Vendor Question. What would you do?, Post your opinion Options

[IronHillRestorations]

Three and a half years ago you sold someone a package of parts, that included a set of rebuilt carbs. Recently customer writes and says:

"I finally got my car running and one of the carbs has wear in the throttle shaft that's causing a backfire. I want to get both carbs repaired and it will cost about 80% of the purchase price of the carbs to repair this. I think you should pay to fix this."


At the time of the sale, the customer used other vendors to leverage the best deal he could, so the profit made is less than the alledged required repairs.

What would you do?

[SLITS]

Even though this is a personal deal, it is still business. My personal cutoff is 6 months.

Used carbs are subject to the problem the buyer is having. The buyer should have checked them out upon receipt. 3.5 years is really stretching it.

In our business, we give all customers the right of refusal upon receipt of material. After that point you have bought them (with some leeway given).

[skline]

(IMG:style_emoticons/default/agree.gif) That is just too long. I have actually had something like that happen to me. I bought something and waited too long before actaully checking it. I never even contacted the seller.

[spare time toys]

I have got stuff that was not working as I thought it should and just fix it my self. It is his own damn fault it took three years to use it. How would you know they were not dropped or screwed up by the buyer over the years. Tell them beat it puppet. (IMG:style_emoticons/default/finger.gif)

[bperry]

3 1/2 years is quite a long time. I can't imagine than any
Vendor or Merchant would offer any kind of support on NEW parts
after that long unless they came with some sort of lifetime warranty.
I'd write ithem off unless your "customer" is a very close friend or
a relative.

--- bill

[J P Stein]

This is a tough one.

Used parts are used. It's buyer beware unless the item is presented as flawless by the seller... in which case, the seller should assume responsibility to protect his reputation.
Also, the seller really doesn't know if anything is wrong or the buyer an incompetent tuner ( there's a lot of this going around (IMG:style_emoticons/default/biggrin.gif)). For all you know, it could be a partially plugged idle jet....the effect is about the same as a vacuum leak.

3.5 years throws a monkey wrench into this and any buyer with a lick of sense should realize this. Assuming everyone is on the up & up, I would offer to "help" fix *what is wrong*.....say half of the price to fix one carb.

Just my .02

[Aaron Cox]

fixed the typo in the title for you (IMG:style_emoticons/default/wink.gif)

[DonTraver]

My answer would be NO. (IMG:style_emoticons/default/bs.gif) That's like saying, Hey, my brake pads wore out in 50k miles, I thought they'de last for the life of the car.

How many times were they dropped, moved, dinged, had stuff fall on them, etc. This guy needs a reality check, cause he's really in the ozone.

Did a tune up on a guys Vdub years ago, plugs, points, etc. Asshole comes back, says, now I have brake problems, you're responsible for it. Told him, when you can prove how brakes are connected to the ignition I'll fix it. Never saw him again, good riddance. (IMG:style_emoticons/default/finger.gif)

what's this guys name? I'll put him on my asshole list.

[Engman]

Nothing - too much time.

my .01

M

[sgomes]

From recent personal experience (IMG:style_emoticons/default/rolleyes.gif) I had a part from my electric conversion kit fail. It had been a little over FIVE years. It was a machined part that adapts the motor shaft to accept the 914 flywheel. The vendor replaced the part on his dime AT HIS SUGGESTION!!! Yes, it was a latent defect in a batch of parts he made but there is no way I could have known or even held him to it. He replaced it and even paid for shipping. No questions asked. He's got my business for life now.

Just my 2cents.

[IronHillRestorations]

fixed the typo in the title for you (IMG:style_emoticons/default/wink.gif)

Thanks Aaron!

The guy isn't a close friend, and I haven't heard from him in three years.

I want to be equitible within reason. The response to this poll confirms my position. However I have offered to buy the parts back, less a percentage. I haven't heard back from him.