PeachParts Mercedes-Benz Forum - View Single Post

gmercoleza · #6 10-11-2004, 05:28 PM

The ignition lock cylinder had been replaced.

As for the plugs/wires, all were in the same seized/stuck condition and all required pulverizing to get them out. Again, I am not making an issue of the cap/rotor/wires/plugs because the car ran flawlessly both before and after replacing them, and I only replaced them to ensure I passed the emissions test. So no complaints there.

I guess I could have done a more thorough inspection of the cosmetics at pickup, but to be honest I had to work until 1 AM the night before, then got up at 4 AM so my wife could get me to the airport on time, then waited at STL airport all day while he was at work. By the time we met around 6 PM, I was zombied and bloated on airport food, and coming down with the flu pretty badly. So I just checked for the big stuff - VIN matching the title and carfax, no big dents, no cracks in windshield, no dragging exhaust, no clouds of smoke behind the car, no major leaks, no slip in between transmission gears - you get the picture. In my physical and mental condition I did not even consider that there might be tiny gouges in the paint or cracks in the wood, etc. - after all, you saw his description and it said "nearly flawless" exterior. And he seemed so honest and upstanding both in his feedback and on the phone.

When I confronted him, he too told me I should have said something on the spot. But I told him I just didn't notice the flaws and trusted in his description - should I have automatically second-guessed him? What if it had been dark and rainy the day I came to pick it up? Should it be held against me if I only discover the flaws in the light of the next day? I don't think time changes the nature or severity of the flaws - it just puts several hundred miles between him and me. But in my opinion, whether or not the flaws were pointed out on the spot, they were there and were not disclosed, therefore his description, however well-intentioned, was at best inaccurate and misleading. What he is basically saying by his actions is that he would cheat a blind guy if he could.

I was hoping to forget the whole matter, after all what is a couple hundred bucks? From what I am learning in speaking to others and from this board, given the mechanical condition of the vehicle I still made out very well. Apparently cars in similar condition are selling for $5500 to $7000. However, due to his "that's your problem" attitude and his ignoring all my subsequent emails, I am now considering revising his 100% feedback rating, even though I know feedback is a 2-way street. I just want others both in his small hometown community and on eBay to think twice about his descriptions before buying from him. I have the ability to make a homepage with details and pictures from our transaction, then point to it with negative feedback posted on his ID.