another lesson learnt

Was this purchase made on EBay?

Considering the obvious problems hidden inside the engine, you'll get no response. You have been scammed. All you can do is plaster his name all over the forum or web site where you bought it from.

MJC

Yes, a most hard plastering is called for, by all means.

Ed Cregger

No, it was through RCU classifieds (not the new auction system). I don't want to name the seller as he seems to have a generally good reputation, he was very friendly in his E Mails and it may be that he was selling this on and unaware of the damage. I am prepared to give him a reasonable amount of time to respond before condemning him!

You are probably right. I have been a modeller for over 30 years, often bought & sold goods sight unseen on trust over the years and never had a problem, but this year I have this engine, and also had to get the police involved to collect money owed to me for a helicopter I sold. My faith in my fellow modeller is not what it was, sadly.

I hate to do that, it always seems to reflect badly on the plasterer.

That is just the reason not to bend over for this guy. From the damage you described, the seller should have offered immediate replacement or refund. I was contacted buy a guy on this group who purchased a plane from one of our club officers (Now a FORMER officer) he paid the guy, and never received the plane or a refund and the guy stopped responding to his Emails. He asked me if I would help him recover his $800.00. I had seen the plane in question, and know its history and who ended up with it, but I didn't know both sides of the story. When I privately brought this to his attention, his reaction made it clear he was trying to screw the guy. (Shocked look, dis-belief that I even found out about it, swore he sent the guy a refund check, etc) It took a while and the threat of going public but he finally coughed up the money. Good Luck, I hope it works out but you shouldn't hesitate letting everyone know who he is if this goes any more sour than it is now. Bill

Now that you mention it, it does, doesn't it?

Ed Cregger

The heli deal was face to face, to a friend of a friend, but turned out neither of them was really much of a friend! He paid up under threat from the police.

That's why I'd like to settle the matter privately, but if the guy won't respond, what am I to think ? Then again, if I go public and he's been out of town/sick/on holiday, whatever and returns to find me publicly insulting him, well..., I know what I'd think!

Further to the information below, I have now had a response from the gentleman concerned, predictably, he accuses me of damaging the engine myself, Quite frankly, in his shoes, I'd think the same (unless I knew the state it was in when I'd sold it!), so there is no redress. I have given away a brand new engine, plus postage across the world, in return for a worthless piece of junk. Lesson learnt. No more trades or internet deals for me.

I am now stuck with no only a worthless engine, but a new model I have built and nothing to put in it!

Sorry to hear you got taken. Caveat emptor always, though. Dr.1 Driver "There's a Hun in the sun!"

That is why I prefer EBay. Never been screwed, (but then never attempted to buy anything from anyone with a feedback rating of 30) Just my opinion. Bill

Good point. Also, never buy without GOOD pictures. I buy engines on eBay, but only if the seller will take a closeup through the exhaust opening with the piston at BDC. Closeups of the whole engine work, too. Dr.1 Driver "There's a Hun in the sun!"

Must admit that all my experiences on E Bay are as a seller. No problems, but I sell only good stuff!

This won't help you get your money back but it might make you feel a little better...

I had a non-payer on an Ebay deal once. No big deal, I hadn't shipped anything yet. But after two private emails to him asking him about it, he posts a negative feedback on me stating he had sent me the money but I had not sent the item. I also checked what else he was bidding on and found that he had purchased another item similar to what I was selling. He had obiviously changed his mind on my item. But the slander with the negative feedback pissed me off.

Well somewhere in the process of me trying to talk with this guy I had his phone number at home and his cell phone number. I called his home and his wife said he was out of town on business. Just happened he was in a town not far from where I lived. So I went to that town, with my wife, and had my wife make a very interesting phone call to his wife. Nothing to do with my transaction at all, just a nice conversation between girlfriend and wife.

I never got to hear or see the results, but just thinking about it makes me laugh my ass off every time......

I have been both a seller and buyer on EBay and I am very happy with the service so far. I have bought a fair variety of stuff there with no problems.

I like the way you think. :) Dr.1 Driver "There's a Hun in the sun!"