Paging Mr. Bickle............

[Guest]

With all the grief surrounding purchases on eBay (I'm sure we all have stories) I'd like to recount this sorry tale of a fellow NSJC'er who's been royally shafted by a recent E34 purchase.

 

While it isn't exactly clear cut, I still think the vendor is being a prick for being tempramental in sorting the problem out. His rebuttals are complete crap IMHO.

 

http://noskooljustcool.proboards49.com/index.cgi?action=display&board=showusyours&thread=1162&page=1

 

Would like Mr. Bickle's view on this.

 

WWNBD?

 

Also, join NSJC, it's boss.

[pogweasel]

hard to get through that sort of thing really. Had a similar situation with my 325i, seller listed the 'only known faults' as a dinged wing and a petrol leak. Failed to mention the trashed paint, the leaky water pump, the blown HG or the fact it had no oil in it. And that the drivers seat wasn't bolted in. And that it had no accelerator pedal. Oh, and never did leak fuel. Ba$tard. When attempting to find out why they'd sold such a shocker the guy just clammed up, suddenly it was his sisters car, he knew nowt. Git. I did go to the trouble of fixing everything though (except the wing), then promptly needed something less thirsty and sold at a massive loss. Bums.

[andrew e]

Overheats, gutless, vibrates. All tempreture related, the water pump impellor is probally gone - in cold weather you need the coolant at normal tempreture as it flows through the mixer to warm the gas up, if the gas can't get warm enough it will not ignite. This then sends the ecu into limp mode and you vibrate / shudder like a bastard, the revs hold high, and the shifts are rough. I say this as a gas powered 523 owner. You do lose performance with lpg and economy - about 10 %.Tell him keep the lpg off till the tempreture needle is halfway, then switch it on. If runs like a bitch switch the car off and restart it, rebooting the ecu of the lpg. Bear in mind the mixer has a filter that needs changing - it surprising what crap gets in there.But you need to check the car is getting warm enough, the housing for the thermostat can be plastic, so you need a new one when you fit a thermostat because they break.I could be wrong though

[Guest]

Have to be a bit harsh here and say "sold as seen".I'm not totally unsympathetic as it's a shame it isn't a nice motor, but there's risk involved in agreeing to buy cars unseen from a private buyer. To be fair on him he couldn't have known about some of the stuff happening, weird electrical faults can just happen and I doubt he'd have deliberately rigged the wiper blade to fall off.I'd just leave a neg and move on to be honest, fix it, break it for bits or whatever.

[Rocket88]

Stick a new w/pump and theromstat in it, take it from there. I wouldn't buy anything with an lpg conversion unless there was a certificate from whoever installed it.

[nigel bickle]

Ok.Tend to agree with the above. I don't think any of those faults are realistically life endangering, or that hard to sort. LPG, prop centrebearing, lights n wipers are a mornings work, pain in the ar** that it is.Iwould have taken the £155 offered, and passed it of to experience.HOWEVER. Negotiations have broken down,and most further steps ( -if thats whats required,) cost money, with -in my view, only a 50/50 chance of success.Your only 'free' option is to try to scare him into payment.You can download a County Court summons for free. You need to download it to your laptop, then complete PROPERLY.A printed one, with the box's all completed in type (-rather than handwritten,) looks so much more formal.Staple it to a formal letter, headed PARTICULARS OF CLAIM outlining costs involved to date; costs to rectify, hassle & inconvenience factors to date- summarised as the total amount of the claim overleaf.Date the summons 21 days ahead -and inform him he has until that date to settle (with cleared funds). Send him 2 copies. I recorded -which if he's smart he'll refuse (but you'll have the'proof', and the other, posted simultaneously in a different shape envelope, on a (free)certificate of posting.Sufficient evidence in law -of delivery.Word it well enough/professionally enough,and he may cough-or make a better offer.If he doesnt rise to the bait-you need to decide how far you want to go.PM me if you want more help.

[Guest]

Nigel, cheers.I'm sure robOr is reading this. I'll keep you updated.

[andrew e]

I still think the chaps barking up the wrong tree, I can't say there is a come back for the shimmy as it is up there with K series head gaskets on the known fault front, you need a dual carrige way run on the test drive in these. I think the vibrations is the stone cold lpg set up trying to ignite.

[Guest greenvanman]

Have to be a bit harsh here and say "sold as seen".I'm not totally unsympathetic as it's a shame it isn't a nice motor, but there's risk involved in agreeing to buy cars unseen from a private buyer. To be fair on him he couldn't have known about some of the stuff happening, weird electrical faults can just happen and I doubt he'd have deliberately rigged the wiper blade to fall off.I'd just leave a neg and move on to be honest, fix it, break it for bits or whatever.

I have to agree. Before the days of eBay wouldn't it have been unheard of for someone to buy a car sight unseen with only the vendors description and a few low-res photos to go on? Fair enough if we're talking about a couple of hundred quid, but there's no way I'd be parting with a grand without having given the beast a thorough going over.It's a big mistake to assume everyone on eBay is as honest as you are. The buyer took a chance and he lost, one to write up to experience I reckon.