Well Mrs wanted a new set of wheels for her Mini Cooper S so bought these off eBay



Now problem is I've taken them to a wheel place to have tyres fitted where they've told me the wheels have been welded after being cracked!!!



Now I've contacted the buyer as this was his description from the listing



I've kindly asked him to refund me as he never mentioned they had previously been repaired which he's replied if I can provide a professional report saying they are unsafe then he's not willing to accept the return...

What I want to know is after opening a case through eBay where would I stand with this one? I obviously don't want to keep the wheels and wouldn't dare put my wife and kids at risk with these but the guy insists they are safe

What would you guys suggest? Will I win the case through eBay for miss sold or not fit for purpose?

Martin

 

stick with it on eBay, mis sold as damage has not been declared

 

Exactly what I thought and explained to the seller.. I have no confidence in eBay so thought I'd ask the question before I cut my losses

Martin

 

They will make you return them at your cost though, had the same issue few yrs back

 

Thats fine Jake I don't mind loosing out the £30 I paid him £260 for them..

Infact I have his address I'll drive and deliver them personally

Martin

 

i would be wary of delivering them personally unless he agrees to give you cash on the door step, as he may say he hasn't had them back if you are relying on ebay/paypal for your money back as they will expect proof of return delivery, (just a worst case scenario if he starts being a fool)

 

Nope.
The new eBay process is for buyers, for damaged or not as described good is.
Set up a return process via eBay, seller has so many days to reply to provide a return label postage paid by seller, if he doesn't by the time frame, then you can ask eBay to step in and eBay will create a postage label at cost of buyer then you return free of charge and get refund on return.
Do not open dispute in PayPal as you will have to pay return postage.
It's a drawn out process but it's a good thing eBay have now done.
Traders hate the new procedure lol.
Seller has no choice in the matter lol

 

No, to get refund has to be done properly with proof of delivery sent into returns dispute.

 

I can't really see the photo of the weld too clearly on my phone but it doesn't really look like a weld to me. Very messy. Looks a bit like corrosion under the coating and possibly the site of an old balancing weight?

 

Sound so by sounds of it you guys think I should just hold out and hopefully eBay will sort? I've not opened a dispute with PayPal, just eBay. He's still asking for a report from a specialist saying they're not safe

Martin

 

Closer pic, I'll take some better ones.. The weld is like a patch covering up what was a crack... I'll take a pic of the front as you can tell it's had a bump.. The seller says he didt spot anything on them, which I think is lies as he knew they had been repaired. I think he was hoping the tyre place would not pick up on it and nothing would be said

Martin

 

I had a supra TT a few years back and after a year of ownership went to change the wheels for some others and when swapping tyres over the chaps at tyre place noticed the set on the car had been repaired / welded (just the 1). TO be fair I never noticed anything odd when driven and it balanced up straight and true and didnt lose air etc.

I did however advertise and sell them to a chap (and mentioned the repair in the ad) and he still bought them to use on his car. So I guess if repaired properly shouldnt be too much of an issue - However the pic you give looks a little rough for a repair. As mentioned looks more like paint bubbles.

 

This is spot on - I've just gone through this - even though the seller accepted my return (as item faulty), they then wouldn't agree to pay return postage costs (they kept delaying by asking me more odd questions). After 3 days of this I escalated to Ebay, and they sent me a postage label.

 

it doesn't look like weld tbh, more like rust under the paint, if you could take a picture of the inside the rim from the other side where is the patch, if it's smooth then it's not a weld :-)

 

Hi,
Don't forget - if he is a trader then under the distance selling regulations - you can return and get a refund just because you don't like goods - they don't even need to be faulty.
Is he registered as a private seller or as a trader?
If registered as a private seller - check his sale history and feedback to see what else he has sold in last 12 months.
If it is obvious from his history that he is a trader but registered as private seller - then you can take some action with this regard - if he does not play ball!
Best of luck
Steve

 

I have had a couple of alloy wheels welded and the finish was far far neater than what is shown in your picture. I guess it could just be a poor finish.
It might be worth getting a second opinion on whether the wheel has actually been welded

 

Don't worry mate you'll get your money back as item not as described simple and when eBay step in they can check all messages safe or unsafe item is NOT AS DESCRIBED simples you don't need a report he is full of Shiite trying to waste time hope all goes well as eBay favours buyers 100% and as said on the thread you won't have to pay postage costs neither as eBay will sort it and he has no choice and your money's safe don't leave any feedback till issue is resolved neither good luck

 

Can you get one of the other side of that patch? I'm still not sure that's a weld. The crack would go right to the edge of the rim and there'd be evidence of welding there too, which from what I can see, there's not.

Do the wheels appear to have been painted?

 

As has already been stated above, eBay is on the side of the buyer.

You don't have to provide any proof, never mind a professional report about the damage. If your tyre place says they've been repaired and his advert didn't say that, you're in a no lose place.

Stick with the eBay dispute you've raised, eventually you'll get a refund plus a paid for return label.

 

The wheels are still at the tyre place as I haven't had time to go pick them up.. The weld does not appear to go to the edge although spoke to a lad who was there who has a powder coating business he also confirmed it was weld and a poor job too... Said he wouldn't touch them, they do not appear to have been painted in the past either

Martin

 

Was that £260 for each wheel or for the set of 4? £60 ish a wheel?

Shaun

 

Shaun that was £260 for the set of 4.

Martin

 

Start the return process now as it takes bloody ages to sort

 

Any more photos?

 

eBay are now aware and will only step in on the 26th October.

Not had time to take pics but the pic I've put up is just of the one wheel I've seen not even checked the others..

Martin

 

Personally I wouldn't trust welding cast aluminium, it's weird metal to work with. That's not saying it can't be done, but doing so does change the molecular structure of the metal in the repaired area, consequently the wheel's strength is unknown/unmeasurable apart from that it will be weaker than a new undamaged wheel.

 

260 for 4 seems quite cheap, i know the seller is an arsehole for doing that, but if the other three are good would it not pay you to source a single wheel and just be done with it (scrapping that 'un) or are those wheels found in sets for similar money all day long?

 

Why does it matter? Its on the inside and if anyone ever sees it then you have bigger worries because you have just run them over. lol

 

Sign of the times,everyone is out to shaft each other,hope you get a refund .........

 

I've never and will never use a wheel that has had previous damage and has been welded, not that I have had a bad previous experience but I would rather not put my self or my family in a situation knowing it could have been avoided by not using a damaged repair wheel

Not sure mate and to be honest I bought them in confidence not to buy a set and then have to source another, which could take some time because some a*sehole thought he'd pull a fast one and try mug someone off with shoddy repaired rim

As said I will not run a pre damaged wheel on my car let alone the Mrs car who drives my two children around

To be honest it's not even about the money, it's more principal now.. How people think it's acceptable to mug others off for the sake of a few quid