Disreputable ebay seller

Status
Not open for further replies.
G

Glaive

Active Member
Messages
46
Reaction score
0
Hi everyone I am fairly new to this forum and wanted to mention a recent bad experience with a German coupe supplier on ebay. A few months ago I purchased a few miscellaneous E9 items from **name removed because he didn't want his name public**, ebay seller ID kcigermany, including several meters of supposedly new old stock CS headliner material. Having paid the balance in full on August 29th I finally received the items on October 30th after a supposed 2 month long "customs delay". Upon opening the box I discovered the new old stock items were pieces that could have just as easily been purchased through my local BMW dealer and the "original" headliner material was nothing more than plain white vinyl readily available at any fabric shop in America. Also the DHL postmark indicated the label had been created only 5 days prior to delivery despite his insistance the parcel had been en route for weeks. I immediately contacted him and was told that the material was in fact factory original but I could return it less a 20% restocking fee. I agreed figuring this was better than having to eat the near $800 originally spent and paid for insured USPS return shipping (an additional $85 USD). Several weeks later I still have yet to recieve a response except for a delivery notification from the USPS stating the parcel has indeed been delivered. I have spoken with a few other coupe and BMW owners both here and abroad who have had similarly terrible experiences and would hate to have others suffer the same fate. He is still listing quite a few coupe items on ebay and I would strongly urge anyone considering making a purchase to think twice before doing so. If anyone else has had a terrible experience with this individual please let me know as misery certainly loves company. I sincerely apologize for the lengthy post but needed to vent some of my frustration. Thanks for indulging my whistle blowing.

Andrew
 
I'm sorry to hear about your bad experience with (deleted by request). I have had only good experiences with him and I have found him to be a very responsive communicator.

Before buying expensive coupe parts it is always a good idea to check with this forum - you'll get loads of good advice. I recently purchase headliner material from World Upholstery and while it was nice original (NLA) it was, IMHO, superior quality headliner material. I don't recall the price but I think it was <$300.
 
Andrew,

I too had a very similar situation this past month with **name removed because he didn't want his name public** / KCI Germany. I ordered an original toolkit and she confirmed to me that she had the original red handled screw drivers and red handled dual use pliers that Heyco only made for the E9's. I paid her and over six weeks had passed with always the same excuse that she had moved offices and was backlogged in shipping items out. The day she finally agreed to ship the tools she told me that "her employee" had made a mistake and that she only had the green handled screwdrivers and pliers. She charged me $225 for the tools. Little did she know that I contacted Heyco GmBH (the original tool company still in business and located in Germany) and **name removed because he didn't want his name public** simply tried to buy the green handled replacement tools from them (they don't make the red handled tools anymore) and mark up the tools almost triple what I could have paid directly from Heyco. She did refund my money but only after some harsh words were exchanged and she knew she had been caught in a bait and switch.

JJ is right about buying higher priced items-- ESPECIALLY from overseas since you will have little legal recourse if you have problems.

My advice is to stick with Jim at Maxmillian or Carl Nelson at La Jolla. They are both reputable and (Jim) can get any item that **name removed because he didn't want his name public** claims to be able to get.

On a separate note, I do think that it is very important to post truly bad experiences on this site. We are not on this site to slander anyone and mistakes can and do happen. BUT if you see a pattern of multiple people having the same issue with a particular vendor then a thread on this person/company is well worth the time and effort so as to warn the next person contemplating an order from that particular vendor.
 
Coupe parts sourcing

So far--in my 36 years of Coupe ownership it has not been necessary or advantegeous to source parts outside of the USA

The advice aove is accurate--Carl Nelson is likely the most knowledgable CS guy in the US and has most new and many used parts--albeit some are pricey--but in the long run it certainly has evened out for my needs.

Add to my list of highly recommended parts sources Mesa Performance--Spence, one of the owners, has been a Coupe owner for many years and knows them well with no BS or the bait and switch tactics recently reported more than once and again above that have included, untoward delays, excessive shipping charges, wrong parts, and difficult returns, to name a few that I have heard on this message board in recent months--

IMO--all above an uneccesary hassle to seemingly save a $ or two only to end up with a mound of problems and resulting dissatisfaction--why bother??

I have been doing business with the above recommended from small hardware bits and pieces to many new and major used parts--trannys, motors and differentials--never a hassle and if a problem always accept a return without issue..and all ship nationwide

In the case of Mesa I have been doing business with them for 30 years since shortly after they originally opened their doors--never a problem and they have both new and sometimes quality used parts at friendly prices--and business with Carl Nelson now for about 20 years since meeting him--also without issue--as to Maximillian--have rarely needed to go beyond West Coast suppliers as we have these excellent local sources--had small problem with Maximillian getting correct gas tank sending unit for my Bavaria that I had to return--wrong part--no return problem--re-ordered through local dealer for slightly better price.

JMT on parts experience for own and many others I have purchased parts for in the course of sorting and prepping them for sale
 
Re buying parts etc in Europe (for those of you based in the US):

How about engaging someone who lives here in Europe when you are buying parts etc via eBay or otherwise. There are probably 'E9 driven' members in every European country, and speaking for myself I would certainly be more than willing to assist in whatever way. Being in the same time zone and speaking e.g. German may help reduce misunderstandings.

I don't know how many 'members' we have in Germany, but assuming that we have a fair number and assuming that you would mostly buy 'stuff' in Germany it should be possible for local German team members to 'handhold' specific (high value) transactions.

Same could go the other way for Europeans wanting to purchase equipment, tools, parts etc. in the US. I'll remember the advice above of asking this forum before purchasing expensive parts in the US - which I have considered on more than one occasion.
 
Hmmmm This has a familar ring to it. Sounds like the same ebay er being blasted in previous post.

Maybe under a different name, again! :evil:
 
Dont think KCIGermany is the same as the guy with ten ebay addresses, one of which is mostra_scambio001 or some such. My only experience with KCI was an inquiry about a pair of black hood grilles, something BMW has available and I can buy from a dealer for about $260 per pair (absurd in itself). KCI had one on ebay that ultimately sold for about thirty dollars, which I missed out on. They quoted me a pair for $350, nearly a hundred bucks over BMW. What's up with that?

Buying from Europe now with the euro nearly a buck and a half makes little sense, especially when they mark up shipping so drastically, even W & N. Buy new parts from Carl if he has them, or your BMW dealer if you get a decent discount and they have a parts guy who wants to bother with the old crocks.
 
W&N saved me about $200 dollars.

I just ordered the main door seal from WN. Everybody over here wanted about $500 for each. Paid W&N around $177 Euros which equates to about $262 US. Three day shipping about $60.
psychrunner
 
Sourcing parts in the USA

Of course there are always exceptions to my above posting especially fr om well established and likewise well known firms--certainly in the case high $ items it is always a good idea to shop around for the friendliest price while also taking into account shipping and taxes, as well.

Add to my above posting--there is certainly no risk in ordering fron W&N as well as Jaymic, Ltd in the UK that many know as a reliable sources for parts.
 
I have more than 10 years experience getting advice and buying my BMW parts from Mesa Performance - they are very knowlegable and honest - contect them at Mesaperformance.com and you can ask for Spence or Jim.
 
Showing other people real names in forums is against the law
Click to expand...

What law?
Do you really have a law prohibiting an unhappy customer
from venting?
 
Response to KCI:

Did I think you would sell hood grilles for $33, no not really but I asked for a price, and your response was ridiculously high. I was only hoping for a price lower than BMW. Yours wasn't so I ordered from BMW.

As for using your name on the forum, perhaps illegal in Germany, but certainly not here. You used your own name at the end of your message.

Do I think you're stupid? Probably, why would anyone buy at prices higher than BMW? Their parts are new, and in my experience, easily returnable, unlike yours based on these posts.

I believe in defending ones self from unreasonable criticisms, BUT I do not personally feel this forum is the place to "vent". There are two sides to every story. It's easy to ding someone here, but it should be a last resort because some readers of this forum seem to believe everything negative published about anyone. Human nature? I hope not.

I formed my own opinion based on my own experience. No grudges here against KCI, might even ask for prices again, but with the high euro its not likely you will be competitive with Carl Nelson or BMW.
 
I seem to have sparked an unexpected rigamarole and wanted to post an update. I did finally receive the refund albeit with a 20% restocking fee deducted, $85 lost on return shipping, three months worth of delays on a supposedly in stock item and at least 7 different emails and a Paypal/ credit card dispute were apparently necessary in order to bring about this glorious end. Granted this was my own personal experience and if indeed this sort of mishandling was an abberation on their part I apologize for my libelous and malicious rant. I generally hate to engage in this sort of he said she said transactional nonsense in a public forum but typically the squeaky wheel gets the grease.

Andrew
 
Hey group,
Let's not get too steamed up.

In my experience, we in the US generally expect faster service than is accepted in Europe. We've been spoiled by competition and "same day shipping". Our culture also promotes the idea that "the customer is always right", another concept not always shared by sellers in other countries.

As far as I'm concerned, there's no problem with posting your experiences with a seller, good or bad. As long as you relate the facts and don't engage in character assassination, you're not doing anything wrong.

I think it's better if we don't respond to or engage in name calling, as that degrades the quality of our community. I wouldn't want my neighbors yelling at each other in the street, and I feel the same about this neighborhood...

8)

Cheers all
 
let's not get so steamed up
Click to expand...
Listen, I just got a nasty PM from a certain individual who wants to go unnamed telling me to pull all post about him and saying it was illegal. Nonsense.

This person also had the audacity to post:
jhjacobs/Maryland: You got what you ordered and were satisfied
Click to expand...
... as if I had been complaining?! I have made two post about this person and in the first I said he was "a good bet" and "honest." and int the second I said I had had "nothing but good experience" yet he felt compelled to come at me personally. Steamed up? NO. Changing my buying preferences? YES.
thinking the stupid german will never read these
Click to expand...
?? If the shoe fits. I am of German decent and I resent the implication that people think Germans are stupid. The proper stereotype is meticulous, detail oriented, on time, damn good mechanical and rocket engineer, but not stupid! German bureaucrats who make uselss space thingies on the other hand...
 
Customer Service

Hi forum members,

I would suppose we calm down a bit as one here told you as well, I wanted to say that I am sorry if something was not 100% as it sould be but we solved all in a timly manner, but fact is we have the rare parts you want and provide a good service, maybe not as fast as in the US, but tell me somebody who has all these NOS goodies on stock as non reproductions as well as rare Blaupunkt radios, seat belts, mud guards, first aid kits etc.

Close this case and start the engine of your E9 and hear it roaring thats what live makes nice - not these stupid discussions about nothing!

Best regards and take care
Kcigermany
 
I think that many people here are generally upset with a different Ebay seller who has gone under many different names such as BMW-0001, MOSTA-SCAMBIO, etc. I actually know his name but will leave it un-written. It is my understanding that this is a 2-brother team and one of them is in the US.

I will repeat that KCIGermany has been honest with me, fast to respond, and delivered quality products to me relatively quickly considering the distance. While not cheap, the prices have been fair. If anyone has any legitimate open items with him I also believe he will remedy it promptly. If not, his cars and inventory will all rust.
 
Status
Not open for further replies.
Back
Top