Hugger (Ethan Mathis ) not a man of his word

Discussion in 'Buyer/Seller Feedback' started by BobBuick, May 14, 2017.

  1. techg8

    techg8 The BS GS

    Sometimes men just dont agree.

    I know Bob Buick personally. He is a stand up guy.

    I am not picking sides, just speaking to Bob's character because I know him.
     
    Last edited: May 17, 2017
    Carl Rychlik and 1972Mach1 like this.
  2. Smokey15

    Smokey15 So old that I use AARP bolts.

    So now the OP has $2,800 into a 4-speed swap, as I see it. Still not bad. Check out how much a fresh Muncie 4-speed goes for. The place that did the rebuild was in the ballpark for what I have experienced.
     
    sriley531 likes this.
  3. schlepcar

    schlepcar Gold Level Contributor

    Sure was a lot easier when we all threw the noisy Muncie in the aluminum pile and swapped in another used one for $100. I think any cores that turn usually bring more than $500 these days. I know I had a reality check on a rebuilt 5-speed for my truck when I needed it. I guess it is another fine example of I maybe should have looked before I leaped,but I had to get it back on the road.
     
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  4. BobBuick

    BobBuick still crazy after all

    The one and only picture here is you offered the refund , how much I paid for the parts is irrelevant . You stated when asked twice on condition " very good you should have no problem using any of it " What does that imply ? And to respond to your earlier comments I did try to talk to you before I put money in it but I got no response for two months . How long am I supposed to hold the tranny guy and my project up ? To answer Bens question the last Muncie I had freshened up was in the $3oo range . That's how Ethan ( not me ) came up with the $5oo number , which apparently was just to get me off the phone . You would think he would man up and let me know when he changed his mind , but no , I had call and PM for 2 more months to get a response . He can bury the one and only fact here with his other nonsense all he wants but the truth remains He reneged on an obligation. But if that's how you do business ( with a clear conscious no less ) than so be it . My only obligation here is to inform the members of this forum they can do with the information as they see fit.
     
    Carl Rychlik and 71GSX455-4SPD like this.
  5. sriley531

    sriley531 Excommunicado

    I too have nothing but good things to say about Ethan. I understand that reneging on the refund that was agreed upon is frustrating, I'm sorry to see that. That said, my experience with Ethan has been he's a straight shooter about things and doesn't sugar coat good, bad or otherwise. I'd gladly deal with him again without hesitation. Sorry you feel you didn't have such a good experience Bob, that's a bummer.

    Just my 2 cents. (Which isn't even worth that after PayPal fees...)
     
    Smokey15 likes this.
  6. Carl Rychlik

    Carl Rychlik Let Buick Light Your Fire

    Well just to have you all know I was the friend of Bob that picked up the parts for him! In my estimation the parts needed quite a lot of work even before they can be installed in a car and they were beat. I was waiting for Ethan to arrive in the pouring rain when the Nationals were cancelled that Saturday and while waiting I had enough time to buy some parts from Clifton. When Ethan arrived,we transferred the parts from his vehicle to my truck and nobody else was involved. As I picked up the transmission to shake the water off of it I could feel the loose parts and slop just from the input and output shaft so I knew the transmission was worn and needed rebuilding. As for the rest of the parts they too needed work badly and were pretty dirty. The parts were handled very carefully and transported by me and soon afterwards I delivered to my friend Bob when he was home. As we unloaded my truck Bob saw that with the parts Ethan had forgotten to give me the flywheel and pressure plate which as all of us know is an essential part. As for damaged items I would not have done anything to compromise the parts and handled them with the utmost care.

    Those of you that know me in the Buick community know I'm a well respected and standup guy and my friend Bob is in the same class and league as me.

    It's too bad that a parts sale like this went south. Just wanted you all know the facts and what really happened.
     
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  7. Carl Rychlik

    Carl Rychlik Let Buick Light Your Fire

    Yes and when an offer is made it should be followed through in the proper matter. To reneg on a promise to pay is a serious character flaw. Like it or not,after that offer one just doesn't suddenly come to his senses and change his mind and say 'deal is off!'
    That is not good business to do this way.
     
  8. Jim Rodgers

    Jim Rodgers Well-Known Member

    I dont understand how that when something is sold as used, and described as such, how someone should expect a refund. Used parts are just that, used. Used usually means dirty, worn, not new, greasy, and oftentimes needing work in the form of cleaning, degreasing, blasting, painting and usually but not always some level of repair. Thats why the price of used is less than the price of new and less than the price of rebuilt.

    If these parts had been sold as restored, rebuilt or refurbished then I could see the room for complaint and negotiation in the form of return or partial refund. But they were sold as used 40 some year old parts, and V8 Buick isnt Wal Mart.

    Used means used. It sounds like the price was negotiated down up front from asking due to this. The fact the used parts needed cleaning, painting and some level of refurbishment should have been expected and accepted.

    Buyers need to be diligent and do their homework, even if that means not buying used parts sight unseen no matter how bad you need or want them, or how good a deal u think you are getting, and get all of the questions answered up front before doing a deal. And then once the deal is done be responsible enough to accept your own actions happy or not. This place shouldnt be used to drudge peoples names thru the mud in an effort to renegotiate after the fact.

    I hate this deal didnt live up to everyones expectations.
     
    Last edited: May 21, 2017
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  9. wkillgs

    wkillgs Gold Level Contributor

    I'm surprised that neither the seller nor the buyer pulled the side cover off to inspect the inside of the transmission!
    'Conditions of sale' need to be agreed to before the parts and money change hands...
     
  10. cluxford

    cluxford Well-Known Member

    I have a rule when buying second hand....hope for the best, expect the worst. Sellers will always "talk up" their sale, they want top dollar. Whether doing it honestly or dishonestly is irrelevant. Result, I'm never dissapointed.
     
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  11. Jim Rodgers

    Jim Rodgers Well-Known Member

    True, and it makes people not want to offer parts here knowing someone can do a deal, then come here and drag your name thru the mud if they have buyers remorse.

    Not saying thats what happened here, but I have seen it before.
     
    techg8 likes this.
  12. 436'd Skylark

    436'd Skylark Sweet Fancy Moses!!!!!

    the buyer did ok for the money. if he was aware everything was out of a parts car then, quite simply, hope for the best and prepare for the worst. and for the money spent factoring in the rest of the parts he paid what a core would be worth. rebuilt muncies are 1600-1800 all day on ebay.

    the thing that strikes me as the most odd about all this - who would re-use an unknown pressure plate?

    fwiw- hard parts that are dirty and greasy are not junk or in poor condition. the cleaning and sanding is restoration work. that's the hobby.
     
  13. BobBuick

    BobBuick still crazy after all

    Jim-
    You seem to misunderstand the issue here (as do many other readers) and V8 Buick is not being used to renegotiate a deal . The deal was renegotiated over the phone . As far as drudging someones name through the mud , I'm just stating facts here if that's drudging your buddies name through the mud than so be it . He chose to reneg on the deal , why doesn't anyone see a problem with that? And Joe the preasure plate was not reused nor do I recall saying it was. Apparantly as long as parts are listed AS IS or USED it makes no difference how you verbally describe them to a potential buyer . If this was such a screaming deal why was I the only responder . Once again I'm obligated to inform the members of a deal gone bad, Ethan doesn't even deny he reneged on the offer, why am I being made to look stupid?????????? You should be thanking me
     
    71GSX455-4SPD likes this.
  14. bignastyGS

    bignastyGS Maggot pilot

    I have learned a loooong time ago that others "good" or "great" shape in parts aren't always the same as my great and good parts.I have known Carl many years and he was even gracious enough to bring parts home to me and drop them off for nothing(but 1 day I will buy him a good supper) And I know many people who account for Bob's character. It too bad the situation couldn't be resolved somehow peacefully.
     
    techg8 likes this.
  15. Jim Rodgers

    Jim Rodgers Well-Known Member

    Bob,

    To me anyway, you made a deal too, for used parts that you negotiated down up front. Then it seems you reneged on your deal to buy those parts at the renegotiated price by asking for a refund. And when you didnt get it, you came here to make him look bad. But see, you made a deal too and didnt live up to your end of the bargain by agreeing to a deal up front then asking for a better deal later on.

    The parts were used, and described as such. You werent the only interested party, I was too.

    Yes, Ethan offered a refund. But he rethought the situation and decided not to after the fact. You made an offer and did a deal but you rethought the situation too.

    Good luck to the both of you.
     
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  16. CJay

    CJay Supercar owner Staff Member

    The whole situation is unfortunate. You have two well respected members with a disagreement. Im not sure what would of corrected the situation before it happened. Its like recreating a car wreck to see what would of avoided it. Maybe we can all learn from it. Maybe Ethan maybe should of taken the side cover off and took some pictures? Maybe put a disclaimer on the sale that the transmission is an unknown, untested and might need to be gone thru? Maybe Bob should of requested those pics? I don't know what the answers are.

    The thing that really bothers me about the whole thing is the refund. If I agree to something, I do it. It doesn't matter if I think better of it after a good nights sleep. Its your word and you don't break your word to someone. A few years ago I agreed to take payments on a car I was selling. The buyer would give me money over an agreed upon time frame and when the car was paid off, I would give it to him . The next day, I woke up and said, what the hell was I thinking?? What made it worse was the fact that I was selling the car cheap too. It would of been easy to break my word because I didnt even know the guy that well. Who cares right? But, I shook on it and held up my end of the agreement. Your word is your bond.

    That's the really unfortunate thing about this whole mess and what bothers me the most. The reneging of the refund.
     
    MBTex likes this.
  17. Brian Albrecht

    Brian Albrecht Classic Reflections

    I find it rather odd that we can't converse/comment/offer opinion about someones for sale ad but there can be many parties outside of an agreement that can chime in on feedback and add 2 cents or even a nickel :D

    I'm not saying there hasn't been good points brought up here because there has.

    Also, I agree with the sites rules that we shouldn't editorialize someone's ad and have personally limited my responses to things like good luck or a harmless comment about how nice something is.
     
  18. Jim Rodgers

    Jim Rodgers Well-Known Member

    The way I understand it, when you post a thread here you are inviting the thoughts, ideas and opinions of others.
     
  19. hugger

    hugger Well-Known Member

    Content removed- admin
     
    Last edited by a moderator: May 24, 2017
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  20. Jerseysky66

    Jerseysky66 Silver Level contributor

    I do not know Ethan or Bob.

    I have to agree with Jason. I am old school. If I say something I am going to follow through with it. I would have to say it is not fair to offer a refund and than not give it. Why tell someone you are going to do it and than you don't. I am a good person and i try my best to be that way.
     

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