Hey VSTech -- how's Charolette, NC?

-- NO Driving whatsoever. I was advised the parts were already PULLED, ready to ship. Actually, I was already told the costs of shipping, et cet. The part was ready to go. As a professional courtesy, I will refrain from identifying the part BECAUSE it will be pretty easy to figure out who it may be.

thats the most retarded thing I've heard lately.

Hey,

What's retarded ? Asking for $35.00 for photo's OR asking whether or not this is uncommon?

Tell the seller that $35 per hour is reasonable, but to understand that you need to be paid $35 per hour to review the pics in question. Your time has value as well...

To charge for photos is INSANE. Being that it's a decade or more past a time when there was actually a material cost to take a photo, makes it even more galling. Reminds me of certain eBay retards who charge 200% of actual shipping AND a "handling" fee! Sheesh, "handling" the item - AND taking decent photos of it - is simply part of the cost of doing business.

Can you post more info so that we can find this fool online?

This is an easy one. He is just going to sit on these parts because he is unwilling to post pictures. I am not buying from a guy wanting to charge for pictures. If he is charging that for pictures, then he is likely going to ask retail on his used parts. No thanks...I would have to really need a part that I have had zero luck finding to go that route.

__________________
1987 300TDT - 195,000 (Original #14 head)
1993 190E 2.3 - 105,000
1981 300D - 250,000

Asking 35 bucks for a photo.

I gave this a little more thought. The seller pointed out in his last email to me how he just made mega money selling parts (I think he was alluding to his very forum), but he does not have time for pictures to make more money. NOW -- he's going to post pictures on Ebay in the hopes of selling the same part in an unknown market. So far, no Ebay listing, nada, zip. If his time was so precious, and he was unable to answer my simple questions in a straight forward fashion, then how could he find time to get and post pictures where he has no identified buyer ? This simply wipes out his very important time because he is now taking pictures, posting them, subject to questions and answers, and no guarantee of any buyers. As I said in the beginning of this post, after some thought, he story gets really flaky. But then again, I was cautioned by the seller to not get pushy -- or maybe probe his "story."

Poster wanted an EXTREMELY hard to find 123 Euro manual steering gear box. Wanted pics to verify that there were no holes in the unit for hoses.
I guaranteed that it was a true Euro manual steer and was helping him out at $85 plus shipping for the unit. Then he wanted pics of the unit & pics of the 4 manual crank window mechs OEM for a 123. An OEM mech is an OEM mech. I told him that they were still in the doors & had to be removed. Next thing... here came a boatload of emails. A $200 deal turned into a nightmare. Over 3 hours spent either on phone or digging up parts or answering emails. That is why I wanted $55 an hour for photography services (not the $35 he claimed).
I sell on Ebay & have a 100% positive feedback rating. But if I have to take all the pics...I might as well list it on Ebay & it would probably sell for 3 times the price I quoted him. I was trying to help him out. If you all want to black ball me my userid is: terrymeager I have sold tens of thousands of dollars in MBZ parts with no issues & the $85 isn't worth all the trouble. Sometimes U just need to cut bait & walk away.

Touche, and well spoken. Excuse our passion!

__________________
1987 300TDT - 195,000 (Original #14 head)
1993 190E 2.3 - 105,000
1981 300D - 250,000

Well there we go - two sides to every coin.

__________________
1992 W201 190E 1.8 171,000 km - Daily driver
1981 W123 300D ~ 100,000 miles / 160,000 km - project car stripped to the bone
1965 Land Rover Series 2a Station Wagon CIS recovery therapy!
1961 Volvo PV544 Bare metal rat rod-ish thing

I'm here to chat about cars and to help others - I'm not here "to always be right" like an internet warrior



Don't leave that there - I'll take it to bits!

Unfortunately, if Mr. Meager is going to come out of the wood work, he can at least be honest about what occured. I called him once as a result of his email to me and most of the talking was by him. His overall typing is about 100 words in a total of 6 emails, and he asked for $35 an hour for photos. Mr. Meager's "nightmare" was the result of his on-going failures to answer a simple question. Mr. Meager fails to point out that it was his 2nd email to me where he indicated I was being pushy for asking for pictures. That's right -- right up front he wanted money for pictures. Also, never asked for pictures of the manual window regulators. And, Mr. Meager agreed that I was probably the only person he heard of wanting a mechanical steering box. I opted to not disclose your name as a professional courtesy. BTW -- no one ever asked for your resume, just a definitive answer as to a part. As I said in my last email to you, I cannot wait to see your pictures on Ebay. Where are they and next time you come forward, be truthful.

Terry, I'm sorry but you are out of line. Especially if the buyer was looking for an EXTREMELY rare part. I'd want pics too. Unless I know the seller and have dealt with them before I always ask for pics. If you have really sold tens of thousands of dollars of parts on the web then you should know as well as anyone that pics are pretty much standard.

Greazzer don't beat yourself up. You didn't nothing wrong asking for pictures. It takes all of 5 or 10 minutes to snap a few pics. If I was buying a rare or hard to find part I'd want pics too.

__________________

OMG.

Seriously... read both sides here, and who cares. I'm a professional photographer and I don't even charge for parts pictures... god god. Even on NON rare parts. Your selling an item, the buyer has every reason to be entitled to what ever information required to show it the correct item and in the correct condition.

If you didn't want to deal with him, then end the transaction. But, to come back with a 55- hour charge for taking those pictures, your nutty.

Afternoon NGaRover -- I guess you're right to the extent of who cares. I care about individuals being truthful and accurately representing what occured and how it occured. Fabricating 3 hours for a 10 minute phone conversation and about 6 emails is false. Further, if the seller answered directly OR sent a picture up front as requested, then about 4 of the "nightmare" emails would have never occured. But, all those who responded did answer my concern: pictures are part of the process and not something paid for independently. I wasn't going bonkers afterall.

Because photo's are apparently more rare than a mechanical steering box for a W123 300D Turbo, 1985 4-door sedan, Does anybody out there have one ? I may be the universal demand for such a "RARE" part, but I am still looking for one. Mr. Meager was shipping me one for a total cost of $90. He already had the part pulled and knew the shipping costs to me. I am still accepting quotes at this price. Any takers ? I do want a picture, however.