Craigslist selling rant/looking for advice.

jdblood202

jdblood202

Member
#1
#1
Well, this is more of a rant but also looking for advice on how you guys would have dealt with this situation just for my own future reference. So, I do a lot of buying/selling on Craigslist. I buy car parts, fix them up/refurbish them as a side hobby, and sell them. An opportunity raised to pick up a F20c1, ( Honda s2000), shortblock for a good price. I bought it, the seller was a trusted guy on the s2000 forums and during the buying process he didn't give me any reason to doubt him. Although, idiot me, I didn't thoroughly check out the block. I was going to use the block for my own personal s2000 build, but after some financial issues came up, and the block sitting there for a month or two without me having any plan for its use, I decided to part with it. I put it up on CL for 400 bucks, to me a great price for a f20c1 shortblock with crank, rods, and pistons. Naturally it sold pretty quickly. A week later, the buyer contacts me saying he tried to use the block and it has a spun rod bearing. Now, I strive to be fair in all my dealings and I hate to think that I unintentionally sold someone a bad part, granted, he can still use the block, just not the crank. However, even though technically I have no obligation to do anything, I offered to refund half of the cost. He tried to push the issue and try to get me to refund him all of it, I said fine but give me the block back, then he backed off and said he's fine with just half refund. After that phone conversation, I feel like I just got majorly played. I already agreed to refund him, but technically there's no proof of anything and I have no obligation to really do anything. Although I'm not trying to ruin my reputation by being known to sell shitty parts. I'm just kind of wondering how some of you with more experience would have handled a situation like that. I tried to do what I felt was right, and I felt that he was just trying to take advantage of me. Oh well, at least I have nothing on my conscience. Sorry for the long post/rant, just kind of got me thinking.
 
R

rmm727

Active Member
#3
#3
Friend of a friend wrecked an R6. Threw part of it away in my friends dumpster. He asked me if I wanted any of it. Said sure and put some of it on ebay. Sold the rear subframe for like $20 plus shipping. Nothing wrong with it. Had to make a box for it but I think I made it sturdy enough. Buyer contacts me about 2 weeks later saying if arrived damaged or I shipped a damaged part. He wanted a refund. I said it was fine when I shipped and if UPS messed it up, I would initiate the process and UPS would need access to the item and packaging. Never heard another thing from him. Needless to say, I think this was a part that gets damaged when wheelies go wrong and he wanted the fix for free.
 
jdogg

jdogg

#4
#4
The consequences of being honest and having a conscience......probably not the best pair to have to make a profitable craigslist seller!! :laugh:
 
Stangrcr1

Stangrcr1

New Member
#6
#6
How do you know that guy didn't rev the motor to 9k and spun the bearing himself?

My rule when selling on Cl is "As is". Don't like it? Don't buy it.

And the buyer of that block was a moron for not checking it himself before using it.
 
superflea

superflea

#9
#9
I'd insist on getting the whole block back and give him a full refund. Pull the crank and sell the block for $300. If he backs off he is BS'ing you.:glare:
 
jdblood202

jdblood202

Member
#10
#10
That's where I f'd up though. For as much as I've sold, this is the first time a buyer has come back at me. At the moment I felt morally obligated, but now that I think about it I should have just ignored him. I already agreed to refund him half so I feel I can't back out of that now. Oh well. Live and learn I guess. People aren't as good as you want to believe. .....
 
ludicrous speed

ludicrous speed

New Member
#11
#11
jdblood202 said:
Well, this is more of a rant but also looking for advice on how you guys would have dealt with this situation just for my own future reference. So, I do a lot of buying/selling on Craigslist. I buy car parts, fix them up/refurbish them as a side hobby, and sell them. An opportunity raised to pick up a F20c1, ( Honda s2000), shortblock for a good price. I bought it, the seller was a trusted guy on the s2000 forums and during the buying process he didn't give me any reason to doubt him. Although, idiot me, I didn't thoroughly check out the block. I was going to use the block for my own personal s2000 build, but after some financial issues came up, and the block sitting there for a month or two without me having any plan for its use, I decided to part with it. I put it up on CL for 400 bucks, to me a great price for a f20c1 shortblock with crank, rods, and pistons. Naturally it sold pretty quickly. A week later, the buyer contacts me saying he tried to use the block and it has a spun rod bearing. Now, I strive to be fair in all my dealings and I hate to think that I unintentionally sold someone a bad part, granted, he can still use the block, just not the crank. However, even though technically I have no obligation to do anything, I offered to refund half of the cost. He tried to push the issue and try to get me to refund him all of it, I said fine but give me the block back, then he backed off and said he's fine with just half refund. After that phone conversation, I feel like I just got majorly played. I already agreed to refund him, but technically there's no proof of anything and I have no obligation to really do anything. Although I'm not trying to ruin my reputation by being known to sell shitty parts. I'm just kind of wondering how some of you with more experience would have handled a situation like that. I tried to do what I felt was right, and I felt that he was just trying to take advantage of me. Oh well, at least I have nothing on my conscience. Sorry for the long post/rant, just kind of got me thinking.
Click to expand...
if you issue any refund you should get the motor back.
otherwise,how do you know this guy hasnt substituted HIS junk motor that Looks like yours?
the way you describe him Acting,suggests this very thing..
and then he settles for what he can get you for,which turns out to be half...
sorry man..just thinking out loud..
 
jdblood202

jdblood202

Member
#13
#13
You both make a good point. I have a picture of my motors serial number. I'm going to see him tomorrow, I'll see if he's just trying to play me. I hate these stupid games.
 
Boomstick

Boomstick

New Member
#14
#14
I don't doubt he spun a bearing. He probably pounded on it or didn't assemble the thing as he should.

However, buying any used part is a gamble. It's the BUYER'S responsibility to look something over before they can gripe about it.


That's why I sell everything AS-IS. Everything I sell, I let the buyer look as far into it as they want (within reason, I don't let tire-kickers start ripping stuff apart in my garage). You get to hear it run, you get to fiddle with it & look. After that, once the transaction has been made, it's yours.

I got to a point with Craigslist where I have to straight up tell buyers that everything is sold as-is, no refunds.

I sold a 302 block (which I regret letting go of) that was prepped & ready to build to some buttwipe down by the shoreline. Guy puts it together in his basement, runs it, wipes a cam lobe. Apparently he thought that the block was to blame, & wanted a full refund (and if I wanted to buy the parts already in it, I could... lol). Not the first con job I've run into.

Nope. You buy it, you build it, it's your baby.
 
Boomstick

Boomstick

New Member
#15
#15
Honestly, I wouldn't refund a dime. Have him bring the engine along. If it was straight when you sold it to him, and he blew it, it's his problem. Because he did it & you shouldn't have to pay for HIS mistake.
 
jdblood202

jdblood202

Member
#17
#17
ludicrous speed said:
if you issue any refund you should get the motor back.
otherwise,how do you know this guy hasnt substituted HIS junk motor that Looks like yours?
the way you describe him Acting,suggests this very thing..
and then he settles for what he can get you for,which turns out to be half...
sorry man..just thinking out loud..
Click to expand...
This is exactly what happened. I went to his place today to look at it, he had swapped in my motor, and was trying to scam me out with his motor with a spun rod bearing. I thought he was going to fight me when I called him out. Chalk that one up to a bad Craigslist experience......some people.
 
jdogg

jdogg

#18
#18
jdblood202 said:
This is exactly what happened. I went to his place today to look at it, he had swapped in my motor, and was trying to scam me out with his motor with a spun rod bearing. I thought he was going to fight me when I called him out. Chalk that one up to a bad Craigslist experience......some people.
Click to expand...
Man sorry to hear that!! But do tell more about catching him trying to pull a fast one and you calling him on it!! :hammer::laugh: Too funny!! Glad it didnt get physical but please elaborate on the story!! :thumbsup:
 
jdblood202

jdblood202

Member
#19
#19
Well, I'm not much for storytelling, but the instant I walked into his gargage and saw "my" bad motor on the engine stand I knew it wasn't the one I sold him. I told him that wasn't the motor I sold him, he insisted it was, I pulled out my phone and showed him the picture I took of my motor's serial number, (which obviously didn't match the other motor), and he started to get major attitude. To make things worse for him, his s2000 is sitting right there, hood up, cylinder head pulled with MY block perfectly installed. I got mad and made a snide comment on how it was funny that the motor that is installed in his car has the same serial number of the one that's on my phone. He then tried to tell me that I had agreed to buy his bad motor when we talked on the phone??? At that point I just turned around to leave, he starts yelling and as I'm walking to my car he makes it a point to walk right behind me all the way talking shit. I didn't want to turn around and face him, but I definetly did not feel comfortable having my back turned to him. I was just glad to get out of there. No reason for any of that, you got a great deal on a complete short block that worked, what are you mad about?????
 
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