Your Opinion..............
 

So I recently sold a vintage r/c body on ebay. It was new in package, never opened. I packaged it up with photos before the ride. Body was not damaged while I owned it nor before it went into the box.
Buyer gave me a bit of trouble since we got a blizzard here and I didnt get a chance to ship it out the next day. My policy time is 5-12 business days and it arrived on the last day. I upgraded the shipping via Priority mali with full ins paid by me since he had a hard time accepting paying an additional $3.35 for it. He states it arrived on the 22nd but body has damage and he thinks its from the contents that are inside from the company, the pamphlets, sticker sheet.
Here are his 1st photos.
Outside shot of body
http://i495.photobucket.com/albums/r...72/damage0.jpg

Inside shot
http://i495.photobucket.com/albums/r...2/damage00.jpg



I requested a outside photos of the damage since I cant really tell what kind of damage he is trying to show with the darkness and glare going on.
Here are the new ones taken outside as I requested. Which he didnt seem to like me requesting them.

http://i495.photobucket.com/albums/r...2/damage_1.jpg



http://i495.photobucket.com/albums/r...72/damage2.jpg




What is your take??? Do you believe papers or windown masks can cause this type of damage?


Ill withhold my opinion at this time as Im curious to see what others think.


The buyer doesnt want to file the ins. claim thru the post office. Claims I will have his money and they will take the body.

Btw here are my photos before I shipped it to him

http://i495.photobucket.com/albums/r...2/nodamage.jpg

http://i495.photobucket.com/albums/r.../nodamage2.jpg

Re: Your Opinion..............
 

Appears that there is a pull/scuff in the paint mask on the body.
I don't see a scratch into the body itself.
A small piece of tape over the hole in the body masking will work fine for when it's painted.

I'd be leery of him not wanting to utilize the PO insurance.
It's a win for him unless his name is red flagged through post office concerning too many claims?

Me personally, I would give him the option of sending it back to you at his expense with insurance and refund when it arrives.
You'll each be out shipping and insurance but a small price for you to pay to keep a happy customer and a small price for him to pay to not be stuck with what he feels is a damaged item.

Re: Your Opinion..............
 

I think he is one of those guys trying to get some of his money back just to lower the price. If there is indeed damage why is he afraid of filing a insurance claim? But with that said Ebay usually sides with the buyer.

Re: Your Opinion..............
 

THX_138 - I thought the same thing about the paint mask. I questioned myself if I remembered correctly or not if there was one on it or not. I looked over all my photos and some bodies I have that are in my containers and I dont see a "easy peel" sticker on that vette body like others I have that do have that sticker.
By the new photos from outside I can see there is no paint mask on there. I even asked him and he confirmed that there was none. I thought the same as you that the masking was peeled and he assumed it was damaged.
I dont want an unhappy customer nor do I want to lose this case but I certainly feel his arrogance in the beginning and complaints of insurance coverage and not paying for it makes me wonder if he is being a fake on this or not. If the paper contents from the inside made that damage why did the rear window get the same amount of damage. Why was it only focused on that area? And for the lenght of the papers inside it would make me believe that rub mark would but an upward motion. Also he claims its on the inside so really that puts the axe to the paint mask damage since he states its on the inside and not outside.
I was leery of the denial of the ins. claim as well. I also thought about telling him to send it back but since its damaged and wasnt before I am stuck with someone elses mistake. I felt I sold the body in new condition and accepting it back after what ever happened to it was unfair to me. I would be stuck trying to sell something that really wont sell for the amount it sold for in the beginning.

sherbs - those were my exact thoughts as well. He knows its very rare body to come across. I have looked high and low for it myself and when I did find one I didnt hesitate to buy it. I never saw one listed any where after I bought it esp. new in package.

My funds are frozen due to his request for return. I dont accept returns on my listings. I called in and one agent told me to offer a partial return on it or ask him to send photos of the packaging. Which I bubble wrapped the heck out of it. Not the small bubble wrap the large stuff. It looked like a pillow from all the wrapping. lol! But when I heard his response about not wanting to file the ins. claim I thought the same thing.

I also questioned and wondered if he had another body that was damaged and is tryin to play switch-a-roo on me. Give me the lousy damaged one back and collect the new in bag.

When I called back after hearing his refusal of the ins. claim. The 2nd agent stated he doubted the paper could make such a scratch. He said to wait it out and see if the buyer sends anymore photos. He states that one photo isnt enough. He saw all my photos I sent to the buyer thru messages on there. I havent submitted any photos to the case yet.

Im a legitimate seller and wouldnt sell something flawed w.o pointing it out but with the horror stories I hear about ebay siding with the buyers all the time I dont want to lose out on this either. I mean I paid for the ins. on it and feel I should be able to file a claim on it.

If I offered a partial refund to just rid this case without ebay stepping in and siding for him how much is a reasonable offer. My thought were between $8 to $15 tops. And $15 is pushing it as I stated to him the scratches look to be on the window mainly. He said about paint and it showing up once painted. I also asked if he was going to paint the windows or spray tint them????? No answer. I just feel he is trying to recoupe some cash on it. Esp. since he doesnt want to submit the ins. claim. He states it shoudl be 100% but yet wants to keep the body? I also explained to ebay that if he uses this body its only going to be used and scratched up anyway.

Re: Your Opinion..............
 

i'd be willing to bet theres something shady going on. if he wont ship it back for a refund it means he's happy with it.

no way a sticker card or window masks would scratch lexan like that.

Re: Your Opinion..............
 

Hard to tell from your pictures, but is your body the same as the one in my picture below?

This was a NOS piece I had kicking around in a bag for a long long time that I opened and painted over the winter. (Bumpers have primer on outside to accept bare metal foil that's not on there yet)

I know you're up in the air about a paint mask on yours, but I can assure you 100% that mine had a paint mask on it. It was not the heavy thick blue mask that we are all familiar with, it was thin, very clear and super hard to take off.

Odd most of the damage is in the window, the same place most people cut out and throw away anyhow if going for something with interior.

Re: Your Opinion..............
 

Personally, I think he already had that body, with the damage, bought yours, and is now trying to convince you that you sent a defective body, and get his money back, while you get stuck with the bad body. Why else wouldn't he do the insurance claim?

Re: Your Opinion..............
 

You're kind of in a corner ... firstly, insurance is paid by the shipper and therefore the shipper files the claim and gets the reimbursement. The receiver and the shipper have to work together on the claim or no-go.
secondly, eBay almost ALWAYS sides with the buyer nowadays. If you can't reach an agreement, they may refund him (from you) AND let him keep the body.
If you offer a "return for full refund", he should have to send it back (at least) to get a refund. eBay isn't as seller-friendly as they used to be, it seems.
I could be wrong, but this is my experience .... from both sides.

:)

Re: Your Opinion..............
 

THX 138. Yes sir. That's the body. Do you recall when you bought yours? I know I bought mine around 2004 as I still have the receipt of purchase from it. I know it wasnt the old lexan they use to do these bodies up with. It was a more modern lexan used. IIRC it was 0.60 thick. And I couldve sworn there was a paint mask on it. But since its no longer in my hands I couldnt confirm that. And with the photos I cant seem to find the easy peel sticker.

Do you recall if your paint mask had that notification sticker on it?

But the other part to this is he is claiming the scratch is on the inside of the body. As he said,"these bodies get painted on the inside". As if I wasnt aware of that??? *smh*

It still does make me believe that he couldve roughed up the paint mask to make it look damaged and is fabbing a story up about the papers damaging it.

Im glad to hear alot of your comments guys. I do appreciate ya chiming in. It makes me feel better knowing Im not going crazy here and my sense of thoughts are still intact. lol!

Mike Flea, Those were my relatives first thoughts as well when I told him the story.

dr frankenstyle. I hear what your saying and I do believe your statements to be true about all of it. Its a very sticky situation to be in. He is looking for a full refund on the body. And Im still thinking of filing the ins. claim online with USPS even if he doesnt want to. But since I dont have the item and say I file it then I would have to get him to cooperate to take the item over to his post office I would assume. No? I know they will want the item as I remember that was what I was told years ago.

Re: Your Opinion..............
 

Exactly my first thought.

We will never know what happened during shipping but I dont see that damage being caused from it.

Sad, this is the world we live in, with scum bags tying to pull this shit.

Re: Your Opinion..............
 

I just looked up your completed eBay auction and see he paid $150 for it.
I'd be fighting the full refund unless you get body back in your hands with all original packaging it sent with.

As to the notification sticker of it having a peelable mask, no mine had none.
I opened mine from a brand new bag and kit. It had no notification sticker on it.
I think back then they just assumed people in the hobby were smart enough to know what they were buying and didn't label every last thing including don't put empty bag over your head like they do now.

Although it's always a possibility that he might have had an identical body.... I kinda doubt it.
One... it's a crazy rare body and they aren't found unpainted much any more.
Two... it's not enough damage to go through all this hassle. It honestly just looks like a scuff in the mask.

Re: Your Opinion..............
 

Sounds like the Bum is trying to get his money back and keep the body. I sell every now and then on ebay, when I get paid I transfer the $$ to the bank account then transfer to my other bank account not listed with paypal. I keep a 2 or 3 dollar balance with the PP bank account. I have never had a issue, but just in case.

Re: Your Opinion..............
 

Thank THX 138 for confirming about the paint mask. Its been a long time and I dont really remember but I do remember what type of thin clear mask that came on those bodies. And yes they were a pain to peel off. They would break in spots and it was start all over process.

Yes it was a nice chunk of change I got for it and I am disgruntled over this whole ordeal. The more and more I look at his supposed damaged photo I think you are correct with the paint mask roughed up.
Again BIG Thank you for posting whatcha did. It refreshed my memory more and did help out with this situation. Also thanks for letting me know there was no warning sticker on the body. And yes youre correct, back then we knew what needed to be done to them without any instructions on what was needed for em. The companies have made it easier for the new ppl getting into the hobby that may not have anyone to help them out. But the old way was if you didnt know ask the hobby selling and he set ya up with what ya needed. lol!

I am trying to fight this. Its not going to be an easy battle but no warrior puts down his sword and gives up. At least not this one anyway!

I really feel like calling this guy and making a trip over to his house and view the body myself. Its probably a 2-3 hour ride for me. Thinking about it!!!

Shrebs, just be careful. You are doing the same thing I have done but Paypal just puts your account into the negative (red) and when you get a payment into the account the balance slowly works back up to a 0.00 +. So either way they have you over the barrel. I know a friend that actually zeroed out his paypal & bank account balance and they couldnt get anything but paypal sent it to a collection agency and his credit got ruined.Something similar like this happened to him as well and he wasnt going to be taken advantage of but it still haunts him now when he applies for credit, its following him. :(