So much for your promise "not to comment further".
I wasn't planning to respond to the original accusation against Mr.
Jones, but feel it incumbent upon me, and everyone else in a similar
situation, to tell the other side of the story. It is no secret to many on
this list that I have occasionally sold parts to its members. This posting
is therefore coming from a point of view opposite Jim's. It is very
difficult to describe the condition of parts to people long distance. When
parties don't agree on the quality of an item, it shouldn't be considered by
the offended that he has been "burned". Give the offender the opportunity to
rectify the situation, or provide a refund if an aggreement can't be
reached. A MK2 Spitfire front bumper is indeed a rarity, and as such, one
might tend to believe a "poor" example to still be desireable enough to
warrant a fair price. I, for one, would be DELIGHTED to pay $30 each for up
to 4 units of re-chromable MK1 or 2 front blades. Perhaps I should check
with Mr. Jones!
I do not know the Jones family, nor have I ever had dealings with them.
No-one is denying you the chance to voice your opinion, Jim. I think they
do, however, object to your vilification of someone on this list without
doing everything possible to remedy the situation first. You state that you
were offered the chance to return the bumper for a refund of your $30. Since
you and the much malined Mr. Jones were the only parties involved in the
original transaction, no-one on the list can be so bold as to tell you that
you OR he are in the wrong. The only fair thing that sellers of used (or
new) parts can do is offer a guarantee, and assume that the recipient of the
parts will (1) take advantage of the offer and return said parts if
defficiencies are found, or (2) accept the parts in the condition they are
in and keep their mouth shut. As an aside, I have yet to see a bumper that
my local chrome shop couldn't repair and re-chrome, and I don't consider
them to be an exception to the rule. They once did an XK150 bumper that had
one end peeled back 180 degrees, so that the corner touched the rest of the
blade. The job was beautiful when completed, and it was subsequently placed
on a show-quality car. It just seems unlikely that a truely unrepairable
Spitfire bumper would be shipped, and perhaps that is why you are receiving
comments from people on this list doubting the voracity of your story.
Sometimes, chrome shops get busy and would just rather not deal with a
single bumper. Or, perhaps they didn't feel qualified to provide a proper
restoration of the piece. These are just two of many possible explanations
for you being told that the bumper was unrepairable.
I am curious how much the dump charged you to scrap the blade. If you
would be getting a $30 refund by returning it, it seems to me you must have
paid $20 or more for this luxury (accounting for your estimate of $10 to
ship it back). If that is the case, then we can all agree with your
declaration of it being "the least expensive way of dealing with the
problem". Bringing it up on the list, however, was not the BEST way. The
fact that you denied Mr. Jones the opportunity to make the situation right
does not bring much weight to your argument that you were "burned". There is
an implied contract between two people in such a buying-and-selling
arrangement. If you don't feel that the seller lived up to his end of the
bargain, is it then proper for you to do the same by not accepting his offer
of a return? The fact that others on the list have mentioned having pleasant
experiences dealing with the seller SHOULD serve as an indication to you
that there was POSSIBLY a valid misunderstanding, and that you might have
overreacted. Your declaration that the "clique" has gone against you further
diminishes the validity of your contention. If you step back from the
situation for a moment, you will see that the reaction of the list is due to
the fact that you chose not to live up to the bargain of the
transaction...the very thing you are accusing Mr. Jones of. In any court,
including the one of public opinion, you would lose the case every time.
Since I have had no dealings with either party, I can't be accused of being
a part of the "clique" that you maintain is present here. I therefore hope
that you take this criticism in the spirit in which it is offered, and let
this thread die the silent death that it deserves.
Cheers! (Hoping this message doesn't get repeated 10 times!)
Stefan
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