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Topic starter
26/10/2018 2:38 am
A little eBay cautionary tale............
I recently won a 1/18 Sunstar 1952 Nash on eBay from a seller I had bought from before. It was advertised as damaged box with mint car. So, I have been wanting this car (the gray version with green roof) for awhile and won it at a good price. It arrived the other day. When I got the item I noticed the box/car was pretty loose in the shipping box and sure enough it only had a single layer of bubble wrap around it which left it way too loose in the outer box. Well, the box was indeed damaged but I don't really care as long as it had the styro insert. Problem was, the car HAD been removed from the pod and never secured back down with the screws that hold it in place for shipping. They were loose in the box - along with a wheel cover, the hood ornament and a front turn signal lens which I miraculously found on the floor a couple hours after unpacking when I noticed it missing on the car. Also, the chrome tail pipe extension had broken off and had been taped to the front windshield! Ans, the front bumper was turned down and was out of it's pin slot on one side and had to be put back in place. So, the only truly broken part was the tailpipe extension and all the fixes were doable and now the car looks good.
So, I go back to the seller to complain and I get a series of runaround replies. Parts do sometimes come loose, send us pics and we will contact the manufacturer, we inspect all our cars before they go out and on and on. Finally I got through to them and they offered an acceptable adjustment.
I do love the car. It needed some paint polishing in a couple of spots but it all looks good now. So, I will think long and hard before buying another car that says it has box damage - or at least verify the car is secure in the styro pod and well packed for shipping.
26/10/2018 5:25 am
If I were you I would avoid buying from that seller again. As I sell alot on the bay the first thing I do before packing is making sure the car is secured in its display packing be it a clear clamshell, Styrofoam one or just screwed on a base like the old Ertl/Hwy6 cars. True parts come loose, but if the car was really checked the it wouldn't have been shipped without being secured. They screwed up and hopefully the settlement was satisfactory. Also if he was selling it as a new car in a damaged box he already got compensated by the manufacturer so the whole let me contact them line is BS. Also, its his responsibility as he sold it.
26/10/2018 11:49 am
All Sellers not equal ....
I've challenging sellers on 'bay and on D4Cee
Not that many there is always one or 2 on both
I just try to roll with it and let karma decide
All in all .... with as many die cars I have ....
I am blessed
And on the flip side of the coin ....
all buyers are not equal
Wind blows in both directions
Waters flows in both directions
It's just aggravating either way
May Peace be with us all
And we may we forgive those who trespass against us
26/10/2018 6:09 pm
At least your seller, eventually, made some restitution. Sounds like you're handy, too. Congratulations!
Topic starter
27/10/2018 1:40 am
I agree with everything you said, John. 
Topic starter
27/10/2018 1:41 am
David, I am only "handy" because of the 1/18 scale - anything smaller and I struggle. But at least all worked out in the end.