Buying 2nd hand: beware of being duped

[Shebeen]

This should be quite easy to clear up.

 

*we can all agree that the stanchion is stuffed now, it's not just a little scratch.

there's only three plausible ways the damage got there:

a)it was always there

b)whilst in possession of the bike shop/bike fitting

c)since being ridden on the new bike

 

It seems obvious to me which way the dots connect. but i'm not a neutral observer here.

[Grebel]

damnit people, focus.

 

here is dave's page - http://mercerbikes.co.za/about-blog/

 

here he is with his dad, and the bike he built for him!

http://mercerbikes.co.za/assets/Me-dad-and-new-bike.jpg

dave is the dude on the right

 

The penny drops.... Dave's dad Colin was a regular at the Mavericks Saturday afternoon rides through the cane fields at Shongweni. Had a few chats to him while pedaling. Legendary beard as well. Hard to miss at all the local races.

[Skylark]

Yoh waiting 9 months to complain about a purchase, is that asking for trouble or what?

 

Even an lbs wouldn't help the op if he bought it from them and then waited that long.

 

In all honesty the seller may not have even had enough knowledge to know from viewing it externally that it was poked, clearly the op didn't.

 

Alec when you sold the fork was the stanchion that uniform gold colour all over, no signs of any black showing through whatsoever?

[Barry Stuart]

A friendly warning to the OP: If Alec Mann chose to sue you for defamation I think you'd have a hard time defending yourself. It was 9 months from time of purchase to the time that you noticed the wear on the stanchions so I'm not sure you'd be able to demonstrate with certainty that it was there when you bought them. And if this was merely to educate buyers (in the public interest) you wouldn't have included his name.

[Oomkool]

This could help in the future...but you'd have to check the goods immediately. 

 

https://www.paywithshepherd.com

[T-Bob]

1.You got an amazing fork for R2500.

 

Not trying to pour flammable liquids on the argument but if that's a std F-Series 125mm odd fork then I just picked up a brand new 2013 one from a shop in CT for R2000.

 

For a fork with stanchion damage (however small) of any kind that hasn't been broken off and examined by the buy or seller - it's a gamble. 

 

When was the last time it was serviced and the stanchions looked at because if it wasn't in the weeks before the sale then the condition is unknown. 

[nonky]

whatever the merits of the complaint, if you wait months to air your grievances, you may as well not do it.

 

Sorry, OP, you don't have a leg to stand on and it's got NOTHING to do with who's right.

[jamsack]

Thanks for all the feedback, including Mr Mann.

 

As I said there is context to the story and hence outlining my experience in these matters and the timeframe between purchase and lodging the complaint. It wasn't 9 months incidentally, but it took a while, yes. I pointed that out as the first lesson.

 

Regardless of that, it is a plain fact that Mr Mann sold me a damaged fork. It could only be so because a) Greg Minnaar cycles simply stored it for me, and b) I noticed the damage upon collection...and if you want to resort to c) I haven't used the fork in any meaningful way since. Yet there are deep scratches, plain for all to see.

 

Whether Mr Mann knew about the damage or not can be argued. I have my views. What IS clear is that he is unwilling to make good on an error and as such should be treated with caution in future.

 

You have been warned.

 

Sam

[nolipoli]

Thanks for all the feedback, including Mr Mann.

 

As I said there is context to the story and hence outlining my experience in these matters and the timeframe between purchase and lodging the complaint. It wasn't 9 months incidentally, but it took a while, yes. I pointed that out as the first lesson.

 

Regardless of that, it is a plain fact that Mr Mann sold me a damaged fork. It could only be so because a) Greg Minnaar cycles simply stored it for me, and b) I noticed the damage upon collection...and if you want to resort to c) I haven't used the fork in any meaningful way since. Yet there are deep scratches, plain for all to see.

 

Whether Mr Mann knew about the damage or not can be argued. I have my views. What IS clear is that he is unwilling to make good on an error and as such should be treated with caution in future.

 

You have been warned.

 

Sam

Oh what to do? What to do?

 

Frankly, as someone that has bought many second hand items, including forks off TheHUB, I find it far from plausible that you would have seen the damage and done nothing for months. I would propose a 4th explanation that you "Tossed" the fork in your boot, drove around with it for a period of time, and when you removed it, found the damage. The likelihood of the fork getting damaged whilst in your boot by whatever else might have been in there seems higher than you accepting and obviously damaged fork that you just spent a couple of grand on.

 

Now aside from that, Mr Mann has a pretty positive reputation amongst those that have dealt with him, and I would be less than inclined to believe some random mud-slinging with little logical argument such as yours. 

 

If it were me, you would probably have received your first lawyer's letter by now.

 

What is clear is that I will make careful note of your username, and be sure to never sell you anything. It just doesn't seem worth the risk.

[Steven Knoetze (sk27)]

Oh what to do? What to do?

 

Frankly, as someone that has bought many second hand items, including forks off TheHUB, I find it far from plausible that you would have seen the damage and done nothing for months. I would propose a 4th explanation that you "Tossed" the fork in your boot, drove around with it for a period of time, and when you removed it, found the damage. The likelihood of the fork getting damaged whilst in your boot by whatever else might have been in there seems higher than you accepting and obviously damaged fork that you just spent a couple of grand on.

 

Now aside from that, Mr Mann has a pretty positive reputation amongst those that have dealt with him, and I would be less than inclined to believe some random mud-slinging with little logical argument such as yours. 

 

If it were me, you would probably have received your first lawyer's letter by now.

 

What is clear is that I will make careful note of your username, and be sure to never sell you anything. It just doesn't seem worth the risk.

 

Now that makes way to much sense, much better to try and slander somebody on a public forum.

 

P.S: I'm leaning towards your series of events too. Tossed in the boot for months, never noticed damage in the shop. Too many questions.......

 

Who doesn't look at something they just spent R2500 on????

[DR ◣◢]

Thanks for the replies. I see this forum gets some traffic.

 

Sorry, I forgot to "Attach This File". Done.

 

Embarrassed to say I don't have a pic of the Mercer - she's a beauty - will try post one tomorrow. Building a bike is expensive, hence building up with 2nd hand parts. And as I said, my experience on The Hub has generally been excellent.

 

Thanks for the advice on rating the seller. I hope his credentials are still on the site since after seeing the ad on The Hub, all subsequent exchange was via Whatsapp/email.

 

Obviously Mr Mann has right of reply and I believe both sides of a story should be aired. The central issue for me is that I dealt with him in good faith and I expected the same from him. The money is less important to me.

 

Thanks for vouching for me Steve.

 

Sam

 

ps. Greg Minnaar Cycles was simply the intermediary - I'm not making any accusations against them.

 

 

Completely impartial party here but that photo suggests wear over a long time where the stanchion comes into contact with the bushing / seal / dirt in the fork. 

 

You can compare it various photos online of scuffed or worn stanchions especially on Fox forks. This could be prevented with regular servicing but I can't say if this was the case. Don't know the details on the fork's service record.

 

Please proceed to post all the photos you were sent of the fork as well as photos of the fork where you can clearly see this damage. I can even tell if what you posted is the actual fork you bought. Not saying it isn't but it's not much to go on.  

[DR ◣◢]

Adding a link to Fox fork stanchion wear.

 

https://www.google.com/search?site=&tbm=isch&source=hp&biw=1272&bih=701&q=fox+fork+Stanchion+wear&oq=fox+fork+Stanchion+wear&gs_l=img.3..0i24.937.2668.0.3267.10.9.0.0.0.0.282.970.2-4.4.0....0...1ac.1j2.64.img..6.4.968.LjZTJwAjp-E

[Mojoman]

Completely impartial party here but that photo suggests wear over a long time where the stanchion comes into contact with the bushing / seal / dirt in the fork. 

 

You can compare it various photos online of scuffed or worn stanchions especially on Fox forks. This could be prevented with regular servicing but I can't say if this was the case. Don't know the details on the fork's service record.

 

Please proceed to post all the photos you were sent of the fork as well as photos of the fork where you can clearly see this damage. I can even tell if what you posted is the actual fork you bought. Not saying it isn't but it's not much to go on.

From the pic on page one I would agree on the damage being from wear and simply not being looked after. It certainly doesn't look like its from bouncing around in the boot of a car. Fox forks are apparently notorious for this stanchion wear and I made sure I never experienced it by regularly servicing my F32 when I still had my Trance.

 

Sadly though with anything you buy its always going to be let the buyer beware and if you can't get to see something before buying it then I would think twice unless you can afford to writeoff the price of the purchase.

[Patchelicious]

Thanks for the warning!

 

I wont buy or sell anything from either of you, both seem difficult.

[VicanZA]

no way you guys can kiss and make up? go 50/50 on it?

[Shebeen]

Oh what to do? What to do?

 

Frankly, as someone that has bought many second hand items, including forks off TheHUB, I find it far from plausible that you would have seen the damage and done nothing for months. I would propose a 4th explanation that you "Tossed" the fork in your boot, drove around with it for a period of time, and when you removed it, found the damage. The likelihood of the fork getting damaged whilst in your boot by whatever else might have been in there seems higher than you accepting and obviously damaged fork that you just spent a couple of grand on.

 

Now aside from that, Mr Mann has a pretty positive reputation amongst those that have dealt with him, and I would be less than inclined to believe some random mud-slinging with little logical argument such as yours. 

 

If it were me, you would probably have received your first lawyer's letter by now.

 

What is clear is that I will make careful note of your username, and be sure to never sell you anything. It just doesn't seem worth the risk.

here's a problem. both low poster users. and whilst you might say he has a good reputation, no one has actually given him a rating until now. which brings me to this point again - USE THE RATING SYSTEM PEOPLE