Topcat1

I won a bid on Ebay last week for a full Interior from a WR1 which had been removed from the car for Rally preperation.

I have been thinking of changing my MY04 WRX which has Blue/Black Sti Seats fitted for a MY06 later this year, and thought the Black/Grey WR1 seats would look good in a Crystal Grey WRX.

Items arrived yesterday, minus the 2 Front Seats, all the other items being Back Seats, Carpet and Door Cards were soaking wet had mud, sand, grass and leaves over them, looking like they had been sitting in some ones Garden.

The description on Ebay was "In Mint Condition with no Marks", I think not!

Emailed the Seller with photographs and description of how items were received, and stated that due to their condition I would like to return the goods for a full refund, as per their 7 day return policy.

Recevied one line reply from them this morning by email:-

"They got wet in the rain just dry them out they will be fine"

The Seller is operating as a Buisness and has many Subaru parts listed for sale.

I have now replyed to their email, again stating the description was misleading, mentioning the Sale of Goods Act, and that I will speak to our Company Lawyer and leave very negative feed back on Ebay if the matter is not resolved.

Any other advise on how to deal with this would be helpful.

EXSCOOBY

i would return them personally or at least threaten to
make up a business appointment nearby and say that you are prepared to travel and hand deliver them

Paulo P

iTrader: (42)

Link to the auction?

MikeCardiff

iTrader: (2)

Its not the sale of goods act that covers it, its the new DSR ( distance selling regulations ) - if buying from a business, you can refuse and return an item within 7 days ( if that is what the seller stipulates ) for ANY reason - change your mind, dont like the colour etc... doesnt matter if they are advertised or not.

If the seller has it in their terms and conditions that you have to pay for the return, then you probably will, or will have to take them back yourself - otherwise you can ask them to arrange to get them collected at their expense.

Email them back and tell them you will be returning under the DSR, and as a business they know they are legally obliged to accept them back.

Topcat1

Got email back asking for me to call the guy, said hello introduced myself and reason for phoning, was greeted by " O your they guy thats moaning.

After a few words back and forth, he accepted that he knew that the seats were wet when he sent them as he had left them outside all night and it had rained. The sand and associated dirt was splashed up from the block paving outside his house. He did offer to pay for the seats to be cleaned, which I declined and as per his return policy I would like my refund.

Bit more back and forwards, he then said I was doing his head in and just to return the seats to him and put the phone down.

I will send him an email asking confirmation that he will send the refund prior to sending the items back.

harvey

iTrader: (48)

Don't expect any help from e-bay other than automatically generated e-mails, sympathising and putting you down the dispute path which is totally computer generated and a total farce. E-Bay are not the caring company they try to portray. They are only interested in one thing, money regardless of press releases to the contrary.
Mike's advice seems good. Be firm and concise and they may realise they are not dealing with a nugget but a well informed and determined, aggrieved punter.
Get the stuff back sharpish if that is your considered best option.
Keep contemporaneous notes, all receipts, e-mails, correspondance etc.
Get more info on DSR.
If the vendor does not take you seriously within a brief timescale AND you are prepared for the long haul, get a Claim Form N1 from your local County Court. Complete it and copy it to the vendor pointing out that:
There is little doubt as to the outcome.
Costs will escalate considerably.
Their standing and credit worthiness will be effected and this will cause future problems including difficulties in accepting credit card payments, obtaining finance etc.
You will also copy in their local Trading Standards on the correspondance.
You will highlight their behaviour at every relevant opportunity. This will include internet forums, rally related ...................
If no positive response in seven days as stated in your letter, file at your County Court and pay your fee. You will need determination and stamina and be prepared for inefficiecy, beurocracy, ineptitude and incompetance unless there are some County Courts somewhere that are actually capable of doing their job.

How did you pay? That could be another angle.

What area is the offending company in?

Good luck.

MikeCardiff

iTrader: (2)

You will need to send them back before you get a refund - the seller has no legal obligation to refund until the items are returned to them in the same condition as they were sent ( not hard in this case ! ).

You can actually reject them under the trades descriptions act, but this is a lot harder to do than using the DSR, and if the seller gets funny about it would probably involve you taking them to small claims court and it would take months.

Much better to use the DSR, as it will be quicker - the seller must refund within 30 days of having the goods returned - you may end up a few quid out of pocket, but its better than being stuck with seats that are rubbish.

harvey

iTrader: (48)

Send the gear back asking for the refund. You have seven days.
If you get no refund then you have to take action to secure it.
I assume you expected front seats included.
Don't give them any options if you are sure you want to return the gear. They get it back. You want your money.

MikeCardiff

iTrader: (2)

And once you've got the refund, dont forget to leave the seller a big fat negative feedback - warn other buyers they may not get what they paid for !

IanK Spec C

Hi Topcat,

I 'think' I saw these on E-bay too! Didn't the photo show them outside?

Good luck. What happened to the missing front seats?

Ian

Topcat1

Ian,

Yes photo showed the seats outside, did not think someone would leave a WR1 Interior outside overnight in the rain, then parcel it up still wet to send to someone. Front seats arrived by Parcel Force about 10 minutes ago, in same condition as the other items.

Its a bloody shame that a very rare Subaru interior should be spoiled in this way.

Sell goes under the name of carman0174 on Ebay, and the seats will likley go back on Ebay for sale, when he gets them back.

Thanks guys for all the advice much appreciated.

Will now return the goods to them, which I have had the Warehouse guys pack extremly well, and see if a refund turns up without a long drawn out affair.

Topcat1

Paulo P

iTrader: (42)

If these are such unusual seats wouldn't it be worth your while getting him to pay to have them cleaned? It'd save alot of time & hassle sending them back, getting your money back & then finding another set?

LUCKO

iTrader: (3)

carman0174 has been a member on e-bay since 10th sept 2005... not saying i agree with what's happened but i'm surprised you got anything at all. i would have items cleaned and take it on the chin as you have no guarantee you'll get any 'help' from this idiot...


best of luck

Stiff

I agree with Paul and Lucko there mate. I would get the seller to pay for the cleaning and save all the hassle you would endure otherwise. They would probably come up cleaner than when they where taken out of the car anyway.

Nezz10

http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/SUBARU-VERSION...QQcmdZViewItem

Hmmm.....

VDubGav

Looks like the same interior he sold last week

VDubGav

http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/ws/eBayISAPI.d...tem=4575076083

simo

I agree with a few on here. Get a price for cleaning asap & ask him to pay for it up front. If he does, all sorted & you get the interior that you want. A lot less hastle imho

Simon

Topcat1

Being the same as you guys, I am very fussy when it comes to my car.

Have Sti seats in my MY04 at the moment purchased off Ebay that arrived in mint condition and was really pleased with them.

The WR1 seats were to go in possibly a MY06 WRX ( once I have seen one in the flesh ) and would never really be happy at the thought of how the seats were when they arrived, not only was the cloth wet but the whole foam backing/sitting parts as they had been left out overnight in the rain and the foam acted as a spong. The Seller made no attempt to clean or dry the seats and other parts before he sent them, the water was running out of the packaging they were in. All this water may cause corrosion, mould or smells in the future.

I could put up with a certain amount of dirt and get them cleaned but these were soaked dirty with sand and mud.

Having paid £550.00 plus carriage you would hope for better.

Will try and post some pics later.

Topcat1

Topcat1

Some pics,

http://i22.photobucket.com/albums/b3...cat1/Seat2.jpg

http://i22.photobucket.com/albums/b3...cat1/Seat4.jpg

http://i22.photobucket.com/albums/b3...cat1/Seat1.jpg

http://i22.photobucket.com/albums/b3.../Doorcard1.jpg

You can see the amount of water sitting on the Door card which isn't visible on the seats just the muck.

MikT

You can see the water marks and mud on the pictures and he still claims no marks or scuffs.

What a chancer.

Big Den

Nobody else wondering why this guy has got so many full interiors, spoilers, etc for sale from STi8's & a WR1????

Or is it just my suspicious nature!!!!!!

Anybody had a WR1 or STi8 stolen recently near this guys location?

Hmmnnnn......

Den

paulwrxboro

well he has a full car just about.. interior with a boot and spoiler in that pic bonet 4 doors brakes ect ect if this is from a bump were was it ..on the roof ?

DJ73

say's rally preparation on first post ??? seem's a bit iffy to me

Butty

iTrader: (2)

Most rally preping is up to Gp N level so the std IC has to be kept on - but he is selling that as well.
He must be building a Gp A car with FMIC - or perhaps he's making it all up?

If you are after a REALLY new set of cards and seats for cars that are REALLY being rally prep'd then I can send you a contact name in Southam.
They cost the same price as he is offering.

Nick

Big Den

If he was genuinly doing Rally prep wouldn't he start with a cheaper WRX or JDM rather than choose an STi8 or WR1!!!

I think I can smell SH1TE!!!

Den

GrahameS

I know everyone is suspicious of new people on eBay but everyone has to start at some point dont they??

Think i would've returned them to be cleaned, if the guy offered to do it then he cant be that bad..

ozzy

Why didn't he just clean them before sending them after the auction had ended. if he was such a nice guy he'd have been upfront from the beginning. Seems that its now too much hassle for him to do the right thing.

This is why I'll never spend loads of money on eBay.

GrahameS

Yeah he wasnt quite upfront by the sounds of it,

but he offered to get them cleaned which was declined, and then offered the money back. Maybe his social skills are the best but what more would you want other than an offer of rectification or your money back?

But i have to agree with you, i'd never make a big purchase like that via E-Bay

JamieMacdonald

I can't believe the state those seats were delivered in

That is absolutely shocking - you should be given a full refund in my opinion.

I think you are perfectly right to be worried about corrosion/mould in the future - after all you only have his word that they got wet the night before delivery, they could have been outside/damp for weeks.

Hope you get it sorted mate. Don't just take the easy option as you will be letting him get away with it .