DocYates

My Feedback: (102)

Let me air my frustrations here for a minute, if you don't mind and get your opinion.
In the last month I have been taken by two fellow modelers for the sum total of about $1200. The first one was my own fault and was by a fellow club member who asked to borrow a brand new engine to use until he could get one. I let him borrow a brand new Saito 150 that my wife had bought me for my birthday and now he refuses to return, and tells everyone I gave it to him. Well live and learn. Unfortunately for him, I still have all the paperwork and reciept for it, so eventually I will get it back.

The second occurred here at RCU. About 5 weeks ago I responded to an ad here for a guy who had a "brand new computer" to trade. We made a deal, but when it came time to ship it, he gave me a sad story about how he had gotten a speeding ticket and really needed the money. Well I was going to give the computer to my son for Christmas so I went ahead and we agreed on a cash price and I sent him a bank issued check. After two weeks I finally get notice that it is being shipped with installed software, etc. After the fourth week, it arrived. The case is undamaged and it looks OK, but it refuses to boot up. The accompanying software is copied and probably not legal, and the one time I did get it to boot up, it does not have what it is supposed to have on it. Now he sent me one short email and said it should work, and must be something I did to it. He does not answer any more emails. I offered to return it to him and he could return my money, or I could take it and have it fixed and he could pay the difference, or he could just talk to me on the phone and tell me how to fix the probelm. No response. I took it to my local computer dealer today and asked him to look at it. The verdict is not in yet, but needless to say I am ticked. So much for giving it to my son for Christmas. For 16 years I have been involved in RC and never have I been burned so badly as here lately I talked to this guy on the phone and he even has 'good karma". So much for that.
Live and learn fellas, the Grinch loves the holidays. By the way, for Christmas, all I want is shirt with a "target" on the back.
Tommy

edge_fanatic

My Feedback: (4)

I'm actually surprised.....

I've found, for the most part, that RC Modelers have treated me quite fairly, and generally go overboard on the friendly side.

As for the first situation, it soulds like your friend is taking you for a ride, but might come home at some point. If I were you, I'd dispute the assertions he makes about it being a gift, everytime you hear about it. Otherwise, folks will believe it...

The second guy doesn't sound like a modeler at all, and maybe is just a computer dude having little or no connection in the hobby....

The good guys are out there, I can assure you. Many of them are here on RCU. I've bought from several folks here, and have had it go just fine.

Good Luck!

DocYates

My Feedback: (102)

Sorry if it sounded that way. As I said I have been involved in RC for over 16 years and until now I have never really been taken. I think that my experience is just what a lot of others have expressed in the past, and I have said "oh that could never happen to me", well guess what, I was wrong. I guess I am becoming the cynical old man that my kids have thought I was for years. It seems today you have to be a little bit more careful of who you trust.
No disrespect intended, I have found 99.9% of all those I have corresponded with here at RCU are on the up and up, and some go out of their way to be great.
Merry Christmas
Tommy

Goinstraightup

My Feedback: (26)

Tommy,

I'm no expert at this stuff, but for the first problem, I would be tempted to bring in the police or some sort of legal authority. That's a nice and expensive engine and you have proof. You were stolen from.

For the second problem, I'm sure that you and all of us can benefit from this being a moderated news group. I would report what has happened to the moderators. Also I think you can leave negative feedback for this seller. This protects us all.

I have had great experiences with RC'ers too. Sorry you were mistreated.

rcavi8ter

My Feedback: (19)

I guess that is the risk we take. I have been doing deals on the internet for about 5 years now and I have only been burnt once. I bought a motor that was to be "bench ran only". When I got the motor it had helicoils in both jugs. I tried to run the motor and it was fine at idle got to about 3500 RPM and the plug came flying out. I had to spend over $300 for new jugs to fix the problem. This is the only deal that was not right for me. I try to talk to everyone I am buying off of before money is sent. Really Sucks when a local does you like that. Go to his house with the local PD and get your motor back.


Chris Puckett
Puckett Model Aviation

str86diesel

Sorry to hear about the bad news. Hopefully everything will get resolved... I wish you the best of luck with both situations.

Kev

DocYates

My Feedback: (102)

the local problem with the club member will be solved. He is a member of the club and was an older gentleman who I thought I could trust completely. He got upset becasue our field is going to move and he looks at it like it my fault, so he thinks he is getting even. There also may be a little Senile Dementia going on here. But in any case, I learned my lesson and so did my fellow club members. He won't get anything else from anyone. I will eventually get the engine back, but for the most part he has screwed up big time, and I think he will soon realize it.

As to the RCU item, the computer store tells me they believe the processor is faulty. Even the experts cannot get this thing to run right. My plans are to give this guy 24 hours to respond to my email and come to some type of resolve, or I plan on taking it to the RCU moderators. I have seen where he has not posted since the post with the computer, so my guess is he may have burned me and left the scene. Maybe I am being to cynical, but having shelled out over $700 to this guy and getting a paperweight has lit my fuse.
Tommy

William Robison

My Feedback: (3)

Well.

In every deal I have made on RCU and through the MECA Swap Sheet I have shipped the whatever on the day or the day after the purchaser has told me the check is in the mail. And in every case it has been.

And I have sent items for approval without having the check in the mail. In every case a deal was reached or my item has been returned.

I even offered to back one deal out when the buyer seemed unsatisfied, but he kept the parts.

May be that I am too trusting, but I've not been burned yet on a sale.

On the other hand, when I've said I put the check in the mail I have done so. And I haven't been burned on a purchase either.

Blind luck? I prefer to blame simple honesty.

And always either check or MO.

Not Paypal? I've heard too much negative, sorry.

Twins are the things I fly through rings.

Bill.

Goinstraightup

My Feedback: (26)

Tommy,

I'm glad you got your engine back. I have never had a bad experience with modelers, but I did have a Kadet Senior stolen. There's no way to replace all that work.

RCKen

My Feedback: (9)

I've been in the hobby for about 6 years now and so far I have found almost all the people around here to be very trusting and I don't worry about being burned. That's one thing I love about this hobby and the people (for the most part) that are in it. But I do take to heart one lesson I learned from a more experienced buddy at the field. Whenever I sell a plane or motor, I demand ALL of the payment before the item leaves my grubby hands. Although it never happened to me, I did see a friend get burned. He sold a plane and let the buyer make payments on the plane, but let the buyer take the plane right away. A week later the buyer crashed the plane and lost all "interest" in making the payments as promised. I somebody buying something from me wants to make payments I'm perfectly fine with that, but the item stays with me until payed off. No exceptions.

Other than that, I love this hobby and most of the people in it.

DocYates

My Feedback: (102)

The local guys tell me the computer board and processor need to be replaced in order to fix this probelm. The total cost of a new board and precssor is $320. I offered to have this board and processor removed and returned to the seller, and in return he will return $200 to me. If in the fact the board and processor are new, he can get his money back. I will then be able to get this machine serviced here by my techs. The other solution is to send it back to himfor a refund. He has offered for me to send it back to him and he will fix it and send it back to me, which puts another 2-3 weeks of shipping it back and forth and the cost of shipping ($40 each way). I think I am offering an easy alternative if you want to know the truth. At least he is answering my emails now and offering some solution without having to drag this before the moderator.
Keeping my fingers crossed.
Tommy

RCKen

My Feedback: (9)

Doc,
look for a PM on this from me.

tailskid

My Feedback: (34)

Doc,

My son's in town and was asking if I knew anyone who needed their knee caps 'rearranged'

I'm sorry to hear about your 'set-back' especially at this time of the year - bummmmmmer -

Maybe all will work out for you - sure hope so!

Jerry

William Robison

My Feedback: (3)

RCKen:

Most definitely, the exception to delivering without cash in hand is a complete airplane.

Just one "Dumbthumb" and the purchase is greatly reduced in value, which can lead to a reluctance to complete the payment.

But I've still not been burned, knock wood (see my knuckles hitting my head?).

The only sure payment is cash or a money order, anything else can be stopped or charged back.

Another way to look at it: We risk total destruction with every flight, selling is a similar risk of total loss.

All the bucks up front, you'll never have to punt.

Bill.