Why I will never do business with "DieselKraut" again
 

For those who don't know him, DieselKraut is a regular on Benzworld forums. Before I begin, I want to establish a couple things upfront:

1) I'm fully aware that DieselKraut aka Garrett has been a member on the Benzworld forums for awhile, that he is knowledgeable and that he has worked with members there.

2) I'm also aware that I am partly responsible for this outcome. I just felt the need to share my experience on every forum out there, so that another member has the benefit of my experience to reflect on.

Approximately 1 year ago i.e. June 2015, DieselKraut and I made a deal for 4 aluminum MB 14X6 rims. They are hard to find and DieselKraut was the only seller who accepted my offer for them. My initial interactions with him were excellent - he seemed incredibly polite, knowledgeable, responsive and helpful. It was clear that he needed someone in the UK to source parts for him and this was something I was happy to do for him. Initially, he asked for a set of 230 55 390 tires, only available across the pond. When those tires became unavailable to purchase, DieselKraut accepted my cash offer of $560 and threw in a 5th rim to close the deal. To be clear, our agreement was now for a set of 5 wheels, an undeniably great deal.

This is important because, as the weeks became months, DieselKraut's replies became less frequent and soon he began claiming that the 5th wheel was never part of the deal. However, he continued to promise to send it to me. Excuses followed apologies, ranging from his poor financial condition, the cost to ship the wheel to me (which I offered to cover part of), his new job and his long commute etc. I made the mistake of giving him the benefit of the doubt and accepting his new commitments. He even sent me a picture of the 5th wheel and offered to fix it before shipping.

In May of 2016, 11 months after our original agreement. I gave him an ultimatum. DieselKraut agreed to send me the wheel in "..less than a month". That never happened and so, today, 13 months after our agreement, I am left with no choice but to write off the wheel.

I'd like to warn those of you who chose to do business with him. Take the goods/ services first, given how irresponsible and untrustworthy he has proved to be. Please feel free to PM me for the exact correspondence or with any questions you may have. And if you feel like I've misrepresented him in anyway, I am happy to engage you on the subject and will apologize if you prove me wrong.

So he sent you the four wheels but not the fifth wheel ?

I picked up the 4 wheels when he was passing through town. Never sent the 5th as promised before he was paid.

Make it simple: return the 4 rims and get your money back. If there was a legitimate misunderstanding, and they do in fact happen, simply undo the transaction.

I would. The problem is the wheels (and I) are now in the UK. Shipping them back would be prohibitively expensive.

If he agreed to ship the 5th wheel, it was all on him to figure out the shipping price before agreeing. At this point, he should either pay it, even if he loses money (unlikely) or offer to refund the value of the wheel. Whining about unrelated things like job and commute demonstrates an unprofessional bent. I think you paid premium for the wheels, so he should satisfy you. I have picked up perfect Bundt wheels at junkyards, usually in the spare tire well, for ~$20 but that is easier in CA.

He did agree on the 5th wheel (I have several emails and he even sent me a picture of it with a lip bend before shipping).

To be fair to him, these aren't the Bundt wheels. They're the pressed alloy wheels that look like a steel wheel. I've seen them sell for more.

That being said, the wheels aren't perfect and we had an agreement on the set of 5. What is really jarring is how altered his sense of reality is. Commitments on several dates to ship meant nothing and the range of excuses that appeared out of nowhere are truly mind boggling. He claimed he was broke and then posted a thread where he wanted to purchase 15 inch ATS rims.

He has done work for a few Benzworld members in the past, and so, it is difficult for folks on that forum to speak up against his fraudulent behavior.

The 240d rims that wear the hubcaps ? They are extremely light and easy to bend if you dont put a good size tire on the set. Ive had a few sets ,I like the fact when your changing your tire you have at least 5 pounds less to pull off and put back on vs the bundts.You have a pic of the set?

Yes, those are the ones. I have a pic lying around I could dig up. The rims are great. Sadly, not much I can do about the seller.

I am assuming from this story that DieselKraut is in the United States?

This may or may not be relevant to this story. But I throw it out as related information.

Most people, unless they ship overseas regularly, aren't aware how steeply international postal rates have increased over the last few years here in Canada and the USA. The increases have been extreme when it comes to large and/or heavy items, or oddly shaped boxes (for example, something long and narrow).

I sell on eBay and pretty much ship anywhere -- and I have had arguments over and over with people in Europe, the FSU and the middle east who can't or won't believe what it costs now to ship parcels overseas from the US/Cda. And we don't have the cut rate courier services you seem to have there (and I have to ask myself, why?, on that one. interesting that Amazon is gearing up to launch its own delivery arm).

For example, I guy just asked me to quote on shipping an OM617 water pump housing to Uruguay. Using a normal box size for such an item, it came back as $114 for air parcel. I recalculated down to a custom cut box (only an inch or two difference on each dimension, if that) and it's $44 for air.

Around 2005 I was sending large boxes full of NA-spec headlight assemblies to a contact in Germany for that price. He was sending me back Euro spec takeoff lights from recyclers, that I sold on eBay.

Also I have found as a general rule that on any deal, be it with a private individual or a business, any delay is a bad sign. Generally if things don't click click click into place immediately, chances of the deal going south or being stinky in some form increase exponentially with each passing week. This has held true for me with parts and entire cars. Took me a while to learn. Not even sure I have learned....

The 240D rims are 5 1/2" x 14" The 300D rims are 6" x 14". The price you paid was insanely good, but if it wasn't the deal you were signed up for then it still isn't a great transaction. I've never sold the aluminum steelies for anything like that price (on the 6" wheels). And I've probably sold as many sets as anyone...

Yes, he's based on the West Coast and is a travelling mechanic. He has worked on several Benzworld member cars. To your point on shipping costs, I'm aware that things have gotten expensive and even offered to help him with shipping. To your point on delays, I began to suspect I would never see the wheel when he posted a WTB 15 ATS Bundt wheel thread while claiming that he was broke to me. I said he was dishonest. Not smart.


I'm aware I got a great deal. But the deal was for 5 (14X6) wheels and not 4. I fear it may be hard for me to find someone willing to sell me a single wheel unless I find something on Ebay.

It will take me about three weeks, but I have a storage facility in which I have at least 6 of those wheels. Since I would only need 5 at the most, if I have a sixth, I'll sell it at a reasonable price, since you need it.

You must give me some time to find it and let me know if you want me to look.

Then we can do the rest by PM.

Very kind of you
 

Genuinely considerate of you. Let me know if you find them. Thanks!

I might have a spare too i think. Go with Strelnik first since he was the first who posted. :)