I think you guys are way out of line. Some member posts about a OEM seal on ebay, you guys jump on it without even searching ebay for better prices (I see bernbomb got one for $250), and now the seller is the bad guy? He didn't put a gun to your heads to click on buy it now and he wasn't using the classifieds here.

You are also begrudging this guy for making a little profit on horse trading. Lots of folks around here make money by flipping, parting out cars, or selling parts and services. They don't do it out of the goodness of their hearts and nobody demands that they do it at cost for the sake of the 914 brotherhood.

Obviously, this guy puts a lot of time and effort into finding these parts. This is way more time than I'm willing to put in at a Porsche dealership parts counter. My suggestion is that you guys buy two seals from AA and then in 4 months ebay them for a profit because it sounds like these seals will be NLA again shortly.

I think you should go back and read the posts again, because it was spelled out pretty clearly how we all felt about any profit.

And most of them do not mislead you about what they are selling.

You're right. It's clearly our own fault for believing the statements in his item description.............. Buyer beware.

Sorry guys I agree with Anthony. I sell service covers here for mom and parts on ebay. I'm a 914 nut just like everyone else, but I see nothing wrong in making a profit on parts & service. I would have jumped on the $400 seals myself if they hadn't been bought already. I did get in on the AA deal for $210 ONLY because the others were gone.

As far as I am concerned these are still NLA, I haven't heard that Porsche is going to keep making them. In a few months I bet if you put your $400 seal on ebay it will get twice that amount.

Trojanman.....

Well, I guess you don't want to let this rest......and just want to

I have explained the situation but you seem to just be a bitter person. As I stated earlier, I never advertised the seal on this forum but you keep implicating that I did. I betrayed nobody. If you look through my posts you will find I have posted a LOT of useful information, I have machined parts for other members here for dirt cheap (and free) and given many parts away for free to other members here. This crap makes me want to leave.

Perhaps you have a poor understanding of how e-Bay works. I checked your feedback. You have only a feedback score of 3, 1 negative with a failure to pay Perhaps you didn't like the price after you agreed to purchase it and then refused to pay. Nice guy.

You didn't pay for one item you purchased. and you only bought 4!!! The "buy it now" stops people like you that bid and then won't pay and another reason that most of my sales are done that way. Your feedback indicates you have never sold an item on e-Bay so perhaps you just don't understand the process. You list something that you want to sell. If people want to purchase something they can do so. It's voluntary. Most people make money when they sell. You only bid if you want it. I recommend you avoid e-Bay until you understand the system.

Unlike your score of 3, I have a 100% positive feedback with a 193 positive transactions so don't jump on my intergrity. Look at your own house....

This is my last post regarding this. It's not a forum issue, but an e-Bay issue and should not be beat to death here. Discussing it any further will not change anyone's mind.

Trojanman, Gint and Echocanyons are the 3 here who bought the seals on e-Bay and have cried foul here. I'm sorry if you are not satisfied with the price you agreed to pay. I'm willing to drop this guys, I ask you to do the same.

It's unproductive.

Agreed. And I don't care to try.

I will say though that I basically agree with Garold and Anthony. But they nor you ever seemed to understand or address my primary concern. A little profit off of some hard to come by parts isn't really the issue. But that's OK. See my next comment...


As I said, I'm not all that dissatisfied with the price. Again, that really never was the issue. And time has softened my position... somewhat. I'm over it and all done. You won't hear any more form me about it.

Bitter Person?
Hardly

Nobody ever said you did. But I guess you seem to be good at half truths, so don't stop now.

3 for 3

you're right

Paul,

You wrote:



I would like you to try and understand something. Admins are members here, too. They are free to express their own personal opinion as much as anyone else is. Quite frankly, the Admins here keep their personal opinions to themselves on a lot of stuff when they're not directly involved. Mike was, and he's entitled to his opinion and can state it any way he likes, within the rules.

If he had taken *action* as an administrator and banned or suspended you, then my opinion would be different.

IMO, you bought the seals, jacked the price up to make a quick buck. You have a right to sell anything that's yours at any price on eBay. But when the full story gets out, you shouldn't be surprised that folks get their panties in a bunch.

If you're man enough to make money in a way that lists items as NLA when they're not really NLA... then be man enough to take the criticism when people figure out what you did.

-Rusty

well said

BTW, I have been looking for this seal for, well since I bought the car a couple years ago and would have been pretty happy to pay $400 for a nice new one. You don't have to tell me they are hard to find as a come on.

I am even happier that I ordered it from George about 15 minutes after seeing what was happening and only paid half that. People have talked a lot of shit about Auto Atlanta and George. Maybe they did not have the best customer service in the past, but they have always done me right, and he has been using his resources to make NLA phantom parts turn up in your mailbox.

When Slits was putting together his order last year, he was very upfront about what the deal was, he was investing time and earnest cash and built something for himself into the deal.

People don't mind if you make money but they don't dig feeling like they have been misled. You may never look at this, but that is what generated the drama

Edit
In Texas, the way this was done would almost certainly violate the deceptive trade practice act and make you liable for up to triple damages, BTW

I sent a PM to George right after he posted that they were available but haven't heard back.

Are they all gone?

I have one I'll sell you for $400

But wait, there's more.............Let me tell you a little something about it.

"You are bidding on a BRAND NEW Porsche factory Targa seal. This WAS an impossible seal to find new, until I found out Porsche was carrying them again............ It's not a fake replica and it's in the Porsche original packaging.
Don't miss this one! Check my feedback, I sometimes don't pay for items, and when i do, I pay too much.........It's priced low, because I need to sell it before word gets out. The last one sold on e-Bay for over $900.00, $400, $300, $275."

And Allan, you need to pay RIGHT NOW to get this deal. Otherwise you may have to pay $210 to get one somewhere else tomorrow. Oh, and I am selling this to you at a loss so, clearly, it is a good deal.

Bitter?

Naaaaa

What happen to that open letter to Gordon in the Classifieds?

I called them on the phone and ordered it. I would not be a bit surprised if they have sold out. If they made some, they have the molds to make more. Unless they just found these in some warehouse in Germany.

I ordered Sat AM and they said they only had a few left. I emailed a bunch of friends about the AA sale and hopefully a few jumped on it. NLA should actually be NLCA "no longer consistently available"

I call you paid $400 for a seal that the week before would have sold for $900 and now there are some, some that are $210-$300. Please....... get over it.

These are still NLA, go ahead call AA. Guess what, they don't have them yet. Maybe in a week. Yes, I took a chance also and called AA and have ordered one.

Your upset because of wording in his ebay ad? Please........................

Garold,
I'm really not upset, and just laughing about it now
I got suckered, but I think I'll live


OK, I need to step away from the computer now, otherwise i'll reply to every reply. It's a viscious circle you know

Time to enjoy the weather here today

and they will be $900 again in a few weeks ...
Andy

Really guys, I am not kidding you. Paul is a very decent guy. He has given me parts and offered to do machine work in his very complete garage machine shop... As I said, we have the same parts guy at Porsche and he says that Paul was lucky to get what he got and paid a premium to get it. I would bet he made next to nothing. When I said I want one he says probably NLA but he will try.

A month from now that may be cheap.

FYI .... just a note from the shit-stirrer ..... "Expedited Service" from Porsche is an additional 15% according to my contact. If we take a list price of $279 and add the 15%, it makes the cost $320 (and this doesn't include taxes). Kinda narrows the "excessive profit" figure.

Not defending, not accusing .... just information.

Just ordered one from AA a few minutes ago at $210. They implied that thet were in stock as it is suppose to ship out tomorrow or Wed. we need a fingers crossed smilie.

More info.
I place my seal on backorder back in March of 06. Price locked in was 167. That was through mittlemotor. They said when they came in I would get one as I was close to the top of the list.

Also on a $400 dollar auction with paypal buy it now Fees are $29.00

I also had one on order with Mittlemotor for $167.23 but that is in euro's. With todays exchange rate thats $226USD. Add another $80 euro's for shipping ($108USD) and you have a $334 seal. I took my chances with AA and ordered one for $210.

As far as the ebay add description sounds like an optertunity was seen and he neded act fast to make it happen. He also had to realise that his $300+ seals would be worth at best $210 within days. If he really thought that they would be NLA again as soon as some think he would have kept them for a few months and sold them for the $800+ they were going for on Ebay.

Just bought one from my local Porsche dealer - $231.00

Ken

FYI - Porsche announced in Feb. that they would have the new seal available in April.

Ken

Does anybody actually have any of these in hand after a purchase from a Porsche dealer? I've heard AA bought the remaining supply but who knows who's getting what?

Kev

And the April date they announced came and went without a whimper .... then about 2 weeks later they showed up.

EDIT Ok all you Cali folks ..... just got a phone call from a not to be named source that says there are 34 of these puppies in the Ontario, CA warehouse ..... Rock and Roll .... go get 'em.

AND

AA is running an eBay auction for 30 seals with a "Buy It Now" price of $275 with free shipping. 23 are left.

So who gets 'em first .... eBay customers or club members @ $210?

We do of course

So Ron when you run down to the Porsche Dealer off the 91 pic up my gas pedal

Just got back from Stevens Creek Porsche.

Chris in Parts shows the targa seal in three pieces. 914 531 823 11 & 914 531 824 11 ($30.84 each from Germany) are both side strips to be ordered in addition to middle piece 914 563 039 10 ($257.34).

So, I thought the targa seal was one piece, not three. Is this correct?

"Immediate payment required" for their auction also.

Hummm last I looked it was April.

Ken

The 914 531 823 11 & 914 531 824 11 numbers are for the metal pieces that hold the seal to the car down the sides. There was a revision in those metal pieces but I don't remember the year but I believe it was about 73. I have the new metal pieces but I can't find the old ones (72) to compare the difference and to confirm that you actually need the new pieces to work with the new seal. If I can find my old ones, I'll compare and post.

The seal is one piece not 3

EDIT: I found the old metals. Looking at old vs new they are very very close. There are minor measurement differences and the shape is "slightly" different. I can not tell if it is because the old ones are old and tweaked or different. If it were me, I would try the old ones first and see how it seals.

Yes, you are correct. I just looked at the PET and see what you describe. Thanks.

I just saw this add in the classifieds here.
Looks like a great price
What a cool guy to pass on such a deal, on an impossible seal to find new

Just placed an order with AA. Second shipment of factory seals coming in next week.

I think this is VERY good new for the 914....

seems that its commanding some attention again

Liz and I just got back from the dealer where we ordered a new seal for $270.

im going to play devils advocate here.

--my views do not represent the admin staff or any other member here except myself--

who cares where he got em and what he paid for them? Caveat Emptor - buyer beware. I too thought it was a killer deal. But all the vultures got to em before me, and some greedy ones at that (buying multiple )

how is it different than resellers marking up the product? bfd, guy made some money, and beat you to the punch at it. Tact aside, very smart business move, and a move anyone is allowed to make. He didnt hose anyone in the community, just made a buck. We all have done it at swapmeets....

he coulda just shown a pic of what he had for sale and had bidders for 800 bucks without a single word of text

smart buyers dont get hosed. It was such a GOOD deal until you found out his bottom lime and margin. thats irrelevant. PAY what YOU are WILLING to PAY, nothing more nothing less. your finger clicked the trigger... no one else.

the aforementioned was just my opinion

Then we wouldn't be having this converstation.........

My dealer now says there is a hiccup.

sounds like you got a 2 for 1 deal no?

2 for 1?

I could have bought 2 at a Fair Market Value for the same inflated price I paid, if that's what you mean

again, just playing devils advocate
my bad - i thought you bought 2 of them. misread it.... BUT

none of this would have bothered you if you did not know the profit margin on the part, or had researched it (like the others who called the dealer over and over)

just saying, no one forced you to buy it, and the decision was ultimately yours. a little research would have uncovered some other choices.

its all good. i still like you but thought i would point out caveat emptor

Aaron,
i'm not sure why were are rehashing this, but go back and read all of the posts from me, gint, and kelly. No one complained about price or profit. It was only about the dishonest language in the ad that we were bothered with. The fact that he called the dealer (over and over) and 'knew' that they were going to be available the next day, yet used the NLA tactic ("impossible to find new")is what 'bothered' us. That's why I agreed with your statement about listing the item with only a price and picture. It's ok if one member profits from another, but let's try and keep it honest.

My 10 seals arrived at the Porsche dealer today, I will be giving them away for free, first come first serve. Shipping is $400.each.
CCLIN914NATION