Disappointmet Buying Star

M80

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Sorry I can't get this to lay out in an easier to read layout.

I made contact with a eBay seller and was invited to go and collect. It isn't too far so why not?
Also I was keen to get the Star to get the Viano going as it seems I need some techical assistance to diagnose its fault.

Anyway I think the record below tells the story and for those with the patience I'm interested in opinions of what next.
I've deleted what would identify the seller.


Company Director

Company Address

Company number

Mobile number from eBay adverts

eBay Trading Names a
b
c

23-Aug Thur 16:13 Text > "Hi, I'm interested in you Mercedes Star diagnostic kits. Perhaps you could call when possible. Martin"

24-Aug Fri 11:29 Call > Rang mobile. Arranged to go to ******* to collect loan dianositics kit, pending the C3 being ready Wednesday 29th.

14:17 Visit > Arrived, as arranged, no person home. Rang mobile 'they' arrived 5 minutes later.

29-Sep Wed 20:01 Call > I called, "I'm not in UK, back 4th Sept"

04-Sep Tues 11:16 Call >
11:23 Call > I called 2 times, both to answer service..
14:04 Call >
14:05 Call > Answered after 2 more calls

04-Sep 14:08 Text > "Hi this is Martin, please let me know when I can collect the MB C3 Star diagnostics, or alternatively when to collect the £400 paid on the 24th August."

10-Sep Mon 15:36 Text > "It seems you are unable to provide the Mercedes Star C3 diagnostic as agreed. I have the loan machine you provided and I'm now keen to return this and recover my £400 that you hold. Pleaee advise.

15:43 < Call Return call, "...things stuck at customs, I didn't know. Ready tomorrow pm".

11-Sep Tue 17:13 Call > I called, "it's ready but I'm not home till 7:30, I'll call you when home". No call.

12-Sep Web 09:27 Call > I Called 9:27, to answer machine

12:21 < Call Missed call from

11:24 Text > "Is collection of the Star still possible early today."
13:56 Call > I rang mobile and arranged to go to swap kits. Explained I had little time. He "I can come out to you and exchange if you like".

14:39 Visit > Arrived, as arranged, I rang mobile and told He would be there in 2 minutes. 10 minutes and no show. I left.

17-Sep Mon 18:46 Text > "So you let me down on Thursday agian by not being home even though this was arranged. Do you have a suggestion of resolution here"

18:48 < Text "I didn't let you down you left and put the phone down on me I arrived home 5 mins after speaking you had gone already
Nothing has changed the kit is ready to pick up whenever"

18:53 Text > "Knowing I was pushed for time you even offered to come out to the car to save me time. As you weren't at home that wasn't possible. When you rang 10 minutes later I was already driving so unable to answer. Wasting another 2 hours driving to *******" "is more than I can spare"

19:25 < Text "So what would you like to do ? You tell me what you want I will go along with it"

18-Sep Tue 09:15 Text > "I'm still in need of the C3 Star kit and due to the rain can make it over today. Will you have time to demonstrate it working?"

25-Sep Tue 15:47 Text > "We still no further to resolving this.You didn't respond to my message of 18 Sept so you still have my £400 and the Mercedes C3 diagnostic kit. Do you have thoughts as to how we resolve? Martin."


26-Sep Wed 01:42 < Text "Only just seen these texts Nothing to demonstrate the system works fine I sell many of these. There is nothing to resolve Martin
Tell me when you can come pick up your system and drop off mine I am far too busy these days Might have some time to come to you during the weekend but can't be sure"

07:54 Text > "I can come to you today before 12, or after 5:30. If you can show the system running that would be fine"

01-Oct Mon 13:44 Text > "The best as I see it is for me to return your kit by post, and for you to refund my money by bank transfer. Please indicate your agreement. Martin."

16:01 < Text "Why not send your kit by post to like 99.9% of my customers
I have held on to this system for sometime now I could have sold it many times over"

16:11 < Text "Can make out the numbers els id do search on Dvla see if it's still about"


Edit, if you didn't realise I believe the 16:11 message wasn't meant for me. it doesn't make sense anyway.
 
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Wighty

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Contact eBay for a refund and complaint about the seller ?
 
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M80

M80

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Methinks you missed a bit.
I went to his house and paid cash.

This numpty gave trust.
 

Flyinspanner

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Is the “loan kit” a good working C3.... just keep it?

So annoying to be messed about by these scam artists.

Report his behaviour to eBay. It’s fraud.
Maybe pass all his details on to MB as he is “selling” their stuff commercially, - they maybe have a legal dept who may like a word with him.......
Post up his details so others don’t buy from him.
 
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M80

M80

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Thoughts,
I don't have confidence the Police would have interest, it's a civil dispute. They also have other priorities.
This is outside of eBay, they would have interest enough to cause him problems and perhaps penalise him, but not to my benefit aside from revenge.

I did read of a couple of guys in America that suffered significantly when MB went for them. This operation is a small scale industrial manufacturing set up within his rental home so may well get them inspired, I've been doing some research on his situation.

I won't post his details 'as yet'. I'm fairly certain some here and on t'other side have or will use his 'services'. I would definitely like to fore warn anyone likely to get stung but feedback on his 3 eBay profiles shows happy customers. Unless that is feasable to corrupt my poor experience may not be enough to justify what maybe a heavy penalty. It's £400 that he may see reason over yet.

The loan kit is Delphi on a PC with a basic diplexer. It was worse than Torque for usefulness. I can see he would be pleased to offload it for £400 and I'm happy to return it, it's junk IMO.
 
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LostKiwi

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Given you know where he lives how feasible is it to drop by unannounced?
 
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M80

M80

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I don't see advantage LK.
If I were to get the C3 I am stuffed in future if and when it fails, and I have reason to strongly doubt him and his kit has reliability. So for me the refund is favourite.
From the above record he seems unwilling, for some reason, to want to demonstrate the kit.
To call round and attempt to persuade him to pay me is unlikely to result in success. He isn't likey to volunteer the cash and I'm not likely to march him to a cash till.

Also the drive and effort is just more of a loss for me unless there is a likely positve result, and I have tried for that

The other choices are...
 
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Westheath

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The other choices are...

Suck it up .............you f**ked up.
 
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M80

M80

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The other choices are...

Suck it up .............you f**ked up.
Can't fault the reasoning.
Serves me right, and he deserves easy money.
-------------------not sure about the last bit
 

PovertySpec

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Title is misleading, you haven't bought Star, you've bought Delphi on a PC with a basic diplexer and he's used your £400 to buy Star. That's my take on it and a personal visit would be my preferred choice although given he's a fraudster do you have any evidence that he lives at the address you visited? Did you go inside or, when he arrived, did you do the deal kerbside?
 

Wabby

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If he dealt you at the kerbside, then a simple drive around after tea one night, within a 5 minute drive of the location should see his car on a drive/road ... Then you know where he lives.

A little knock on the door would suitable make him **** himself and hand over anything you asked for.
 

LostKiwi

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Your only other option is Money claim online (small claims), but even then he can simply refuse to pay and you have to get enforcement action... Each step costing you money....
 

peterws1957

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This sort of experience seems fairly commonplace on Ebay now. It's the reason I no longer buy or sell expensive items there. It's really good for buying small inexpensive stuff though.
 

Wighty

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Methinks you missed a bit.
I went to his house and paid cash.

This numpty gave trust.
I got that , but I have found the eBay complaints procedure quite good on the couple of times I have used it , surely it costs nothing to get the ball rolling ?
 

Capra

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Whenever I use Ebay I use paypal with credit card. Only got stitched up once and my money was refunded, not sure if Ebay ever received money from the seller?
Sorry to hear your troubles.
 

Westheath

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My take is.........

He used e-bay to contact the seller, he fuc'd (made a mistake) up and bought outside of e-bays buyer protection, that's why it's there to help stop scamming.

****Nothing to do with e-bay****

Nothing to do with anyone except seller and buyer doing a deal somewhere on the planet and certainly nothing to do with being disappointed in buying/using a star machine.

Apparently for that money............

Some Chinese clone sellers of Star
have support via Team Viewer (remote access)
and will log into your laptop and set up the equipment they sold you
and get it running and give 12 months support.
 
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Taffy7hfa

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Ebay as we all know, is heavily populated with thieves crooks and fraudsters, if you are going to use it for things like this the basic rule is you must always communicate through ebay and use paypal. Never be drawn away to email or texting. As Westheath says, Ebay will not be able to help you with this now.
 
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