eBay woes

[SetofAces]

So I ordered an explorer intake from ebay almost 3 weeks ago for full pop ($299 shipped); it looked very clean, and at the time was one of the only Explorer intakes available for a buy-it-now transaction, so I purchased it because I needed one quick because I'm doing a h/c/i swap on my only car.

Much to my surprise, when I received the intake a little over a week ago, I found that not only was it missing the phenolic heat spacer that was advertised with it, but the lower had a large MADE IN CHINA stamp on the back of it (and no Ford part no.)

The intake was very clearly advertised as an Explorer intake, "same version as GT40 tubular and 93 Cobra." So I paid for an American manufactured Explorer intake, and received Chinese garbage (I've discovered all of the problems people have reported with these lowers). Here's a link to the item description: http://cgi.ebay.com/ebaymotors/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&ssPageName=STRK:MEWNX:IT&item=350149304543

I'm disputing this with the buyer through paypal, but his messages so far have been if anything rather threatening (while being cordial in the paypal dispute console of course), and he keeps insisting that the intake is a "matched set" and that replacing the Chinese casting with an American one is on me, and he refuses to compensate me for shipping. Paypal informed me that I'll likely get a full refund, including the original shipping, should the claim be decided in my favor.

However, I already shipped out the lower, but the seller reneged on a promise to ship the correct lower the same day that I shipped the incorrect one, and now says that he will give me a refund only when he verifies the condition of the intake, and that "any necessary repairs will be taken out of the refund for the purchase price."

Fearing that he'll try to screw me, I've already canceled shipment of the lower so that I can get it back and properly document its condition. I think I've done everything that I can here for the moment, but does anyone have experience with paypal disputes, and if so would you care to comment on my chances for a favorable settlement, or do you have any advice? I've never had to deal with this kind of BS before through eBay, and I'm rather stressed out about it ($300 is a lot of money for me at the moment).

I appreciate any response, thanks.

 

[SetofAces]

AWWW man, I screwed up. I found a complete explorer intake (with TB, injectors, everything!) for buy-it-now of $225; the seller said it was from a 97, so I was just waiting for him to give me the part no. (I thought it had the ACT boss but wasn't sure). Well, someone else just bought it; life sucks lol

 

[NIKwoaC]

Shoot, man, I got mine for like 175, and I thought that was steep. For 300, I'd have coughed up another 100$ for a new Trick Flow unit.

Go to a JY, you're likely to find one for real cheap.

As far as the ebay thing goes, keep fighting the good fight. Hope you win this one.

 

[Darkwriter77]

eBay FTL.

Craigslist FTW.

There are scam artists and ripoff crooks everywhere in every biz, but at least with CL you can see the merchandise in person and inspect it so that you know what you're actually paying for, and you don't have to mess with shipping.

 

[stykthyn]

I have really gotten away from the whole ebay thing, I have been burned in nearly everey car part I have purchased. I stick to craigslist and forum classifieds now.

 

[SetofAces]

Shoot, man, I got mine for like 175, and I thought that was steep. For 300, I'd have coughed up another 100$ for a new Trick Flow unit.

Go to a JY, you're likely to find one for real cheap.

As far as the ebay thing goes, keep fighting the good fight. Hope you win this one.

The last time I actually saw an explorer at the junkyard, it was roped off a day before anyone was allowed to pull parts from it; I got there 2 hours before the place opened, and was the fifth person in line . . . until 20 people shoved their way infront of everyone. To be fair, I think the toolbox that the group of people had that were already ripping apart the Explorer by the time I got to it had been placed in front of me before I got to the yard and got in line. Too many people know about these intakes around here (bay area ca), if I'd gotten to the Explorer first I could've had the heads and intake for $120, or the whole motor for $240 . . . that was a bad day for me, I was really bummed.

As far as CL, I saw an abundance of GT40 intakes and heads for cheap months ago when I didn't have the money; now that I do there is NOTHING (always seems to work out that way, doesn't it?).

There's one on Ebay for $175 complete with everything but the EGR (not sure about the injectors, I'd love to have those too), but I'm just waiting to find out the casting no. because there's only one pic and I can't see if it has the ACT boss or not.

 

[SetofAces]

Shoot, man, I got mine for like 175, and I thought that was steep. For 300, I'd have coughed up another 100$ for a new Trick Flow unit.

Go to a JY, you're likely to find one for real cheap.

As far as the ebay thing goes, keep fighting the good fight. Hope you win this one.

Thanks, me too!

 

[SetofAces]

eBay FTL.

Craigslist FTW.

There are scam artists and ripoff crooks everywhere in every biz, but at least with CL you can see the merchandise in person and inspect it so that you know what you're actually paying for, and you don't have to mess with shipping.

Yeah, shipping on the bigger items really adds up. I thought I'd be ok considering the seller had over 1100 transactions with zero negative feedback in the last year; I don't know why he's being such a prick about this, and I find it hard to believe that he's truly ignorant of what he sold me.

 

[Mustang5L5]

I'd go for a full refund and just send him everything back. Eat your shipping costs if you have to..just get your money back.

 

[Darkwriter77]

FWIW, there's usually at least two or three ads on any given day of the week listed on Craigslist in my area for around $250.

 

[SetofAces]

FWIW, there's usually at least two or three ads on any given day of the week listed on Craigslist in my area for around $250.

There's nothing around here right now; I've even posted wanted ads for an intake and a few other parts, bt only had one response for an intake and the guy flaked out. Oh well, theres a few on ebay right now that would probably be fine.

 

[mob]

Good luck man, that guy sounds like a douche bag, I remember the thread about the lower intake. I just sold mine on corral for 195 shipped with fuel rail and stock injectors, should have gone there, they go all the time for that price. Try and get a refund and shop on corral and get one for half the price.

 

[ID89GT]

My buddy works at a parts yard here locally and has a 97 Mountaineer that he said I could have the intakes off of for only 70 dollars plus my stock intake

 

[SetofAces]

My buddy works at a parts yard here locally and has a 97 Mountaineer that he said I could have the intakes off of for only 70 dollars plus my stock intake

Not bad at all! I think I could've gotten on from my local yard for $40 if I'd left it bolted together, never got the chance to find out. Just remember to make sure the casting ends with "BA" if you have a fox and need EGR, I can't live without EGR because my car is my daily driver (besides, just about everything else on the car is smog-legal anyways, may as well keep it that way).

Good luck, wish I could find a deal like that.

 

[SetofAces]

Good luck man, that guy sounds like a douche bag, I remember the thread about the lower intake. I just sold mine on corral for 195 shipped with fuel rail and stock injectors, should have gone there, they go all the time for that price. Try and get a refund and shop on corral and get one for half the price.

I'll take a look for sure.

 

[sj9ers]

The last time I actually saw an explorer at the junkyard, it was roped off a day before anyone was allowed to pull parts from it; I got there 2 hours before the place opened, and was the fifth person in line . . . until 20 people shoved their way infront of everyone. To be fair, I think the toolbox that the group of people had that were already ripping apart the Explorer by the time I got to it had been placed in front of me before I got to the yard and got in line. Too many people know about these intakes around here (bay area ca), if I'd gotten to the Explorer first I could've had the heads and intake for $120, or the whole motor for $240 . . . that was a bad day for me, I was really bummed.

Hey I live in the Bay Area and that happened to me a month ago too. Was this junkyard in San Jose by the Berryessa Flea Market? Because I know they also had a white explorer with a v8 roped off the day before people were allowed to pick parts from it.

 

[SetofAces]

Hey I live in the Bay Area and that happened to me a month ago too. Was this junkyard in San Jose by the Berryessa Flea Market? Because I know they also had a white explorer with a v8 roped off the day before people were allowed to pick parts from it.

Ah, yeah, that would be the one. Too many people around here; if I ever have the luck of finding another one at picknpull, I think I just might camp out in the parking lot lol . . . wait no, it was at the other location, the one off of 13th/old oakland rd. (unless I'm mixing them up, I always do that. . .) Also this was more like 2 or 3 months ago I think

 

[hsean]

i have had good results with ebay until 5 months ago .i won a bid for a 93 oem cobra bumper and the guy would not ship it out. the guy had a bumper bar that was supposed to go with the bumper and he claimed he sold it .we both came to an agreement on a price lower than the ebay checkout price.i paid him through paypal not knowing that it was not covered by ebay rules.i had went outside of ebay by not hitting the ebay checkout and i was not protected.i disputed it with paypal and they ruled in my favor but there were no funds in his account and told me that when the funds were there i would get my money back.long story short after speaking with my attorney and letting him know that he was going to pay for his fees plus court fees he finally relented and sent me the part .it took him 2 months to ship me this part and all he did was bubble wrap it .i was surprised to see it came in one piece but i was one of the lucky ones.i guess the moral of my story is don't go outside of ebay when purchasing your part.i saved myself a hundred bucks but in the end it was not worth the aggravation.

 

[90lxcoupe]

my friend bought a whole expoler for 400 bucks...

 

[Cobra912]

I've bought thousands in parts on Ebay but lately I'm feeling pretty cold towards it. I bought a new set of Ford Racing plug wires that were supposedly "on their way" after 2 months - scammer............