Ron Miller

But not my best, unfortunately. Here's a link to the glove box door that I bought on E-Bay on 22 February. Don't know if you can see it in the pic or not (I couldn't before I received it), but someone at some point has removed the back plate holding in the brushed aluminum part and reinstalled it by drilling THRU the front of the door, using slotted head screws around the perimeter. Those lighter colored "spots" you see in the black band across the bottom of the door and around the perimeter across the top as well are the heads of slotted screws with a small hex head nut on the back side.

http://cgi.ebay.com/ebaymotors/ws/eB...m=180329206710

I tried to copy a picture of the door to post directly in this thread, but was unable to do so. If someone knows how, I'd welcome a pic since the e=bay listing will disappear shortly.

I spoke to the seller, Brian Killam in Granville, MA just after receiving the door and explained why the door wasn't usable. He's apparently not a Corvette person and didn't know about the door, but said he would "make it right". He wanted it back even though I consider it worthless, so I returned it at my expense, still haven't heard from him.

Any of you guys have any opinions on the door, or the transaction? Yeah, I know, E-Bay, but I've had some good transactions there, and this guy has a 100% positive rating with over 600 transactions, so I'm still optimistic . . . . :o :o :o

Also, if you have any thoughts as to the value of the door, I'd appreciate your posting any comments. Might be of some benefit to show the seller what other Corvette types consider the door to be worth.

Grey Ghost

65 DENCO

Bummer almost everytime I buy something from ebay without fail the transaction sucks in some way. I never seem to learn, although I am trying I may enroll in Betty Ford for Ebay someday....

Ron Miller

Yeah, I know. All in all, I've had pretty good E-Bay experiences, always buy from someone with a lot of positive ratings, and try to describe anything I sell as accurately as possible. A few items I have had to show up that weren't what they were represented to be have been corrected by the seller once contacted and explained.

And thanks, Grey Ghost, for posting the pic for me . . . . The slotted head screws are a lot more obvious in the pic you've posted than they were in the E-Bay location it seems . . .

CoupeKeeper

Are you needing a door or parts? I am not an NCRS guy, I had two doors and made one very nice one between the two. I have the other parts left over and you could put a door together. PM me if your interested.

Steve

rayvaflav

I must be pretty lucky, most of my eBay purchase experiences have gone well (except for poor packing that damaged a part and the guy wouldn't stand behind it). The screws in this govebox door would be pretty difficult to see in the photo and certainly something that you would not expect. This is one of the reasons that I just about never purchase something from eBay if it is only advertised with one photo. This is also why I always post more than one photo of an item when I am selling something.

Ron Miller

Right, I understand. You can pick out the screws in the door if you know they're there, but not knowing they're difficult to see. I really don't think the seller knew there was anything wrong with the door, but it's obvious once you see it in person. And, the 600+ positive ratings for the seller are usually a pretty good indication of the type of person you're dealing with.

Time will tell . . . . .

65 Drivr

I would give him a chance to do what it takes to make you happy.
Then if he won't...
Did you pay him using Paypal? If so, then you can file a dispute and this will lock his account. If he does alot of business on E-bay that will light a fire under his a$$. You can also tell him you will be his first negative feedback.
I had made a purchase and was sent the wrong item. For two weeks the seller never responded to my e-mails or e-bay messages to him. I filed a dispute with paypal and he contacted me the next day. He pleasded with me to drop the dispute. He said if I dropped the dispute, he would refund my money. He still wouldn't answer why he didn't originally respond so I let the dispute ride and it took three weeks to be settled in my favor.
I always give someone the benefit of the doubt and the chance to make it right. If they don't, then they get both barrels.

1-2-b-67L89

Just a word of caution if this is dragging out as you mentioned it is about to be removed. Once that time hits you cannot leave feedback, good or bad. He may be working the clock on you so buyer beware. Do as suggested above. And yes, I use ebay a lot with pretty good success also but still have had a couple shafts come my way.
Good luck,

claysmoker

If you end up getting stuck with this purchase, I know how to fix the areas where the screw heads are and it's not real tough.

Go to an upholstery shop and get a small piece of vinyl with texture as close to the door texture as you can find.

Make sure that the screw heads are below the surface of the door by a small amount. Dremel them if you have to. Clean with some denatured alcohol and let dry well.

Take some auto wax and put a little on the vinyl then polish off so the glue won't stick. PVA works better than wax if you have some.

Mix some 5 minute epoxy and micro balloons (or JB Weld if you have a full 24 hrs. to let it cure) and put a drop in the hole over the screw head. Make sure there's enough so that the glue protrudes the hole a bit. It will shrink slightly upon curing.

When the epoxy start to kick off and before it hardens, press the vinyl into the glue and hold until the glue is hard. Preferably an hour or so. A small weight on the vinyl will hold it.

When cured hard (a few hours), peel the vinyl back and you can barely tell anything was there previously. If you have to, carefully clean up the texture with a needle file. A checkering riffler is best.

You might consider practicing on some scrap metal prior to doing this on the door. I used this method to fix holes that were drilled through the face of a glove box door accidentally. You couldn't find the hole locations after it was repainted. It might be a little tedious for some, but the results can be outstanding if you are patient.

hzz

Very good advice. Hopefully you paid with Paypal. I had good luck getting money back for an item that i never received. Here you can claim that the item was misrepresented, whether the seller knew it or not.

Ron Miller

Thanks guys, a lot of good advice. I've sent it back, waiting for him to respond . . . . hopefully everything will work out, although it looks like I'm gonna be out the $9.00 shipping to me, as well as the $10.XX to return it, although I have no idea why in the world anyone would want the door back. Just to insure that I didn't keep it, I guess, although I'd have been glad to cut the damn thing in pieces and send him the photos instead. Would have saved $10.00

We'll see . . . Thanks Again . . . I'll let everyone know how it turns out . . .

Black60

Hi Ron:
I was born and raised in Granville. Never heard of the guy though.
Must be a flat lander new guy. I offer to help out in any way I can.
I could stop by and see first hand what he has if there is anything else he has that you are interested in.

600 transactions? I should check this guy out.

Black60

65specialk

I bought a set of 4 seatbelts $400. for my GTO Judge on E-Bay. Nice clear pictures of exactly what I needed. When they arrived they were not even close to what was pictured. Totaly different model belts. Filed a claim with Pay Pal and after several weeks they decided in his favor. I had 350 positive feedbacks and he had 500 was these decision maker. He now has his first negative. I dont buy anthing used on E-Bay unless it has a written return policy. Good luck.

Ron Miller

Thanks for the offer, but we're working on a resolution. He has had several items for sale on E-Bay, including a lot of car related, but not necessarily Corvette. You can find his E-Bay information in the link to his ad for the glove box door I posted in my initial post, I think.

I'll give it a little time . . . . .

By the way 65specialk, I think your policy of not buying anything without the right to return if unsuitable may be the way to go in the future. Most of the past items I've sold have been sold with satisfaction guaranteed or return with no questions asked. Helps a lot with the sale, and also lets folks know they're not about to be taken for a ride. By the way, here's the ad copy that went along with the photo, certainly gives no indication that anything could be wrong with the door . . . .

Early Sting Ray Corvette glove box door , possibly 1963-1967 style , (your the expert , buy it for what year you think it is) , other than dinged aluminum face plate condition is very nice. Chrome trim finish around outside edge and chrome finish around alum panel are very nice , no pitting at all , just rubbing my thumb on chrome brings out a brilliant shine. Back of door looks very nice with original black finish , and both hooks , black paint on front of door has a few small areas where black paint is missing , Super Chrome on this one , add a new panel and black paint and it would look new. have other vintage Sting Ray Speedo parts lot also listed , will combine shipping , paypal or m/o , shipping $9.00 , USA only. Bid To Own , No Returns


". . . .add a new panel and black paint and it would look new . . ." certainly is not an accurate description, although as I've stated previously, I don't believe the seller knew enough about the door to know it was in sorry shape. Oh well . . . .


Ron

mrg

As hard as I looked at the pic I still couldn't find the screws. .. ? ..



.. And if blurred or out of focus...............double NOPE!

Seems this seller could have done a bit more eyeballin' and deduce that those visible screw heads didn't 'look right'. Should have been mentioned.

Ron Miller

I'll admit it helps to know where to look. This is the best I can do with my knowledge and the photo editing software I have at my disposal. The screw heads are the lighter colored spots in general at the ends of the red lines. And, I can't find the one immediately to the right of the lock cylinder, knowing it's there. Easier to see once you've seen the door in person, but not something one would ordinarily pick up from a photo.

Ron Miller

Well, the latest update. The guy refunded my $45.99 for the door, but so far I'm still out the $9.00 shipping to me and the $10.XX dollars returning the door. Stay tuned . . . .

At least a $19.00 plus mistake is a damn sight better than a $65.00 plus one.

62Jeff

Well that's a bummer, but I'm glad you got it largely resolved.

Ever spent thousands with a painter only be told you are SOL when he decides all the paint runs he put into your car are gonna stay unless you pay him again to redo his work?

And then you realize that if you take him to court to get your money back, about all the resources he has to his name (if you win) is an old beat up pickup truck, and an alcohol problem?

Ron Miller

Nope Jeff, I never have . . . but I suspect I now know someone who has . . . .

I sent an e-mail back to the guy regarding the shipping costs to and from, here's a copy of my note to him:

Brian,

I appreciate the return of the $45.99 purchase price to my account. Quite honestly, I feel you should also at least split the shipping cost as well. The item was misdescribed, "other than dinged aluminum face plate condition is very nice", and "add a new panel and black paint and it would look new" are both inaccurate statements.

I really think most legitimate dealers can see the validity of splitting the shipping, after all, why should a buyer be responsible for paying for a seller's mistake? I totally understand the "no refunds" statement in the sale, but to any reasonable person the "no refunds" applies as long as the item is as described, which this clearly was not.

I once had a seller not only voluntarily refund the sales price, but also refund the shipping when the item arrived with a defect making it unusable. Then he told me to pitch the item in the trash as he could see from his e-bay photo upon closer inspection that the item was unusable and not worth returning. I would and have done business with this guy again in a heartbeat, my definition of a straight up seller.

Regardless, my word is my word, and the issue will be closed with me regardless of what the seller may choose to do from this point on. After all, $19.00 is a cheap lesson in life . . . well, actually $20.63+ since e-bay charges me $1.63 in fees to receive the $45.99 refunded . . . .