PatsPolara
Well-Known Member
So I picked up a '70 Coronet project recently, and then started parts hunting. I contacted another FBBO member who had advertised Coronet parts. I told him among other things that I needed the metal back for a glovebox door (I specified the backing plate with hinge) and a pair of headlight assemblies. In response he offered a whole glovebox door, and I said great I'll take it. I also asked whether the plastic headlight shrouds had any cracks, he checked and said they didn't. I went ahead and paid for the headlight assemblies, the glovebox door, and shipping.
Fast forward, I get the parts and the glovebox door isn't there. The only thing he sent was the hinge from the door. One of the headlight shrouds is also cracked. I contact him and tell him that the glovebox door is missing and the shroud is cracked. He responds that he left out the glovebox door to try to save on shipping costs.
This is nonsense for a couple of reasons. First of all, I paid for the complete glovebox door, so that's what I should have gotten, cut and dry, no excuses.
Second of all, a glovebox door only weighs a pound or two at most, and that weight is negligible when it's packed in with two large, heavy headlight assemblies (steel mounting brackets, buckets, rings, headlights, etc.) In other words the glovebox door wouldn't make any difference in the shipping price. So his explanation doesn't wash. I think that at some point he must have said to himself, "He doesn't really need the whole door, so I'll keep it and try to sell it to someone else" and just sent me the hinge. Again, the hinge isn't what I originally asked for; originally I asked for the backing plate (which covers the entire back of the door) plus the hinge. So I didn't even get the minimum parts that I needed. If he really had a problem paying for shipping he should have contacted me. But he kept the door without even talking to me.
When I asked him to send the rest of the glovebox door he said he would send it if I pay for shipping...again. I said, "I already paid for the complete door and shipping so I don't want to pay shipping again." He ignored my message. I emailed him two more times and asked him to mail me the rest of the glovebox door. He ignored me again. I wrote to him a fourth time, and threatened to post about the problem on the forum. He answered, "If you drag my name through the mud I'll do the same to you," and said that I'm "trying to get something for nothing." Then he tells me I'm a "nutcase" because I want the parts that I bought. Completely obstinate, can't even admit he's at fault. He tells me to return the parts at my own expense ($75 postage) if I'm not happy. Huh? I have to lose $75 because he doesn't want to send me what I bought? So I said I'll return everything if he pays the shipping, which of course he won't. No matter what, this guy doesn't want to spend another cent out of his own pocket to make things right or to honor the agreement that we had. Total self-serving cheapskate.
On the broken headlight shroud I gave him the benefit of the doubt and filed a damage claim with UPS. As the shipper he needs to fill out the paperwork. He's refusing to do it, so I'm screwed on that too.
I've been building cars and buying and selling parts for almost 30 years, so I know when I'm getting shafted and fed BS. This is one of those times. Maybe hearing it from other people will get him to do the right thing and send me the rest of the door and take care of the damage claim paperwork.
Fast forward, I get the parts and the glovebox door isn't there. The only thing he sent was the hinge from the door. One of the headlight shrouds is also cracked. I contact him and tell him that the glovebox door is missing and the shroud is cracked. He responds that he left out the glovebox door to try to save on shipping costs.
This is nonsense for a couple of reasons. First of all, I paid for the complete glovebox door, so that's what I should have gotten, cut and dry, no excuses.
Second of all, a glovebox door only weighs a pound or two at most, and that weight is negligible when it's packed in with two large, heavy headlight assemblies (steel mounting brackets, buckets, rings, headlights, etc.) In other words the glovebox door wouldn't make any difference in the shipping price. So his explanation doesn't wash. I think that at some point he must have said to himself, "He doesn't really need the whole door, so I'll keep it and try to sell it to someone else" and just sent me the hinge. Again, the hinge isn't what I originally asked for; originally I asked for the backing plate (which covers the entire back of the door) plus the hinge. So I didn't even get the minimum parts that I needed. If he really had a problem paying for shipping he should have contacted me. But he kept the door without even talking to me.
When I asked him to send the rest of the glovebox door he said he would send it if I pay for shipping...again. I said, "I already paid for the complete door and shipping so I don't want to pay shipping again." He ignored my message. I emailed him two more times and asked him to mail me the rest of the glovebox door. He ignored me again. I wrote to him a fourth time, and threatened to post about the problem on the forum. He answered, "If you drag my name through the mud I'll do the same to you," and said that I'm "trying to get something for nothing." Then he tells me I'm a "nutcase" because I want the parts that I bought. Completely obstinate, can't even admit he's at fault. He tells me to return the parts at my own expense ($75 postage) if I'm not happy. Huh? I have to lose $75 because he doesn't want to send me what I bought? So I said I'll return everything if he pays the shipping, which of course he won't. No matter what, this guy doesn't want to spend another cent out of his own pocket to make things right or to honor the agreement that we had. Total self-serving cheapskate.
On the broken headlight shroud I gave him the benefit of the doubt and filed a damage claim with UPS. As the shipper he needs to fill out the paperwork. He's refusing to do it, so I'm screwed on that too.
I've been building cars and buying and selling parts for almost 30 years, so I know when I'm getting shafted and fed BS. This is one of those times. Maybe hearing it from other people will get him to do the right thing and send me the rest of the door and take care of the damage claim paperwork.
good luck keep us updated
