Unbelievable Request from a Baord Member.

[dtlilly]

You have been a saint of patience, not many people like you left in the world. I'd call the note in. Either he pays by a certain date, or the heads are sold to the next buyer, and the $100 is yours.

[68C15]

man, this is a tough one seeing as how I have been unexpectadly short on cash & also stiffed by buyers not holding up thier end of the deal. for instance I was laid off about 2.5 yrs ago & had about $8000 in tools & box debt. I told the debtor immediatly & made arrangements for reduced payments (2 weeks found another job). I have also sold a car to a fellow worker who ended up having a rough time financially. he made NO attempt to make alternate arrangements & just to keep work place liveable took the loss.
what I would in your case is determine the current value of parts & deduct difference from deposit. then refund remainder along with STRONG literal tongue lashing to let him know how wrong he is.
JMO

[lux hauler]

I'd say you've done your part......he didn't so he looses.

If I were in his shoes, I might ask for my money back but I wouldn't necessarily expect to get it back.

Like has been said already......those heads could have been sold long ago. Because he didn't hold up his end of the deal, you don't have the money in your pocket that you could have had.

For those that have been sympathetic to the person who did not fulfill their end of the deal, tell me this.......If you purchase a car, put $2000 down and make only six monthly payments but still keep the car for ten months, do you think the finance company/bank is going to give you the unused portion of your payments back? I think not.

Keep the money and sell the heads (to someone else).

[PICKMUP]

I never want to keep someone's money, when they don't get their parts...but, a deposit/payment is a guarantee to pay. I have also had a few sour deals on this board. Most are great, but there are a few that just will not do what they say they are gong to do.
I don't know what you are going to do this time, but next time put it in writing...PMs/Emails are fine. Make sure it is clear that any deposits/payments are forfeited if all payments are not made as agreed.
Even after putting everything in writing, it can be hard to get others to keep their work...that goes for both those buying from you and selling to you.
I have had several guys on here promise to sell parts and even a truck to me---then I never hear from them or they sell it to someone else later.
Just do what you say you are going to do!!!...and we can all work together better.

[jescates]

Very simple, if I asked you to hold a part and that I would make monthly payments and I didn't hold up to the bargain....wouldn't think twice about it, money lost because of my own stupidity. Money's yours. Wouldn't even bother asking you, would be a man about it and tell you I couldn't make the payment so sell the heads. Falls under ethics. Thats some of the problems nowdays.

[Randy70C-10]

Looking at this from both sides, someone is going to get screwed weather it be you or him. Since he initiated the deal then I'd say keep the money and let it be him. I personally don't believe in the payment plan, but I will accept a non-refundable deposit (agreed before the sale) and hold a part for a scecified amount of time. I've done this with engines, and actually sold a freshly built 283 four times! The deposits alone totalled up to almost the sale price of the engine, but it took 2 years to finally get rid of the damn thing.

[69ride]

I'd give him the money back. It's NOT what you want to hear but you asked for opinions. You don't know what is going on in his life. just my $.02.

[68 Suburban]

Originally Posted by 69ride

I'd give him the money back. It's NOT what you want to hear but you asked for opinions. You don't know what is going on in his life. just my $.02.

Oh but I do know what is going on. He has a track record of this type of behavior.

[gmcnorton]

MY GIRLFRIEND AND I ALWAYS GET OURSELVES INTO THE SAME SITUATIONS...... ALWAYS WILLING TO HELP SOMEONE OUT WITH SOME SORT OF MESS. AND IT USUALLY ENDS UP WE ARE HOLDING THE SHORT END OF THE STICK . WE ALWAYS TRY TO LOOK ON THE BRIGHT SIDE AND HOPE IT WILL PAY OFF FOR US SOMEDAY...LOL...

WE JUST LOOK AT IT THIS WAY : YOU CAN'T CHANGE BEING THE PERSON YOU ARE JUST BECAUSE A FEW PEOPLE ARE WILLING TO TAKE ADVANTAGE OF YOUR GOOD NATURE. MY OPINOIN IS THIS PERSON YOUR DEALING WITH IS JUST THIS TYPE OF PERSON THAT MAKES YOU WONDER. YOU DO WHAT YOU FEEL IS RIGHT,AS LONG AS YOUR COMFORTABLE WITH YOUR ACTIONS IS WHAT IS IMPORTANT.

JUST MY .02 ,KEVIN

[nitor]

I agree with most everyone here. Keep the money. You've been more than patient. Give him one more chance, if he doesn't contact you, or come up with the remainder sell the heads for what you can get and keep the money he sent.

Just my .02.

[moneyguru]

Do you want to know what is legal, or what I think is right?

Legal - unless both parties agreed that it was a non-refundable deposit, the deposit should be returned. He might be able to take you to small claims court to get the $100.

What would I do - Keep the $100, allow him one last chance to either buy the heads, or he finds someone to buy them from you.

[90\87Formula]

Give him back half and just call it a lesson learned by both of you.

[Bluegoose972]

Shoot....I think you should pay him back, with interest for holding his money for so long!

Just kidding

[stepside454]

if I were the buyer & was in a financial bind, & believe me Ive been there, first off Id never ask someone Ive never known to allow me to make payments. But lets say I did, after all this time with no communication, I sure the heck wouldnt expect my money back, at the most Id see if the seller had something else I wanted for the 100.00 I gave him, if not oh well. John

[juju808]

Im sure many would disagree with me... but I say give it back to him... I know that wasting your time and going back on a deal isnt cool, but its not like you still cant sell the parts... and he obviously is in need of the money... so in the end it was like you took his money without giving anything in return and free money always comes back to haunt you in one way or another...

[StingRay]

Free money Christopher sat on a $400 set of parts that he could have sold otherwise many months earlier and could have used that money to finance other items or projects. Tell me where you can go and tie up 400 bucks of somebodies money for 9 months for free! Not at a bank, not at a pawn shop.........

Christopher asked for opinions and he is getting them. He and anybody with anything to lose are also getting a list of names of who NOT to do business with without cash up front.

I feel sorry for the guy that he is short a hundred bucks. Betcha he won't try it again either.

[68 Suburban]

Originally Posted by juju808

... and he obviously is in need of the money....

I would have to say BS on this one. The track record I can trace all the way back to March 2003, shows a person who does not keep his word.

"Deadbeat bidder? Never heard from this person....6 emails."

"NEVER SENT PAYMENT WAITED OVER 30 DAYS "

"jacked up the price when he didnt get what he wanted, very shadey character"

"NON-PAYING BIDDER, BEWARE,POOR WAY TO START,NO ANSWER TO NUMUROUS EMAILS "

"Buyer xxxxxxxxx would not respond to seller and did not pay their winning bid"

[68 Suburban]

Thanks for the input guys.

[HuggerCST]

Personally, I would give him his money back, and not deal with him anymore. And, I wouldn't accept any more "payment plans" unless I really know the person. Look at it from my point of view, or any other bystander, now that you have made it public. If you were looking at who you would or wouldn't do business with on this board, would you do business with the people who wouldn't give the money back, or the people who would? (If given a choice). I agree that he shouldn't even ask for it back, and you have no obligation to give it back, but you making a case out of it and publicly saying "no way" tells alot about who you are to the readers of this thread. On the other hand, if you gave it back (publicly), you say to everybody that you are a person that does more than is what is expected of him. That's the person I want to do business with.

[sactoC10]

well said HuggerCST...

I think this thread should become a poll!

[StingRay]

Uh giving the guy 9 months to make good on the deal was doing more than most would expect. Maybe Chris should have paid the guy 400 and delivered the parts to him personally

[68 Suburban]

Originally Posted by HuggerCST

Personally, I would give him his money back, and not deal with him anymore. And, I wouldn't accept any more "payment plans" unless I really know the person. Look at it from my point of view, or any other bystander, now that you have made it public. If you were looking at who you would or wouldn't do business with on this board, would you do business with the people who wouldn't give the money back, or the people who would? (If given a choice). I agree that he shouldn't even ask for it back, and you have no obligation to give it back, but you making a case out of it and publicly saying "no way" tells alot about who you are to the readers of this thread. On the other hand, if you gave it back (publicly), you say to everybody that you are a person that does more than is what is expected of him. That's the person I want to do business with.

If it has been 99.9% of the member on the board the money would be in the mail. When It comes to someone's ethics that have been called into question on this board and in other business situations many of time, that is where I have to say no. If I knew of these issues before, there is no way I would have ever done business with him.

I'm sorry if other people on the board will look at this and not want to do business with me. I have been selling things here and there for about 4 years, and have all ways been up front and honest as possible about what I am selling. I have even given board members more of a break than I normally would. I recently sold a vehicle to someone through the board, even though I knew I could have sold it for more. He was a great person, a man of his word and I am very happy, that he is very happy with his purchase.

It is not like I am telling him that his heads are gone, and so is his money? His heads are here, like I promised. Complete the transaction and all is good. He has the option of buying the heads and re-selling them if he things they hold the same value they did 9 months ago. If anyone wants to help him out and give me $400 for the heads in the next 2 weeks, I will return his deposit.

Like I said, this person has 2 weeks from today to make good on his agreement and pick up his heads. That is more time than a seller would give him on ebay. I think 9 1/2 months is more than enough time to be a man of his word.

[72bigblock4wd]

I have to agree with the majority on this one. Not only from a legal standpoint, but an ethical standpoint as well. This board has a lot of really great people on it, and the people who take advantage of that either by intention or ignorance don't deserve the benefit of the doubt. The money belongs to you 68 Suburban!!

[nu2-72]

Chris, you have always been upstanding to me. Sometimes our transactions passed in the mail. I do not think that I could ever question your integrity and so regardless of the other party ( with a very few exceptions) I have to stand by you on this. With regard to those few exceptions, it would be dead even. I have met some great people on here. And I have been stiffed for shipping costs on free parts too. $3.85. I guess his checks never came in.

[BOSS]

Ask him what he would rather have,his money back and name posted so noone else would ever deal with him or you keep the money and keep quiet.......lol.Wonder which one he would choose?