Have I set my standards too high.

[davethebirdman]

Help me out here...I'm driving myself mad.

Some of you may recall that I recently bid and won a 7UP Clock.


http://cgi.ebay.com/ws....=1&rd=1
 
Described as perfect. No scrathces etc. Full working order.

Directly after the auction the seller e-mails me and says that he had noticed a very small dent in the outer casing. It doesn't show he tells me. Do I still want the clock. He even states that I can return it if not satisfied. So I say yeah send it.

The clock was in Malta. In Malta they don't accept PayPal. I had to queue up at the Post Office and get a Postal Order to send. No problem I can do that.
I send the postal order it arrives and the seller sends the clock off.

Two weeks later no clock. Then an e-mail from the seller. Sorry he says. Istead of writing UK he writes USA and its been to the US and back again. He'll send it straight away. Okay, easy mistake (maybe) and at least its now on its way.

Clock arrives yesterday. Perfect it isn't. The dent on the back is a series of dents. The glass has some minor scratches and the metal rim is very worn and dis-colured. Alsorts of bugs have set up home in it.

Okay, give it a wash and a bit of a polish. Its not my idea of perfect but perhaps its the sellers and, after all it is 50yrs old. So I clean it up. Its looking better. Not my perfect but good enough to display as long as I look at it from a distance, maybe wth my left eye slightly closed. Yeah its fine.

Right lets get it plugged in. So its US made that must mean that its 110-120V surely. So I check with the seller. No no he says I have always run it straight from the socket. Is 230 (Malta like most of the rest of the world runs the same as the UK) That's strange but maybe 7UP built clocks in the US which they distributed straight to their European outlets. Makes sense. After all the seller should know it ran perfectly in Malta.

So I wire in a plug and plug that into the mains. Nothing. Nothing. No clock movement no lights. No nothing.

I have e-mailed the seller back asking him to advise me on why the bloody thing isn't working.

My question. - Why am I almost always diappointed with things I buy from e-bay. Is it too much for something to arrive in the condition described and to be working. All I want to do is put it on the wall and admire it.

If you have got this far I must appologise. I have ranted and raved and now feel a little calmer.  

What to do next?? Even if he offers a refund on return do I really want to take the chance of sending it back. The postage alone is going to be a third of what I laid out in the beginning.

Do I cut my losses and just put it up on the wall and accept that it once did keep good time.

I don't know. I'll just go to work and have a little think. Before I do that I'll kick the dog and lock the kids in the downstairs cupboard.

Dave

[BrianB]

Dave -

Sorry to hear about you Ebay misfortune. I've been worked over a few times as well and it's especially bad when the item you are buying is very hard to come buy in awesome condition.

Unfortunately I think you might have already figured out your answer though. You said it yourself that it would cost you quite a bit to mail it back and that there is no guarantee that you will ever get any resolution.

Based on principle alone, I would send the clock back and ask for a full refund including all shipping costs. But reality tells me that it would be risky for you to take that route.

I'll bet with some tinkering you would be able to get that clock working. Let us know if you need any help.

[90grad]

Dave,

That stinks.  The wife got skunked on some photo paper she recently bought on eBay.  It was only $20, but it still makes you mad.  To make matters worse, eBay takes $25 to handle a dispute.

Anyway, BrianB may be on to something with his tinkering idea.  A clock is a motor with a power cord.  Rewiring may not be that tough.  Shoot some photos if you can and maybe some one would have a spare motor (or be able to get one off an old clock) laying around.  Who knows, you may be able to buy a cheap clock over there and just swap the motor.

[sodaworks]

Sounds like the seller knew he mis-represented the clock in the first place by follow up email stating the dent. He should have came clean about the other issues. Send it back.

[Eric]

Wow!... I hate to hear this.... I'd contact the seller and figure out a way to either get a FULL refund including the shipping.... or get a discount (some money back)
Yeah.. he sent it to the US? It sat in his basement? NO way did he send it to the US and it returned.. I have a hard time believing that...
Seems eBay will do nothing.... or takes them forever to do anything.... If you give the seller a bad feedback...they'll just change their name...

After all this I'd have a hard time keeping the clock...

Hopefully you can get all your money back.... if not then I hope you can
get it working... then put it back on eBay and get some of your money back that way.... Then leave neg feedback!
Good luck!

[Pat Pixley]

Dave , Sorry to hear about this happening
to you ,  I think if you send it back  I  think
 you'll loss your money and that clock.
My thought's I would leave a neutral responce
and get your point across that way.
 Keep the clock till you get one to replace it, and put
 that one in the garage or sell it as is and let them
 know whats wrong with it.
 
 I know there is some real '>  heads out there
 but there are some good  honest people
 out there on ebay also , SO don't give up ok.

 Pat   '>

[MoonDawg]

The fact that you have no clock AND no light, leads me to believe you simply have a power or wiring problem. I would take it straight to a clock shop first and ask them what voltage it is rated for.
       Looks like you have an aluminum casing. The dents can be pounded out and then polishing makes it look outstanding!
       Also, Jeff Walters has been selling replacement glass for these PAM clocks,( I think he has 2 sizes and they are less than $20.00 ea). New glass would probably really spruce yours up.
        It's just another restoration Dave................we know you can do it   '>

[davethebirdman]

Hi Guys

thanks for the words of encouragement. I've just read through my post again. I just wanted to get it off my chest. Having been at work for a few hours now Glen (AS ALWAYS) is right. Its just another restoration. Just a pitty I didn't buy it as such.

Where there is pleasure (Hires Sign) There is pain (7UP Clock)

Dave

[cormy]

Yes, the wonderful world of Ebay. It has its good sides and its down sides. I don't know of anybody who hasn't have a bad experience there. I just recieved a Buddy L Texaco set that the seller described as "mint". Well, I guess our definations of "mint" are much different. The box is ripped, some of the pieces have broken parts, ect. He says I can get a full refund, then I ask about shipping costs.........no response.......Now what?? I will probably just keep it.

[SIGNGUY]

I'd just keep the clock, by the time you spend sending it back only to get some of your money back, it's better just to keep it. Looks like either some good cleaning or new glass will bring it back to life, and electronics won't be too hard to get running.. besides.. you only paid 180 bucks (US) for it which is actually a pretty good price.. nice orignal PAM clocks, especially Coke are going for big bucks... so hopefully that helps!..  '>