What are your thoughts on this?

-
shadango

shadango

Well-Known Member
Joined
Jan 10, 2009
Messages
814
Reaction score
4
So a few weeks ago I was a local cruise and ran into this guy I had seen before a time or two....a real nice 69 (?) Dart.

We had talked only once before, but you know how us Mopar people are...one chat about Mopars and you are friends for life. LOL

Anyways, during a conversation with him and another guy, he mentions to me that he has a used SSBC rear brake system for sale on craigslist.

Seeing as I was about to swap my housing anyways, I was interested. When he told me the price I was more interested. $200. The kit sells for about $450 brand new. His kit was "3 years old or so but lightly used" and "complete - everything you will need to do the install!" Then he said "In fact, as part of the deal I will press on the new bearings for you...."

Turns out he is an instructor for a local auto mechanics school.

Anyways, I tell him I will think on it. After finding his ad, (which was out there for a few weeks with no bites I might add) I called to let him know that I was interested but first I wanted to see how hard it would be to get parts later down the line if needed. "Everything you need is in the box." I said I wanted to see how hard it was to find replacement pads, rotors etc since he said he "THINKS" it was an SSBC kit but wasnt sure. (He did not buy it...it came on his car, a fresh build when he bought it 3 years back.)

So anyways I found the info I needed and decided I would buy the kit and gamble that the parts lasted a few years at least.

I didnt haggle on price AT ALL, since it was "a complete kit"....exactly how it came off my car." Complete and free bearing press (although it turns out I had to drive to him, some 50 miles round trip, so not so free).....

I met him on his turf at work and he made me feel like he only had a moment so I basically just handed him the $200...and my new bearings and axles. He told me a day, two at most to press the bearings on and he would call me. 4 days later he finally had the axles done after I texted and asked him if he had done them yet....I was trying to do this swap over the long holiday weekend. He said he would do them that night (friday). I met him that night , got my axles and we chatted...again we talked about how everything I needed was in the box and it should take just a couple hours to convert. We parted.

During the install the next day I found the kit was missing 4 caliper mounting bolts, two adapters for the brake line-to-hoses and (the biggest hit) one of the special banjo bolts with bleeder built in which I could find no where. These missing pieces mean the kit is USELESS without.

(I know, same on me for not inventorying before I left him my money and for not doing so at least before starting the install.)

I called him at 1 pm that day and explained and he said he would check his stash at work, but he couldn't do that for a few days (holiday weekend). But that he would call me tuesday evening and let me know. He never called.

Disappointed I was, because now I just lost three days of worktime on the car.

Long story short I tracked down most the parts myself over the next 5 days (car is out of commish this whole time) except the banjo bleeder deal.

He had not gotten back to me so I texted him asking him if he found the parts on thursday morning.

"Sorry, no. Try NAPA." he replied.

So I texted back and suggested that since he had promised the box was complete, that I might be due some of the $38 in parts I have had to buy so far. I was very nice about it.

He said he was sorry for my frustration, but simply put the kit back in the box , pay him $65 for the labor he put into pressing the bearings on and he would refund my $200 and we can part ways.

I texted back a message telling him I think that attitude sucks and that I never got hosed by a Mopar guy before but I guess there is always the first time. I reiterated how he kept saying the kit was "complete" and wasnt.

No reply yet.

I had to order the banjo bleeder thru summit and they wont have it for 2 weeks they say. I did contact SSBC directly and they may be able to provide one for me sooner.

Am I wrong to be ticked that he is basically saying "f you" ?
 
what I am reading is you got a 400 plus buck for half price and are mad about a 38 dollar expenditure. Not to mention you'd also have been out shipping on the 400 plus dollar kit. I think you did pretty good. I'd shut up about it.
 
I kinda agree, you should have inventoried the box first. And you still got one hell of a deal.
 
Plus your free bearing install..............

Its what's to be expected now a days.....move on with your life
 
Fair enough argument.

But let me ask you this- when someone here sells a part -- a used part -- to anyone and they are asking full retail price for a 3-5 year old piece, wouldnt that meet with some ridicule? Of course it would. People wont pay brand new prices for used stuff. I have seen it with my own eyes.

People ridicule others for expecting to get new prices for used parts.

So what IS a used setup like the one I bought really worth, used, missing parts?

In other words -- yes -- brand new, the kit retails for $450. It also includes new brake lines aside from brand new rotors, pads and calipers. The ones I bought were 3-5 years old. No lines, no fittings, had to buy my own shims and washers, and there is wear on the rotors and pads.

I did feel that $200 was a good price for a used kit that the seller said was COMPLETE.

In fact... That is how he justified the price. "Its a great price cause its everything you need! 2 hours and you are done!"

And then I find its not.

True , I should have inventoried and NOT trusted the guy's word.

But in any event, I dont think that "worth" has anything to do with it....

If he told me it had all the parts I needed, it should have had all the parts I needed. ESPECIALLY when they are critical, IMPOSSIBLE TO FIND EASILY parts.

Whatever happened to a man's word being his honor?

Me, I dont say anything I wont stand behind.....if I tell someone it has all the parts needed, it does. And if I lost a part, I make up for it. I have done that only twice in my life because I am very careful as to what I promise and offer people. And I get offended when someone gives me his word and then renigs on it.

I guess everyone isn't that way.
 
65BCODA said:
Plus your free bearing install..............

Its what's to be expected now a days.....move on with your life
Click to expand...

Oh trust me, my life isnt stopping due to this jerk....

Just venting.

The "free" bearing install (which the guy offered when he FIRST offered the kit, as a way to get me to buy, ended up costing me at least $25 in gas for the trips and he took almost week to do what he said he would do in a day or two. Initially he said he would do the bearings in one trip. It took two.

But I figured "Well, he knows what he is doing so its worth it."

Now I wonder if he knows what he is doing. LOL

But again, its not really the amount of money I am out......or even the inconvenience of having to spend hours scrounging for parts that were SUPPOSED to be there....and now waiting til they get here, with the car dead until then.

Its about someone telling you ONE thing and then DOING another.

Like I said, I guess a man's word isn't worth crap anymore.

And though it sounds trite - I *DID* expect more from a Mopar friend.
 
An old sock with a hand full of spark plugs at the next meeting might make ya feel better

Completely understand what your saying , hard to trust any one in todays world.
 
I hear valid points of view from both sides. I dont agree with the seller, but at least he did offer a refund, less his labor cost, which I think is fair. If I were in his shoes, I would have, like you suggested, just give a full refund. It was the sellers mistake, not yours. Had he not told you it was complete, he would have put the burden on you; but he assured it was complete.

Bad business on the part of the seller. He technically owes you nothing, but lack of charactor on his part contributes to his spineless decision to not work with you on a resolution. He should have offered to pay half of the extra cost(s).
 
I agree with ya, not a man of his word. But on the other hand you make a comment about a 50 minute round trip not being free?? Geez at 10 miles to the gallon thats only 5 gallons....
 
Yeah, it meets with ridicule more than you know......and I have bitten my tongue more than I ever thought I could. I mean a "new" transmission USED for break in complete with dirt all over it for close to a grand. A "legendary" intake manifold at pristine price that's so corroded up it will need weld repair. I could go on, but I better stop. lol

But no one was askin full price for what you got. You got it for less than half price, especially including shipping charges. Man, I caint tell you the times I thought I had everything for something and didn't.

Honestly, after you buy everything to make it work, won't you still be lots of money ahead? I think so. I mean, it does suck that it wasn't complete, but you got a smokin deal. You should be happy. Congrats.
 
4spdragtop said:
I agree with ya, not a man of his word. But on the other hand you make a comment about a 50 minute round trip not being free?? Geez at 10 miles to the gallon thats only 5 gallons....
Click to expand...

........And at almost $4 a gallon thats another $20.

Initially the guy had said he would bring the parts to ME, at our local cruise. Then he had excuses so I agreed to meet HIM "somewhere". Then it turns out that he couldnt meet me anywhere anytime soon except for his work, which was the 50 miles round trip (in heavy traffic I might add). SO I went along, to be the standup guy.

It all adds up, was my point. Between that and the all the extras I had to buy that he said he was giving me but then did not, I am in it for another $60 past the original $200 that was "everything".

I dont know about you guys, but I dont make $60 an hour where this is just chump change. I went for this used kit BECAUSE I didnt have extra money to spare and was hoping to save some $$$$$.

And what is all of the extra time I have had to spend tracking down the missing parts worth?

Is $260 plus all this hassle still a "deal" for this 3-5 year old used brake kit? Maybe.

But it wasnt THE deal that we had agreed on. That was my only point in even posting this.

Shame on me for going along with the flow and trying to be a stand up guy I guess.

I have bought a lot of parts from a lot pf people, some on here. Have had very very few problems over the years. So I do not think its me, honestly.

I guess i value a man's word more than he does, is all.
 
RustyRatRod said:
Man, I caint tell you the times I thought I had everything for something and didn't.

Honestly, after you buy everything to make it work, won't you still be lots of money ahead? I think so. I mean, it does suck that it wasn't complete, but you got a smokin deal. You should be happy. Congrats.
Click to expand...

Ahead versus buying a brand new kit with brand new pads and rotors? Yeah.

Of course the argument could be made that unlike a hard part (ex: intake manifold, door handle, a wheel, etc) that has no wear items and just needs a coat of paint to be "new", the amount of use left in this kit is probably half to 3/4 of what a new kit would be.

There is a reason his listing sat with no takers for weeks before he mentioned it to me.

I knew that going in of course.

So while a convenient way for me to get into rear brakes on the car, I dont think its a "smoking" deal. I thought it was a good/fair deal considering the kit was "complete".

And THAT is what the issue is...that the jerk, in the end, left me hanging for parts HE lost after I agreed to buy the kit and said "Try NAPA" for a part that he very well knows is a custom or hard to find piece.

Not losing sleep over it. Did I save some money versus buying new? Yes.

Was it worth the hassles and my car being down now for a week and possibly another couple weeks?

In retrospect, no. My time and energy is worth more to me.

I could have bought a complete kit, new and been done in one day with no hunting for parts and such.

Of course, being a frugal SOB I am sure I will still be watching for the next deal....LOL

But hoping that he gets treated that way by the next person he deals with.
 
Well I give up then. I'm not sure you'd be satisfied with a happy endin from a professional **** star. It seems like you're ready to write a book about it. Just caint please some folks I guess.
 
I wouldn't get into any more drama about it since you came out ahead in the end.

I've learned to never deal with the "I'm too busy" type. 99% of the time it's BS. It's like when you haven't called an old friend or family member you aren't too fond of. Then you see them and they ask you why you haven't called and you give the whole "Oh I've just been really busy with work and family". You know you've had thousands of opportunities to call them, you just didn't want to.

It's the same deal with this guy. At the time, the whole deal sounded sweet to him and he was willing to work with you. After he got home, he got lazy and the deal didn't sound as sweet anymore. At that point he kind of checked out of the whole deal and only went along with it because you were keeping up on him. The guy is lazy and is hoping for nothing more than to never hear from you again.
 
ESP47 said:
I wouldn't get into any more drama about it since you came out ahead in the end.

I've learned to never deal with the "I'm too busy" type. 99% of the time it's BS. It's like when you haven't called an old friend or family member you aren't too fond of. Then you see them and they ask you why you haven't called and you give the whole "Oh I've just been really busy with work and family". You know you've had thousands of opportunities to call them, you just didn't want to.

It's the same deal with this guy. At the time, the whole deal sounded sweet to him and he was willing to work with you. After he got home, he got lazy and the deal didn't sound as sweet anymore. At that point he kind of checked out of the whole deal and only went along with it because you were keeping up on him. The guy is lazy and is hoping for nothing more than to never hear from you again.
Click to expand...

Yeah its funny how he was all nice and ready to help until he got the cash in his hand.

I have been there done that before, but like I said - NEVER with a fellow Mopar enthusiast....I am not naive enough to think that Mopar folks can screw ya -- just never happened before. Most Mopar folks ahve been great folks to deal with. I know better now.

RRR, as for me "writing a book about it"......that comment was off target. If you find my posts wordy, disagree with them or whatever, I respectfully ask you to just move on and ignore me since we clearly do not see eye to eye. I just asked for opinions (positive or negative is fine), not to be ridiculed or criticized.

Yes, I am unhappy that someone gave me his word, looked me in the eye and took my money, then changed the deal.:angryfir:

Glad to know you would not be bothered by that....you are clearly superior. :prayer:

Thanks
 
Not ridiculing at all. Sorry it came out that way. What I meant was that you came out on top. Regardless of extra m oney spent on replacment parts. You still came out to the good. You should be glad about it. It should be a good thing. I don't think you appreciate a good thing when it happens. Count your blessings. You got the long end of the stick.
 
A man is as only as good as his word! If he said it was complete then It damn well should be complete. A DEAL IS A DEAL! So what if he put the bearings on for free, according to you he offered to do it as part of the deal. I agree with the OP completely.
 
RustyRatRod said:
Not ridiculing at all. Sorry it came out that way. What I meant was that you came out on top. Regardless of extra m oney spent on replacment parts. You still came out to the good. You should be glad about it. It should be a good thing. I don't think you appreciate a good thing when it happens. Count your blessings. You got the long end of the stick.
Click to expand...

Sorry if I interpretted it that way....but telling a guy he cant be pleased because he expects another man to be true to his word, well, I took that as ridicule.....if you didnt mean it that way, forget I said anything.

I very carefully calculated the anticipated costs for buying the kit used versus new, and did so based on that guys word.

What I hadn't mentioned and actually forgot til someone else reminded me is that the kit ALSO didn't include the brake lines, longer axle housing studs or the longer wheel studs required...they normally come in the kit too, but I knew THAT going in, based on the photo on his craigslist ad. So right there was another $75 in parts there.

All told, I had to spend $115 in hard parts, scrounge the shims he hadnt given me, spent $40 in gas between two trips to see him (when he said he could do everything in one trip, and "local" to me) plus parts hunting, hours of my time trying to find the parts, plus the car is still down and not sure when it will be back on the road after a full week. That assumes the calipers do not leak or bind or need rebuilt once I do get the parts I need.

So about $350 cash out of pocket plus hours of my time.

To save $150.

Live and learn.

Moving on and hoping the calipers are fine. Hopefully the disks will have been worth it,..... LOL
 
:cheers::blob::cheers::blob:

Brakes work! E brake works (great!) !! Car STOPS, no leaks!!! Hit some potholes and the rear end is still attached!!!!!

So, looks like so far so good with my rear end swap/disk brake upgrade.

Definately an improvemnet in braking, and I havent touched the prop valve yet. Its still set for the truck rear cylinders.

I just want to run it a few miles first as is to make sure nothing blows up, falls off, disintegrates etc.....LOL

(I guess I need to have more faith in my own work)

Luckily no problems with the brake parts so far, look good.

I really NEEDED this "win" today.....lots of disconcerting stuff happening at my workplace of 21 years and today was rough - and to be honest I may need to be living in the fish down by the river at some point, so glad I can get it there! LOL

Thanks to all for their advice and listening to me . believe it or not, I appreciate posts like yours, RustyRatRod, quite a bit because it gives you a dose of reality or at least another valuable perspective. SOmetimes its just nice to whine to a group of friends and comiserate a little, but the contrasting opinions are what makes you think deeper.

(I am still pissed at the guy for not being a man of his word...LOL.....but now that the fish is back on all fours, I can move on....)

As an aside -- I know my car is an ebody, but I got "back" into Mopars on this forum 5 years or so ago when I started looking for a project car. I know my posts are wordy - thats just me. And I am not nearly as thin skinned as some of my posts may appear. Like I said, just very stressful at work right now and lots of things are unclear...hard to be yourself when that is the deal.

So hoping none of my posts came across like an @ss, LOL

As the famous line goes -- "Thanks for your support." :prayer::D
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
-

Back
Top