screwed on ebay - PeachParts Mercedes-Benz Forum

kingkos · #1 03-13-2006, 07:41 PM

I feel like i should have known better than to buy a 25 year old car on ebay, but I thought the ad and the description of the car sounded too good to pass up. So I bought it, payed $1450 ($950 car + $500 shipping). Got it a couple days ago and it was a complete wreck! I thought he had sent me the wrong car. The car described in the ad had "no rust" and an "immaculate interior". Who is he kidding? The bottoms of all the doors are completely rusted out! There is moss growing on the inside of the rear windshield. The ebay item # is 4613053293. I've attached some pics. Never again will i take my chances with a car I dont see in person! Help. WHat are my options to get my money back? Ebay?...Paypal?... I contacted the seller but I dont think he is going to agree to giving me my money back. I realize that i didnt pay a ton of money and I didnt expect a brand new car, but when the guy uses the word "immaculate" to describe the interior, I didnt think that a big chunk of wood trim would be broken, or there would be a tear in the seat or moss growing on the rear windshield!

Steve

Diesel Giant · #2 03-13-2006, 07:44 PM

I hate that, but why did you expect to buy something that cheap and not have problems?

The greatest lessons I learned, drained my wallet. At least it was on a small amount of $$.

kingkos · #3 03-13-2006, 07:48 PM

Oh ya, i almost forgot the stitching that has come undone on the rear seats, broken side compartment, completely bald tires and crack in teh windshield.

Steve

kingkos · #4 03-13-2006, 07:53 PM

Like I said, I was going off the item desription, pics and the conversation I had with the guy (i called hime on the phone to ask questions). Regardless of the price, I should have gotten what was desribed as a car in "good running condition" with "no rust" and an "immaculate interior". Its almost like he found the car in a scrapyard, took some pics from a distance and desribed a completely different car in his ad. The scary thing is that I was willing to pay more for it. I havent even mentioned the tranny problems since i cant really take a picture of that to show anyone.

TheDon · #5 03-13-2006, 07:54 PM

well that blows.. and the car was facing north for most of its time the seller screwed you over.. id totally report that

jpchleapas · #6 03-13-2006, 08:00 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by kingkos

I feel like i should have known better than to buy a 25 year old car on ebay, but I thought the ad and the description of the car sounded too good to pass up. So I bought it, payed $1450 ($950 car + $500 shipping). Got it a couple days ago and it was a complete wreck! I thought he had sent me the wrong car. The car described in the ad had "no rust" and an "immaculate interior". Who is he kidding? The bottoms of all the doors are completely rusted out! There is moss growing on the inside of the rear windshield. The ebay item # is 4613053293. I've attached some pics. Never again will i take my chances with a car I dont see in person! Help. WHat are my options to get my money back? Ebay?...Paypal?... I contacted the seller but I dont think he is going to agree to giving me my money back. I realize that i didnt pay a ton of money and I didnt expect a brand new car, but when the guy uses the word "immaculate" to describe the interior, I didnt think that a big chunk of wood trim would be broken, or there would be a tear in the seat or moss growing on the rear windshield!

Steve, I paid 200 for all the front wood trim for my 300sd. I had the drivers seat side bolster leather replaced for $260 and that price included the front arm rest recovered at the same time on my 300SE. The leather expert did amazing work in Boston. If the car runs good you can scrounge doors for it easy enough. The bald tires are not a good sign of front end health and the broken windshield is expensive to replace. Try to work it out with the seller using the ebay dispute BEFORE you leave him any negative feedback.
Good luck! John

kingkos · #7 03-13-2006, 08:03 PM

haha, i just remembered the funniest thing was that despite the car being a complete wreck, it is the first pre-1992 benz that I've ever seen that actually has a working power antenna. its the only thing on the car that works. Is there a chance that I can actually get any money back?

Ramblin · #8 03-13-2006, 08:48 PM

What was the sellers feedback ...That tells all...

R Leo · #9 03-13-2006, 09:10 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by kingkos

haha, i just remembered the funniest thing was that despite the car being a complete wreck, it is the first pre-1992 benz that I've ever seen that actually has a working power antenna. its the only thing on the car that works.

That's worth something....

Brian Carlton · #10 03-13-2006, 09:22 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by kingkos

haha, i just remembered the funniest thing was that despite the car being a complete wreck, it is the first pre-1992 benz that I've ever seen that actually has a working power antenna. its the only thing on the car that works. Is there a chance that I can actually get any money back?

In reality, you paid $950.00 and received a vehicle that is worth about what you paid for it.

Now, you can fight with the seller to get a refund, but the best you could ever hope for would be to pay $500. to ship it back to him and then get your $950. back.

Doesn't seem to make sense to me. If you really don't like repairing it, just sell it the way it is. I'm sure you'll get more than $450. for it unless the engine and transmission are shot.........then it's truly a parts car and is not worth even that.

kingkos · #11 03-13-2006, 09:48 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Brian Carlton

In reality, you paid $950.00 and received a vehicle that is worth about what you paid for it.

Now, you can fight with the seller to get a refund, but the best you could ever hope for would be to pay $500. to ship it back to him and then get your $950. back.

Doesn't seem to make sense to me. If you really don't like repairing it, just sell it the way it is. I'm sure you'll get more than $450. for it unless the engine and transmission are shot.........then it's truly a parts car and is not worth even that.

In reality I paid $1450 (950 + 500) for a vehicle that should be scrapped. I agree that it makes no sense to send it back and pay for shipping, that is why I am insisting that the SELLER pay for the shipping back to him. It was his misleading ad that made me buy the car in the first place. If I received what was in the ad, I would have been happy. Heck I would have even been fine if the car has a couple of problems in addition to the ones he mentioned, but it has many many problems that he didnt mention which he should have. The car does have a decent engine and the bumpers are in good shape, but that is it. I am not a parts dealer or a mechanic, and dont really feel like going through the trouble of trying to take it apart peice by peice to try and get some of my money back. I really think that the seller shouyld take responsibility for ommitting very important things (bald tires, cracked windshield), and flat out lying about other things ("immaculate interior", "no rust" and "excellent paint"). Regardless of the price, I should have gotten what was in the ad, not this rusted out old beater. I will try and get some of my money back from him and sell the car for whatever I can get (hopefully $500).

Hit Man X · #12 03-13-2006, 09:49 PM

Those are some poor pictures of the vehicle!

pmari · #13 03-13-2006, 10:00 PM

You know I'm a vindictive SOB

I'd take a bunch more pictures copy the ebay ad and start a web page with just the facts. Then if I got no satisfaction from the seller, Id leave negitive feedback with a link to the web page and report him to ebay.I'd also contact every bidder on all his items. He will probably change his seller ID but I'd have some satisfaction. Now if I was really pissed, I'd George Hayduke 'em

Otherwise you have to go the legal route$$

Wodnek · #14 03-13-2006, 10:06 PM

You got a pre-installed $600 In Dash Alpine 3-disc changer Cd-Player. It is fully fucntional with good speakers.
In all seriousness that does suck. Even with the rust though if it is mechanicly sound you probably could get $1,500 for it.

Brian Carlton · #15 03-13-2006, 10:08 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by kingkos

In reality I paid $1450 (950 + 500) for a vehicle that should be scrapped. I agree that it makes no sense to send it back and pay for shipping, that is why I am insisting that the SELLER pay for the shipping back to him. It was his misleading ad that made me buy the car in the first place. If I received what was in the ad, I would have been happy. Heck I would have even been fine if the car has a couple of problems in addition to the ones he mentioned, but it has many many problems that he didnt mention which he should have. The car does have a decent engine and the bumpers are in good shape, but that is it. I am not a parts dealer or a mechanic, and dont really feel like going through the trouble of trying to take it apart peice by peice to try and get some of my money back. I really think that the seller shouyld take responsibility for ommitting very important things (bald tires, cracked windshield), and flat out lying about other things ("immaculate interior", "no rust" and "excellent paint"). Regardless of the price, I should have gotten what was in the ad, not this rusted out old beater. I will try and get some of my money back from him and sell the car for whatever I can get (hopefully $500).

I agree with you that the seller misrepresented the vehicle. No doubt about that. But, you'll never get him to agree to pay for the return shipping no matter how much of a blatant liar that he was.

All of these POS have a disclaimer in the listing that states that you understand and accept the vehicle in the condition that it is currently in. His verbal representations don't override the listing.

It's unfortunate, but it's very difficult to prevail under these situations.......impossible to prevail with shipping money.