..... there is little recourse on a transaction on a site like this as it is buyer/seller beware. You made the first step in what you can do... if no resolve.. you know what your next post will be. ;)

-RPM
 
Dodge33 said:
Hello Mark, He should give you all your money back to you. What year box do you need ...... 2 or 4 wheel ?? I have one off a 72 or 73 2 wheel drive truck. Let me know if this will help.
Click to expand...
Thanks for your offer but it's a 2wd box for the '79-87 model. They use the short input shaft. I sent the seller these photos several days ago so he's known what it looks like. I have since wiped off the gear on the worm shaft and it's just as bad if not worse than the one on the pitman shaft.
Thanks, Mark
 
I wholeheartedly agree with RPM and everyone else. You asked about the condition of the part and based your decision to purchase the item according to a description he gave. "It's in good shape" means "in good shape", which it obviously isn't. Would you have paid $85.00 if he had said..."It's rusty and dirty inside and the gears are all pitted up"?? I doubt it!!!. Dude needs to step up and do what's right, full refund AND shipping both ways. Geof
 
He sold you a paper weight, he needs to refund ALL of your money....
 
Anyone can make a mistake. What i have done in the past on a heavy item like that is to offer the buyer a full refund and let him keep the part as it doesn't make cents to waste money shipping back a bad part.
 
well, as a seller on here, i will add my input

when a part is removed from said car, alot of times, no one knows if it definatley perfect inside, especially in a hard metal item like a steering box. however, , now, if he told you that he used it himself, and knew it was good, then he is 100.00 percent wrong. if he said " to the best of my knoledge, it is good". well, that there tells you he does not have first hand knowledge.

got to remember, especially when dealing with the a-body parts. these are40 some year old cars. most of the parts that come off them is because they are in fact PARTS CARS THAT WERE LAYING IN THE WOODS FOR A LONG TIME, THERE FORE, MAKING THEM FOR PARTS.

I i have sold at leat 35 manual boxes off of 70-76 a-bodies on here in the last year, and have had not one complaint of a worn or messed up box. i do my own inspection on them, with the knowledge i have, and if i think if there is too much play, i thow it in the scrap pile.
it depends if he told you he knew it to be good, or that he assumed it to be good, as say it came off a car that was wrecked in the rear, i would also assume it to be good. it is a fine line, and ..
YOU ALSO KNOW THAT YOU WERE BUYING A USED PART, AND SOMETIMES A PART IS SOLD WITHOUT BEING TESTED. USED, NOT NEW PART.
if i was him, i also would ask if it was ok to refund all but the actual shipping price ( as long as i did not sell it by saying i knew it was good)

also. you say you asked him if he checked it to make sure it was good.

now, what made you assume he knew how to check one? did you tell him how to check condition first?
one persons percieves a little movement as being good, and if you or i checked it, we would see it is a paper weight.

i feel for your loss, but also, my honest opinion is, you knew how to check one, but doubt if you questioned his skill on chacking a used part, therefore, i say you are partially responsible, as you did not inquire more.

IF THIS WAS THE SITUATION WITH ME BEING THE ONE SELLING IT TO YOU, YOU KNOW I WOULD TELL YOU TO KEEP IT, AND SEND YOUR MONEY BACK, AS REPUTATION ON HERE IS LIKE GOLD, AND i support my family with the parts that i sell one here. also to avoid all the hassle.
 
cosgig said:
I wholeheartedly agree with RPM and everyone else. You asked about the condition of the part and based your decision to purchase the item according to a description he gave. "It's in good shape" means "in good shape", which it obviously isn't. Would you have paid $85.00 if he had said..."It's rusty and dirty inside and the gears are all pitted up"?? I doubt it!!!. Dude needs to step up and do what's right, full refund AND shipping both ways. Geof
Click to expand...


but, who pulls apart a steering box ? i have never taken one apart, as i would mess it all up.lmao
 
Why weren't pictures shown of two bad boxes and all parts.????. are these pictures of the sellers parts. Only you know. But you tore it apart ,its now yours. If you felt play you should have demanded a refund and not touched it. You took the chance that the parts were going to help you and tore it down. I would not take it back. Good or bad its not the same as the seller shipped to you once you put your fingers in it. This is only my oppinion for which you asked. I am not taking sides, I don't know either of you. This is just looking at this from both sides. and answering your question honestly. Steve
 
@ oldmanmopar

I can kind of agree with that.....just like if you buy a tv from walmart.....you can't rip it apart and then try to return it and accept it.........but there again.....you are also buying new and have no reason to rip it apart.

plus he said he contacted the seller I believe prior to opening it up and requested a refund and it was only after being shot down on the refund that he decided to pull it apart (maybe a last ditch attempt and not taking a full loss on the deal?)

I PERSONALLY think that the deal should not be held up on such a technicality.....the simple fact is....the seller should have inspected the part and stated that there was play at the very least....at most he should have opened it up and took a peak inside.

is this seller here on FABO?

you might find it to be most helpful to post his name , let him share his side of the story......then let everyone come to a conclusion on it and see who is in the right and who is in the wrong.

if the guy is wrong he will either have to make it right with you or forever have his reputation here tarnished when it comes to selling parts which could potentially lose him money......

I had a similar situation on here about a year ago, I bought a brake booster and master cylinder from a member,was told it came off a running and driving and stopping car,was told he inspected it and all was good to go.....it arrived and I opened the reservoir cap only to find it filled with rusty water and about 1/16" rust scale all over the inside.
so I figured, ok....I wont use this master Ill just use the booster...so I put a vac gauge on the booster and no matter what I did i couldnt get it to show anything....so I popped the clamp loose and separated the two barrel halves just to find that the rubber inside was ripped to shreds.

I got messaged the seller...at first I did not hear from him....but I finally heard back from him and I told him if he would refund me ($80.00 I think) of the $100.00 I think it was.....I would eat the shipping charges and luckily we settled and he made good on his part.


hope you get it figured out!
 
To much of this crap going on, if you can't take a guys word for it then where the hell you suppossed to stand. He gets the money you get screwed. Gotta start finding a way to protect the buyer. money's to damn hard to make just to throw it away on some a*@1holes word. I just recently got screwed on a sour 340 in a 68 gts. Not only did it have a spun bearing but all the so called trick parts and machine work didn't exist either. Seems like these guys are just getting away with it.:banghead:
 
thats one reason I like using paypal because atleast you have SOME sort of insurance I guess......if the part is not as described you can file a dispute claim with paypal and they will review both sides of the story and determine who is wrong and get you your money back.

and if the other party involved does not respond to the dispute claim they forfeit the opportunity to voice their side and judgment is automatically ruled in your favor.
 
340plot:
The seller indicated that he removed the box from his friends truck and that it had minimal play and that it steered good. Even if he got it at a garage sale or swap meet, it only takes a few minutes to take the top cover off and take a look. I didn't even need to do that. It had loads of play just as I received it.

oldmanmopar:
I didn't post pictures of my old box as that would have just confused the issue. I did tell the seller about the condition before I took the top off. It was HIS suggestion that I put new bushings in it. After internal inspection, I could see that this was not an option and asked for a full refund. I think it was reasonable to see if the box could be economically repaired before demanding a refund.

dusterDude72:
The seller is a FABO member and he's welcome to give his side of the story if he wishes. As far as your TV analogy, I don't know if it's comparable or not. I didn't buy a new part and expected to have to adjust it and maybe repack it with grease but I did expect the components to be in good shape. Even still, if you bought a new TV and it didn't work, wouldn't you try a few things at their suggestion before you shipped the TV back? If it was something simple it would save a lot of hassle.
Thanks for all your inputs!
Mark
 
I feel for ya. I just went through a similar situation. Good luck. I hope it works out on both sides. It is not looking good for the seller at the moment.
 
the seller, in good faith, should offer a refund.
by the sounds of the storey, neither was acting in bad faith.
"used" and "experience" are two subjective words.
with regards to shipping? the hazards of these deals!

good luck
 
What is the seller's reasoning that you should eat any of the cost here?

To some degree, when you buy used stuff sight unseen you do take a gamble. But when you bank on the seller's description, it shifts a lot of the "blame" here to the seller. If he had said "its a used piece, I have no ideaof the shape its in. Looks good outside but could be worn out inside." then he would be ok....you would have been taking the gamble. But if he said "minimal play" and "in good working order" then he has made a verbal warranty I think.

If its a fellow FABO member here I say that guy needs to refund your cash. Sounds to me like he made a mistake in saying it was in serviceable shape.

People make mistakes. And those who make them should be the ones who have to make restitution, even if it stings a little or a lot.

You didnt want a core....you didn't want a ate up box. SO why should YOU be on the hole for ANY cost?

He should eat the costs for return shipping and refund all your money. He gets his part back, you get your money. That said, I would likely just say "keep the part" unless I felt that you were lying about it.

Now hopefully he will step up and make this right.
 
DusterDude72 said:
thats one reason I like using paypal because atleast you have SOME sort of insurance I guess......if the part is not as described you can file a dispute claim with paypal and they will review both sides of the story and determine who is wrong and get you your money back.

and if the other party involved does not respond to the dispute claim they forfeit the opportunity to voice their side and judgment is automatically ruled in your favor.
Click to expand...

Paypal is a good way to go but not always easy.

I sold a part for a steam cleaner on ebay.....buyer used paypal. In my ad it clearly stated that I was not sure what all units it fit, but that it did NOT fit my unit and I gave that model #. I also posted a link to the Hoover website where it showed what the part number I was selling was supposed to fit. I said that the buyer would need to confirm whether it fit on there unit themselves as I could not guarantee that the Hoover website was correct.

You would think I was covered.

Hmmmppphhh.

This jackass emails me saying that the part doesnt fit their unit, and she gives me the model number. It was the same model number of mine, which I had listed as NOT working, in the ad!!!!!

She wanted a full refund and I declined. She filed a complaint with paypal and they ruled in her favor but did not charge the cost to my account. Basically I kept the money and she kept the part.

Yeah it worked out ok for me in the end, but she screwed the system and it was a hassle to sort thru.

Still, more protection than a USPS MO. Been there, done that. Lost $700 once that way....NEVER AGAIN.
 
i keep all my pms on here intell the deals done ive done two both went well i sold some thing and got some thing i tryed to tell the guy the i soold to i didnt know how to check some thing on them he said thats ok ....... now if that happen then its ur bad ........now say i told him i knew what i was doing then he got them and i didnt then its my bad would have gave cash back .... but ike i said i did a good job telling him what was what i would like to here from the seller on this i would give him a week or so to do some thing then call him out right here so we can all poke him lol
 
OK,OK, I DO FEEL YOUR PAIN, BUT I SEE THAT YOU ARE BEING HONEST AND OUTRIGHT ABOUT IT.

SOMEONE SAID IT CORRECTLY. HE SHOULD RETURN IT IN "GOOD FAITH". BUT...................

you he did tell you that it had some play. to him it was minumul, and now to you, it was excessive. it is a fine line, and i just hope you two work it out
 
You should get a refund of your original cost. you will loose the cost of shipping it back. You could accept a refund of the amount minus the return shipping cost and keep it. Everyone needs paper weights :)
 
340plot said:
but, who pulls apart a steering box ? i have never taken one apart, as i would mess it all up.lmao
Click to expand...

The SELLER, thats who!!! If I had an item for sale and received a question not addressed in my description, I would go the extra mile and not only accurately answer the question, but also include pic's of the item to detail the area in question. I'm sure the seller in this case just looked over the item and concluded that it was in "good shape".

Case in point... I was selling an old Les Paul guitar on ebay a while back. I accurately described everything I thought would be pertinent information to be as accurate as possible. I received over 200 questions in the 7 days the guitar was listed, many with inquiries that only completely taking apart the guitar could answer. I could have just said that the guitar was in "good shape", but instead completely dis-assembled that guitar 5 times to answer each and every question with pics, part numbers of all the electronics, pickup routing holes, things I would have never thought to include in my initial description. I am not a luthier and don't normally dis-assemble expensive guitars, but in order to make sure the buyer was completely informed I did just that. Even then, once the buyer received the guitar, he took it to an expert to have it completely gone through and it was found to have replaced pots. The buyer was dis-satisfied as he wanted a completely original guitar as it was described by me, so I refunded him $800.00, the cost to replace all of the pots with original, correct part numbered items. It was his decision to take the partial refund and keep the guitar and have the work done, as I offered a complete refund including shipping both ways!!! And this was after including the part numbers and patent numbers in one of my follow up descriptions. The end result??? One very happy customer... no threads about a "bad part", and still plenty $$$ in my pocket!!!

Telling Cudamark he is out of luck after all of the people he has done right around here is not an option. He already had a gearbox that needed rebuilt, why should he have to pay $85.00 for something he already has!!! If you can't take the cover off the gearbox and photograph and inspect the insides to answer an inquiry, then you have no business selling that item, OR, you should be prepared to refund his money should this occurance arise!!! JMO, Geof
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
-

Back
Top