Ebay ripoffs - one perpetrator?

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On or around Thu, 22 Jul 2004 12:44:39 +0100 (BST),
[email protected] ("David G. Bell") enlightened us thusly:

>In other areas of interest, I know of traders who are inclined to be a
>trifle economical with the detail, if not actually misleading. I have a
>camera lens designed by the Carl Zeiss company before WW2, but it was
>made about 1962 in the Soviet Union. "Carl Zeiss lens", anyone?

though of course the russian and east german ones don't say "Carl Zeiss" on
the lens, they say things like Zeiss Jena. if you advertised such a lens as
"Carl Zeiss" and I bought it and found it was in fact a russian one, you'd
get some nasty negative feedback.
--
Austin Shackles. www.ddol-las.fsnet.co.uk my opinions are just that
Blue: The sky is blue for a reason. Blue light is a source of strength
and harmony in the cosmos. Create a blue light in your life by
telephoning the police
from the Little Book of Complete B***ocks by Alistair Beaton.
 

"Austin Shackles" <[email protected]> wrote in message
news:[email protected]...
> On or around Tue, 20 Jul 2004 23:56:40 +0100, Mother <"@ {mother}
> @"@101fc.net> enlightened us thusly:
>
> >And there lay a lesson for us all - lest we be exposed before our
> >peers* for being rip-off merchants!
>
> tear down the wall!!
>
Run to the bedroom, in the suitcase on the left you'll find my favourite
axe,
don't look so frightened - this is just a passing phase,
one of my bad days!

Sorry Austin, had to add that bit in.
Badger.


 
On or around Sat, 24 Jul 2004 06:44:54 GMT, SpamTrapSeeSig
<[email protected]> enlightened us thusly:

>In article <[email protected]>, Tim Hobbs
><[email protected]> writes
>>there's someone in my head
>>and it's not me
>
>The lunatic is, er,
> ...under the steering box at the moment.
>

hehe. spent half yesterday making 1" lift spacers for the back of the
disco.

turns out to be quite easy:

buy from steel supplying bloke 2 110mmx27mm discs of steel

mount one in lathe, turn the one end of it 'till it's round and face off,
leaving the middle 2" uncut, continue to machine off face about another mm,
resulting in the middle 2" circle standing proud of the surface. This fits
inside the hole in the middle of the bottom spring seat.

turn piece round in lathe, machine other end round and face off flat -
interesting to note the shape those giant bandsaws put on the cut... I was
expecting to have to machine a 2" dia. recess in this end, thinking that the
spring mount on the axle has a 2" dia. to locate in the spring seat, but it
turns out that the axle bit has no such thing, it's flat.

using spring seat as a guide, centre punch and then drill 2 off 10.5mm holes
in the spacer.

repeat for second spacer.

substitute longer 10mm bolts to hold the spring seat down. They don't in
fact need to be 25mm longer, as the originals ar 5mm too long in the first
place.

replace spring, seat and spacer on vehicle, including the flat bit that
holds the spring down onto the seat, and 2 washers underneath same each
side.

The rear brake pipe on the disco is *just* long enough to jack the body high
enough to not need spring compressors. Unlike the front end... Oddly, you
can do it on a 110.


and another point: if fitting variable or dual-rate springs, put the bit
with close-packed coils at the top, not at the bottom. I see no technical
objection to this (despite that they're mostly fitted the other way up) and
it makes the access to the bolts inside the spring *much* easier. If
anything, the close-packed part of the spring is heavier, and putting that
at the top makes a slight reduction in unsprung weight, probably. Mind,
I've just added at least 1kg to the unsprung weight with those spacers...


finally, anyone know who it was selling those modified damper mounts which
lower the top end of the damper? In theory , ought to drop the top of the
damper 1" to compensate for the loss of travel.
--
Austin Shackles. www.ddol-las.fsnet.co.uk my opinions are just that
Appearances: You don't really need make-up. Celebrate your authentic
face by frightening people in the street.
from the Little Book of Complete B***ocks by Alistair Beaton.
 
"Austin Shackles" <[email protected]> wrote in message
news:[email protected]...
> On or around Sat, 24 Jul 2004 06:44:54 GMT, SpamTrapSeeSig
> <[email protected]> enlightened us thusly:
>
>
<snip>
>
> finally, anyone know who it was selling those modified damper mounts which
> lower the top end of the damper? In theory , ought to drop the top of the
> damper 1" to compensate for the loss of travel.

David from Llama 4x4 was selling them at Billing, cant remember how much
they were though, but they did look good!

--
Simon Isaacs

Peterborough 4x4 Club Vice Chairman, Newsletter Editor and Webmaster (how
much more....)
3.5V8 100" Hybrid, now LPG converted
Part owner of 1976 S3 LWT, currently under restoration
Suzuki SJ410 (Girlfriend's) 3" lift kit fitted, body
shell now restored and mounted on chassis, waiting on a windscreen and MOT
Series 3 88" Rolling chassis...what to do next
1993 200 TDi Discovery (the Pug 106 is dead, long live the Pug)

Peterborough 4x4 Club http://www.peterborough4x4.co.uk



 
SCORPION RACING does them too. For both front and rear axle (front turrets
and rear upper shock mounts)

They are a part of their evolution suspension kit but they can also be sold
separately.
I do have a connection with them since I am their representative and
distributor for Greece so I can not say anything more without the fear of
someone saying that I am advertising them.

Take care
Pantelis Giamarellos
LAND ROVER CLUB OF GREECE


"Simon Isaacs" <[email protected]> wrote in message
news:[email protected]...
> "Austin Shackles" <[email protected]> wrote in message
> news:[email protected]...
> > On or around Sat, 24 Jul 2004 06:44:54 GMT, SpamTrapSeeSig
> > <[email protected]> enlightened us thusly:
> >
> >
> <snip>
> >
> > finally, anyone know who it was selling those modified damper mounts
which
> > lower the top end of the damper? In theory , ought to drop the top of
the
> > damper 1" to compensate for the loss of travel.
>
> David from Llama 4x4 was selling them at Billing, cant remember how much
> they were though, but they did look good!
>
> --
> Simon Isaacs
>
> Peterborough 4x4 Club Vice Chairman, Newsletter Editor and Webmaster (how
> much more....)
> 3.5V8 100" Hybrid, now LPG converted
> Part owner of 1976 S3 LWT, currently under restoration
> Suzuki SJ410 (Girlfriend's) 3" lift kit fitted, body
> shell now restored and mounted on chassis, waiting on a windscreen and MOT
> Series 3 88" Rolling chassis...what to do next
> 1993 200 TDi Discovery (the Pug 106 is dead, long live the Pug)
>
> Peterborough 4x4 Club http://www.peterborough4x4.co.uk
>
>
>


 
Button bashing in practice for another round of Daley Thompson's
Decathlon, Pantelis Giamarellos <[email protected]> left Shakespeare to
the monkeys by typing...
>SCORPION RACING does them too. For both front and rear axle (front turrets
>and rear upper shock mounts)
>
>They are a part of their evolution suspension kit but they can also be sold
>separately.
>I do have a connection with them since I am their representative and
>distributor for Greece so I can not say anything more without the fear of
>someone saying that I am advertising them.
>
>Take care
>Pantelis Giamarellos
>LAND ROVER CLUB OF GREECE
>
Try (Ithink I've got his name right) Bryn Hemmings - possibly of BPH
engineering.

Fair play to you for admitting your connection and therefore not
'bigging them up', but I heard from a reliable source that Scorpion
didn't really invent the kit anyway, merely 'borrowing the idea' and
modifying it slightly, so you'd be on safe ground saying the original
design works perfectly, and that Scorpion have 'updated it'...

Cue irate Scorpion Racing flamester......
--
O O :-o O O
| I so did it again |
O :-o O
Weallhatebillgates would be found at hotmail
 
AFAIK the first company to introduce a lowered turrets and rear upper shock
mounts set was an Italian one called Equipe 4X4.

Scorpion Racing's things are slightly better made and more competitively
priced not to mention that they are also readily available and they do speak
English, something that the Italians consider as a menace to their cultural
background.

Take care
Pantelis

"weallhatebillgates" <[email protected]> wrote in
message news:[email protected]...
> Button bashing in practice for another round of Daley Thompson's
> Decathlon, Pantelis Giamarellos <[email protected]> left Shakespeare to
> the monkeys by typing...
> >SCORPION RACING does them too. For both front and rear axle (front
turrets
> >and rear upper shock mounts)
> >
> >They are a part of their evolution suspension kit but they can also be
sold
> >separately.
> >I do have a connection with them since I am their representative and
> >distributor for Greece so I can not say anything more without the fear of
> >someone saying that I am advertising them.
> >
> >Take care
> >Pantelis Giamarellos
> >LAND ROVER CLUB OF GREECE
> >
> Try (Ithink I've got his name right) Bryn Hemmings - possibly of BPH
> engineering.
>
> Fair play to you for admitting your connection and therefore not
> 'bigging them up', but I heard from a reliable source that Scorpion
> didn't really invent the kit anyway, merely 'borrowing the idea' and
> modifying it slightly, so you'd be on safe ground saying the original
> design works perfectly, and that Scorpion have 'updated it'...
>
> Cue irate Scorpion Racing flamester......
> --
> O O :-o O O
> | I so did it again |
> O :-o O
> Weallhatebillgates would be found at hotmail


 
On or around Fri, 23 Jul 2004 21:00:35 +0100, "Badger"
<[email protected]> enlightened us thusly:

>
>"Austin Shackles" <[email protected]> wrote in message
>news:[email protected]...
>> On or around Tue, 20 Jul 2004 23:56:40 +0100, Mother <"@ {mother}
>> @"@101fc.net> enlightened us thusly:
>>
>> >And there lay a lesson for us all - lest we be exposed before our
>> >peers* for being rip-off merchants!
>>
>> tear down the wall!!
>>
>Run to the bedroom, in the suitcase on the left you'll find my favourite
>axe,
>don't look so frightened - this is just a passing phase,
>one of my bad days!

"goodbye, cruel world, I'm leaving you today...

nah. too dark. Mind, not as dark as the final cut.

nor Chris Rea's "road to hell".

cor, wot lovely insipring taste in music...

mind, I do also rate Holst's Planets, marvellous music. Got one somewhere
to which someone else has added a Pluto...

--
Austin Shackles. www.ddol-las.fsnet.co.uk my opinions are just that
"It is a characteristic of the human mind to hate the man one has injured"
Tacitus (c.55 - c.117) Agricola, 45
 
Button bashing in practice for another round of Daley Thompson's
Decathlon, Pantelis Giamarellos <[email protected]> left Shakespeare to
the monkeys by typing...
>AFAIK the first company to introduce a lowered turrets and rear upper shock
>mounts set was an Italian one called Equipe 4X4.
>
>Scorpion Racing's things are slightly better made and more competitively
>priced not to mention that they are also readily available and they do speak
>English, something that the Italians consider as a menace to their cultural
>background.
>

I was referring to the 'extreme suspension' as a whole. Not that I mind,
I think the Scorpion kit is ok quality and available to all. The person
I had in mind built the setup many years ago only for himself with no
notion of making it commercially available. I also saw a very awkward
version on a bob-tailed (and -nosed) RR (again many years ago but
someone may know of one/own one like this) which had extended radius
arms at both ends (by about 18") and was apparently a pig to drive on
the road.

Why would Italians consider Scorpion Racing's ability to speak English a
menace? ;-)

--
O O :-o O O
| I so did it again |
O :-o O
Weallhatebillgates would be found at hotmail
 

"weallhatebillgates" <[email protected]> wrote in
message news:[email protected]...

..............

> Why would Italians consider Scorpion Racing's ability to speak English a
> menace? ;-)
>


What I meant was that the Italians did not wish to communicate in English
and only wanted to do so in their language.
Unfortunately for them English, French or Latin was not good as a means of
communication.

Take care
Pantelis



 
I dont see anything wrong with Ebay items at whatever cost. if you dont like
the price go elsewhere, simple as that. Nobody is forcing anyone (Alex) to
bid for anything, are they?

"SpamTrapSeeSig" <[email protected]> wrote in message
news:[email protected]...
> In article <[email protected]>, Mother <"@
> {mother} @"@101fc.net> writes
> >On Tue, 20 Jul 2004 23:46:53 GMT, "DavidM" <djm81@ (i hate
> >spam)cam.ac.uk> wrote:
> >
> >>> To be fair, I don't think Alex actually mentioned any names :)
> >>
> >>No you're right, but an alegation with no names is just boring ;P I
want
> >>smoke AND fire!
> >
> >Ah, you want flameproof a air filter...
> >
> >>I searched for "oil filter land rover" on the eBay home page and found
what
> >>he meant, only one of the 11 results was at or near £4. It's Alex's
fault,
> >>he wanted me to find it!
> >
> >I dare say that Craddocks, Blanchards and any number of other LR parts
> >suppliers are onto the same gravy train (the two I mention are, to my
> >knowledge, employing extra staff on a part time basis to place eBay
> >ads).
>
> I can't blame them. Running a parts business is a statistical nightmare,
> balancing the cost of stocking the really unusual against the annoyance
> factor and damage to reputation if you don't have it when the customer
> calls. It's a judgement call on the purchasing department all the way.
>
> We baulk at the mark up on some parts, but they subsidise the cost of
> others. For example body panels - not only high cost items in
> themselves, but very fragile, meaning increased warehousing costs and
> high attrition rate through accidental damage in-house. My heart doesn't
> bleed for them, but I recognise the skill in getting the right stock
> levels to stay popular and profitable at the same time.
>
> I know, you don't see them begging on the streets, but as long as they
> don't lose focus on their core mail-order business I can't see the harm.
> After all, if you're doing a repair and need clutch plates or UJs it's
> probably *now*, so eBay isn't going to help much. It's the hobbyists
> that have the time and, by definition, the deeper pockets...
>
>
> Regards,
>
> Simonm.
>
> --
> simonm|at|muircom|dot|demon|.|c|oh|dot|u|kay
> SIMON MUIR, UK INDEPENDENCE PARTY, BRISTOL www.ukip.org
> EUROPEANS AGAINST THE EU www.members.aol.com/eurofaq
> GT250A'76 R80/RT'86 110CSW TD'88 www.kc3ltd.co.uk/profile/eurofollie/


 
In article <[email protected]>, DavidM
<[email protected]> writes
>What is your problem with this seller or eBay? I've always been very happy
>with eBay purchases. If you stop bidding when the price gets high you wont
>ever feel ripped off.

Quite so. I use bidding ('sniping') software. Contrary to some views,
all it does is ensure I don't spend too much in my enthusiasm to win an
auction. I lose quite a few, as the last-minute bid doesn't give me time
to increase the amount.

OTOH, it has meant I've paid *sensible* prices for a good number of
items, and I find eBay very useful as a consequence. For example, I
acquired an example of a very unusual early musical synthesizer/organ
that my dad designed in the 1970s. Previously, the only one I'd seen was
in Australia. Paid a fair price, but I can't imagine how else I'd have
obtained one.

OT Land Rover, I've bought one or two items, and I *do* think the effect
is to push up prices, i.e. to favour the seller. For example s/h
Defender doors: usually the amount of clean-up work doesn't justify the
price. Like most Defender owners, I need a set (of five), but I've held
off bidding, as I know it's not worth it. The psychology of eBay
distorts the laws of supply/demand a bit - when you go to a real
auction, you watch older + wiser bidders in action, and all but the
silliest learn what things are really worth. On eBay, nobody is
whispering caution in your ear, which is why I use Cricket (the sniping
prog).

Browsing the Land Rover lists (and BMW bike, and electronic stuff,
and...) remains a fun diversion for rainy evenings though. Perhaps I
*am* hooked!

Regards,

Simonm.

--
simonm|at|muircom|dot|demon|.|c|oh|dot|u|kay
SIMON MUIR, UK INDEPENDENCE PARTY, BRISTOL www.ukip.org
EUROPEANS AGAINST THE EU www.members.aol.com/eurofaq
GT250A'76 R80/RT'86 110CSW TD'88 www.kc3ltd.co.uk/profile/eurofollie/
 
In article <[email protected]>, Mother <"@
{mother} @"@101fc.net> writes
>On Tue, 20 Jul 2004 23:46:53 GMT, "DavidM" <djm81@ (i hate
>spam)cam.ac.uk> wrote:
>
>>> To be fair, I don't think Alex actually mentioned any names :)
>>
>>No you're right, but an alegation with no names is just boring ;P I want
>>smoke AND fire!
>
>Ah, you want flameproof a air filter...
>
>>I searched for "oil filter land rover" on the eBay home page and found what
>>he meant, only one of the 11 results was at or near £4. It's Alex's fault,
>>he wanted me to find it!
>
>I dare say that Craddocks, Blanchards and any number of other LR parts
>suppliers are onto the same gravy train (the two I mention are, to my
>knowledge, employing extra staff on a part time basis to place eBay
>ads).

I can't blame them. Running a parts business is a statistical nightmare,
balancing the cost of stocking the really unusual against the annoyance
factor and damage to reputation if you don't have it when the customer
calls. It's a judgement call on the purchasing department all the way.

We baulk at the mark up on some parts, but they subsidise the cost of
others. For example body panels - not only high cost items in
themselves, but very fragile, meaning increased warehousing costs and
high attrition rate through accidental damage in-house. My heart doesn't
bleed for them, but I recognise the skill in getting the right stock
levels to stay popular and profitable at the same time.

I know, you don't see them begging on the streets, but as long as they
don't lose focus on their core mail-order business I can't see the harm.
After all, if you're doing a repair and need clutch plates or UJs it's
probably *now*, so eBay isn't going to help much. It's the hobbyists
that have the time and, by definition, the deeper pockets...


Regards,

Simonm.

--
simonm|at|muircom|dot|demon|.|c|oh|dot|u|kay
SIMON MUIR, UK INDEPENDENCE PARTY, BRISTOL www.ukip.org
EUROPEANS AGAINST THE EU www.members.aol.com/eurofaq
GT250A'76 R80/RT'86 110CSW TD'88 www.kc3ltd.co.uk/profile/eurofollie/
 
On Wed, 21 Jul 2004 10:25:16 GMT, "Richard" <richardsemail
[email protected]> wrote:

>I dont see anything wrong with Ebay items at whatever cost. if you dont like
>the price go elsewhere, simple as that. Nobody is forcing anyone (Alex) to
>bid for anything, are they?

No, I'll grant you that one, but I get the feeling with ebay that a
lot of people are putting things on at over-inflated prices, claiming
them to be "rare" or "difficult to source" or whatever and taking
advantage of the more gullible element of ebay punters.

I have spotted another firm selling thier product(s) on ebay, one or
two at a time, and they are regularly bid up to 20-30% more than the
same firm (openly) sells them for on thier website. I have no gripe
with this firm, as they openly include on Ebay the links to thier
websites, where the prices are openly published, yet people still pay
more!

The bottom line is Caveat Emptor. Check other prices first, and bid
accordingly.

Alex
 
"Mother" <"@ {mother} @"@101fc.net> wrote in message
news:[email protected]...
> On Tue, 20 Jul 2004 23:31:06 GMT, "DavidM" <djm81@ (i hate
> spam)cam.ac.uk> wrote:
>
> >I've never purchased from the guy, so I'm not defending him or his
> >reputation. However, I don't see any reason to attack him on a.f.l.
>
> To be fair, I don't think Alex actually mentioned any names :)

No you're right, but an alegation with no names is just boring ;P I want
smoke AND fire!
I searched for "oil filter land rover" on the eBay home page and found what
he meant, only one of the 11 results was at or near £4. It's Alex's fault,
he wanted me to find it!

When I was searching for my SIII it was infuriating watching people bid like
mad for the Landies that _I_ wanted. Why can't they all just go away and
stop pushing the price up! I ended up getting it through a broad beg on
a.f.l, so there is a happy and non-eBay end to the story.
David


 
On Tue, 20 Jul 2004 23:31:06 GMT, "DavidM" <djm81@ (i hate
spam)cam.ac.uk> wrote:

>I've never purchased from the guy, so I'm not defending him or his
>reputation. However, I don't see any reason to attack him on a.f.l.

To be fair, I don't think Alex actually mentioned any names :)

 
On Tue, 20 Jul 2004 23:46:53 GMT, "DavidM" <djm81@ (i hate
spam)cam.ac.uk> wrote:

>> To be fair, I don't think Alex actually mentioned any names :)
>
>No you're right, but an alegation with no names is just boring ;P I want
>smoke AND fire!

Ah, you want flameproof a air filter...

>I searched for "oil filter land rover" on the eBay home page and found what
>he meant, only one of the 11 results was at or near £4. It's Alex's fault,
>he wanted me to find it!

I dare say that Craddocks, Blanchards and any number of other LR parts
suppliers are onto the same gravy train (the two I mention are, to my
knowledge, employing extra staff on a part time basis to place eBay
ads). I maintain that it isn't necessarily any kind of 'con' - as
purchasers are quite evidently prepared to pay the price - and appear
happy. Notwithstanding, Alex is a **** stirrer, no doubt 'bout that
whatsoever ;-)

>When I was searching for my SIII it was infuriating watching people bid like
>mad for the Landies that _I_ wanted. Why can't they all just go away and
>stop pushing the price up! I ended up getting it through a broad beg on
>a.f.l, so there is a happy and non-eBay end to the story.

And there lay a lesson for us all - lest we be exposed before our
peers* for being rip-off merchants!

(*shameless Pink Floyd reference)


--
Some Land Roveresque (101 biased), links available
from: http://links.solis.co.uk/Geek/X4_Land_Rover/
I also have a little Land Rover site biased toward
my beloved 101 "Grumble", at: http://www.101fc.net


Reading this in 'alt.fan.landrover'? Did you know
there's a group FAQ: http://www.aflfaq.dyndns.info
 
On Wed, 21 Jul 2004 18:38:59 GMT, Alex <[email protected]>
wrote:

>I have spotted another firm selling thier product(s) on ebay, one or
>two at a time, and they are regularly bid up to 20-30% more than the
>same firm (openly) sells them for on thier website. I have no gripe
>with this firm, as they openly include on Ebay the links to thier
>websites, where the prices are openly published, yet people still pay
>more!

People must just get caught up in the auction or something. Seems very
stupid.
I was told today by one of my mates that someone he knew had just sold
a shower on ebay after he decided it was the wrong colour for his
bathroom. he had put in the description 'bought recently from B&Q for
£xxx', and it went for £20 more than that.

>The bottom line is Caveat Emptor. Check other prices first, and bid
>accordingly.
>
>Alex

 
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