Liguidsoul
04-20-2004, 11:57 PM
He won my car on eBay. I was delivering it to him in my city. I hit a pothole and bent a rim on the way there. He had to drive 400+ miles home. We made a temporary fix and told him I'd pay for a new rim. He sent me an email saying he bought a new rim for $313.50 and wanted me to pay for it.
I did not think this is right, since he should have SHOWED me the price that he wanted me to pay before making the purchase. How can you expect someone to pay for something for you without first showing them the price?
Him:
I spent yesterday shopping for a rim and found it pretty surprising. I went first to the Chrysler dealer so that I could get a stock # or something to track it with. Their replacement was $500 but they'd let me have it for $420.09. Two other places got it down to $371.83. Then I went to the junk yards/used parts and came up empty. When I asked about a regional search, they weren't too supportive because they said you never know what you get with a used one (how bad scratches, small dents, etc. are). I finally found one near here for $300 so I picked it up today because I didn't want it to get away ($313.50). I've included scans of the bids I got; please pass these to your dad. If he just wants to send a check my address is 15719 Edgewood Dr, Dumfries, VA 22026. Sorry I couldn't find it any cheaper.
Me:
I looked on eBay and found that the wheels are being sold for less than $100:
http://search.ebaymotors.com/ws/search/SaleSearch?bs=Search&categorymap=6001&catref=C6&from=R2&gotopage=&lopg=&maxrecordsperpage=50&query=pt+cruiser+wheel&sacategory=6028&sapricehi=&sapricelo=&satitle=pt+cruiser+wheel&sbrftog=1&siteid=100&socolumnlayout=3&sofocus=bs&sorecordsperpage=50&sosortorder=2&sosortproperty=2&sotr=2&st=2
However, I will forward this email to my dad.
Me again:
I spoke to my dad.
In order to help you with the cost of the new wheel, he would liked to have known about the price it would cost him before purchasing. He said he can get you the same wheel for significantly cheaper and have it shipped directly to your doorstep. What would you like to do? Is the wheel you purchased refundable?
Him
At first glance, your response seems reasonable. However, when you look into it, the opposite is true. The 16" chrome wheel with dimples is not that readily available. On ebay, from your search, there is only one:
Item 2474980591 $215
As it is used, who can say what the actual condition is (per the advice I was given). Even so, there is shipping on top of the $215. I spent a half a day and didn't come up with much, so I bought what was the best deal I could find here. If that wheel I bought was no longer available, I didn't know how long I might have to wait to get the car in running order. As it is going to be used for a business, that time is worth more than the <$100 I "might" save by doing other things. I took your dad at his word to deal fairly with me, and I felt I've dealt fairly with you. I found the best deal I could. If you're not willing to follow through, the bottom line is that there isn't much I can do. I'm sorry for the cost and inconvenience to you, but this hasn't been without inconvenience (and additional cost) to me also, and it was your accident. Please provide this information to your dad and decide what you'd like to do. Either way, I had to get the car running in a safe condition, which is why I acted rather than coordinate prior with you.
Me
I forwarded your message to my dad again. You can rest assured that he is a man of his word and he will indeed help you as promised. You are right, $215+ shipping would not be very significant savings at all, and no reason to purchase a new wheel when you have already gotten the problem resolved.
However, eBay item ( #2474646238 and #2474646628 ) both feature the original factory wheels with dimples as you need for your vehicle. It's hard to see the dimples because of the chrome in the sunlight, but a close look at the edges will reveal the same exact wheel as the one you showed me for $215. These auctions are for $66 and $63. I imagine they will go up a bit, but probably not by much.
It's fine that you acted on your own in order to get the car running as soon as possible. However, my dad would have not paid $315+ for the wheel. He is able to get it at a much lower cost, and would be more than happy to buy it for you at an agreeable price. All it would have took was a quick email or phone call to let us know the price and we would have said no and shipped you the same product on us.
I trust that someone with 171 feedback (100% positive) would give me an accurate description of the wheel they are selling if you would like for us to purchase one for you. If not, my dad will gladly pay 50% of the wheel you already purchased, as $150 (give or take) is what he had expected to pay for it in the first place. Let me know if this sounds fair.
Him
I'm not saying that your dad is not a man of his word. What I'm saying is that I spent an afternoon trying to find the best deal I could and acted on that as time was a concern; I'm starting a business and I certainly have lots of more important things I need to do. I didn't expect the dealer to have a very good deal, but wanted to get a base price. Two commercial tire/wheel shops, which offer pretty good deals here didn't provide me much of a break. I was willing to put a used rim on but after checking with a half dozen (by phone) auto yards, and them searching on their parts network turned up only this rim, I decided to act. I can't wait for several days for a rim to be shipped from another part of the country,just as I couldn't spend the night in Detroit while "Tire Discounters" brought one up from their warehouse. Your dad will certainly understand the value of time. He chose not to go with the offer from the first place we consulted. I took a risk to start my trip with the quick repair job, all due to time. If I'd chosen not to accept that, who would have covered my costs to remain in Detroit? Who would have covered my responsibilities that I had here Monday? If that tire had not made it, I would have been faced with more expensive repairs to get me home, or additional delays. Everything can be looked at as a "what if" scenario. I did the best I could on getting the car repaired with the market that is in this area, just as your dad did the best he could with his resources on Saturday. You said your dad could get the wheel for $150. Does the price of the wheel cover all the aspects of the accident your mother had? I don't think so. I'm sorry, but I had nothing to do with that. There were no offers nor ways that you could cover my responsibilities if I'd waited until the next day for Tire Discounters to get a new wheel. Also, would they have done that for $150? Do I think your covering half the cost of the wheel is fair? No. This was an accident that I had nothing to do with. I'm sorry it couldn't be fixed with a bargain price over ebay. Accidents are usually more expensive than things that can be researched and planned. I would ask, out of fairness and trust, that your dad cover the replacement cost ($313.50). If he's willing to do that, great. If not, well, then do what you're willing to do but I can't provide any better explanation for my actions. Getting another wheel isn't an option as it has been installed, the place doesn't give refunds (an indication of the law of supply and demand here), and I can't undo the business useage of the car since its been repaired so that it can be safely operated.
What would you do in this situation? I do not think it's fair to pay the $313.50 because he did not let me know the price before ordering. I would have been fine buying him a wheel from a more affordable supplier or eBay myself.
He's basically saying that buying the wheel on eBay would have took a long time, and since it was my accident, he shouldn't have to wait that long. However, he did drive home 400+ miles on the "temporarily fixed" wheel. I doubt a few extra days driving LOCALLY on that wheel would be any trouble if he had already driven accross the country on it. He's saying that he had to replace it right away so that it would be "safe." But that's after he just drove 400+ miles on the "unsafe" wheel. Doesn't make much sense to me.
I did not think this is right, since he should have SHOWED me the price that he wanted me to pay before making the purchase. How can you expect someone to pay for something for you without first showing them the price?
Him:
I spent yesterday shopping for a rim and found it pretty surprising. I went first to the Chrysler dealer so that I could get a stock # or something to track it with. Their replacement was $500 but they'd let me have it for $420.09. Two other places got it down to $371.83. Then I went to the junk yards/used parts and came up empty. When I asked about a regional search, they weren't too supportive because they said you never know what you get with a used one (how bad scratches, small dents, etc. are). I finally found one near here for $300 so I picked it up today because I didn't want it to get away ($313.50). I've included scans of the bids I got; please pass these to your dad. If he just wants to send a check my address is 15719 Edgewood Dr, Dumfries, VA 22026. Sorry I couldn't find it any cheaper.
Me:
I looked on eBay and found that the wheels are being sold for less than $100:
http://search.ebaymotors.com/ws/search/SaleSearch?bs=Search&categorymap=6001&catref=C6&from=R2&gotopage=&lopg=&maxrecordsperpage=50&query=pt+cruiser+wheel&sacategory=6028&sapricehi=&sapricelo=&satitle=pt+cruiser+wheel&sbrftog=1&siteid=100&socolumnlayout=3&sofocus=bs&sorecordsperpage=50&sosortorder=2&sosortproperty=2&sotr=2&st=2
However, I will forward this email to my dad.
Me again:
I spoke to my dad.
In order to help you with the cost of the new wheel, he would liked to have known about the price it would cost him before purchasing. He said he can get you the same wheel for significantly cheaper and have it shipped directly to your doorstep. What would you like to do? Is the wheel you purchased refundable?
Him
At first glance, your response seems reasonable. However, when you look into it, the opposite is true. The 16" chrome wheel with dimples is not that readily available. On ebay, from your search, there is only one:
Item 2474980591 $215
As it is used, who can say what the actual condition is (per the advice I was given). Even so, there is shipping on top of the $215. I spent a half a day and didn't come up with much, so I bought what was the best deal I could find here. If that wheel I bought was no longer available, I didn't know how long I might have to wait to get the car in running order. As it is going to be used for a business, that time is worth more than the <$100 I "might" save by doing other things. I took your dad at his word to deal fairly with me, and I felt I've dealt fairly with you. I found the best deal I could. If you're not willing to follow through, the bottom line is that there isn't much I can do. I'm sorry for the cost and inconvenience to you, but this hasn't been without inconvenience (and additional cost) to me also, and it was your accident. Please provide this information to your dad and decide what you'd like to do. Either way, I had to get the car running in a safe condition, which is why I acted rather than coordinate prior with you.
Me
I forwarded your message to my dad again. You can rest assured that he is a man of his word and he will indeed help you as promised. You are right, $215+ shipping would not be very significant savings at all, and no reason to purchase a new wheel when you have already gotten the problem resolved.
However, eBay item ( #2474646238 and #2474646628 ) both feature the original factory wheels with dimples as you need for your vehicle. It's hard to see the dimples because of the chrome in the sunlight, but a close look at the edges will reveal the same exact wheel as the one you showed me for $215. These auctions are for $66 and $63. I imagine they will go up a bit, but probably not by much.
It's fine that you acted on your own in order to get the car running as soon as possible. However, my dad would have not paid $315+ for the wheel. He is able to get it at a much lower cost, and would be more than happy to buy it for you at an agreeable price. All it would have took was a quick email or phone call to let us know the price and we would have said no and shipped you the same product on us.
I trust that someone with 171 feedback (100% positive) would give me an accurate description of the wheel they are selling if you would like for us to purchase one for you. If not, my dad will gladly pay 50% of the wheel you already purchased, as $150 (give or take) is what he had expected to pay for it in the first place. Let me know if this sounds fair.
Him
I'm not saying that your dad is not a man of his word. What I'm saying is that I spent an afternoon trying to find the best deal I could and acted on that as time was a concern; I'm starting a business and I certainly have lots of more important things I need to do. I didn't expect the dealer to have a very good deal, but wanted to get a base price. Two commercial tire/wheel shops, which offer pretty good deals here didn't provide me much of a break. I was willing to put a used rim on but after checking with a half dozen (by phone) auto yards, and them searching on their parts network turned up only this rim, I decided to act. I can't wait for several days for a rim to be shipped from another part of the country,just as I couldn't spend the night in Detroit while "Tire Discounters" brought one up from their warehouse. Your dad will certainly understand the value of time. He chose not to go with the offer from the first place we consulted. I took a risk to start my trip with the quick repair job, all due to time. If I'd chosen not to accept that, who would have covered my costs to remain in Detroit? Who would have covered my responsibilities that I had here Monday? If that tire had not made it, I would have been faced with more expensive repairs to get me home, or additional delays. Everything can be looked at as a "what if" scenario. I did the best I could on getting the car repaired with the market that is in this area, just as your dad did the best he could with his resources on Saturday. You said your dad could get the wheel for $150. Does the price of the wheel cover all the aspects of the accident your mother had? I don't think so. I'm sorry, but I had nothing to do with that. There were no offers nor ways that you could cover my responsibilities if I'd waited until the next day for Tire Discounters to get a new wheel. Also, would they have done that for $150? Do I think your covering half the cost of the wheel is fair? No. This was an accident that I had nothing to do with. I'm sorry it couldn't be fixed with a bargain price over ebay. Accidents are usually more expensive than things that can be researched and planned. I would ask, out of fairness and trust, that your dad cover the replacement cost ($313.50). If he's willing to do that, great. If not, well, then do what you're willing to do but I can't provide any better explanation for my actions. Getting another wheel isn't an option as it has been installed, the place doesn't give refunds (an indication of the law of supply and demand here), and I can't undo the business useage of the car since its been repaired so that it can be safely operated.
What would you do in this situation? I do not think it's fair to pay the $313.50 because he did not let me know the price before ordering. I would have been fine buying him a wheel from a more affordable supplier or eBay myself.
He's basically saying that buying the wheel on eBay would have took a long time, and since it was my accident, he shouldn't have to wait that long. However, he did drive home 400+ miles on the "temporarily fixed" wheel. I doubt a few extra days driving LOCALLY on that wheel would be any trouble if he had already driven accross the country on it. He's saying that he had to replace it right away so that it would be "safe." But that's after he just drove 400+ miles on the "unsafe" wheel. Doesn't make much sense to me.