Opinion on what to think about a business that sent merchandise other than asked

[collector]

I put a wanted ad for a correct foactory radiatior for my 74 eldo.  I got two responses, both saying they had original and in good condition. I went ahead and ordered from the first vender and was very specific that the tank not have metal straps holding it together and that the side tanks esp. the uppers not be damaged/dented. I was assured that it would be perfect. 3 weeks later I receive the radiator and the tank on the drivers side top is crushed like someone hit it with a hammer and there were straps holding the tank together. It was an original but must have been re-done in a very inexperienced shop. I didnt even take it out of the box but sent pics to the seller and asked for what I had ordered. He was rude and said he would do a UPS pick up but never did. I have since reported it to my credit card company and will not pay 325.00 for damaged goods that I was specific about what I wanted and didnt want. 

Now, I contacted the other vender about his radiator and he said he had a good original and it would be 225.00. Great, I said Ill take it but make sure no straps and no dented tanks. He assured me it was perfect. Please note my ad was specific about being an original and not a replacement. When I got the radiator it was a MODINE with the tag right on it plain as day. The radiator was completely needing to be boiled out so water would flow through. When I called the idot to tell him he sent me an aftermarket he was furios. I have a brand new aftermarket that I bought last year. Why would I buy another aftermarket and why would he lie and say he had an original in good shape???

Now, I ask what should I do. Spend another 100.00 on the original and have the tank removed and the major damaged fixed and make sure the tank holds pressure without those after market strap? or do I try and find an honest seller who will do the right thing. When I approched the problems I got lip and was told never to use them again. The other guy wants me to pay for shipping back which I feel he whould have to do since he sent me something other than what I ordered.  If somone says they have an original part in good shape wouldnt you think that ment original not aftermakret and not needing to be repaired?

I didnt order a core but a good original radiator. I didnt want too mention the vendors but I think maybe I should so that somone else doesnt get burned. I think the second vendor should also have to do a UPS call tag for the aftermarket radiator dont you?

[Otto Skorzeny]

I agree with you. You were sent the wrong merchandise. It's not just a simple misunderstanding.

If the vendor wants his part back, have him send a call tag.

Send him a letter to that effect (not phone) along with a copy of your original request.

Was one of the vendors big Ed?

[Dennis DiNorcia]

Look up "Eldorado Jeffs" He is in Hemmings and Old Cars Weekly. He deals with 71-76 Eldorados and while I was restoring my 76 Convertible, I got a ton of parts from him and I found him to be honest and reasonably priced.

[Ted in Olympia WA]

Thanks for the kind words.

When sellers do this it hurts everyone.  I have a very liberal return policy because I think it just not worth it in life to fight with customers.  Most of the time I do returns less shipping costs but if someone gets mad I end up paying this also.

My goal is to sell parts that are good, or if not tell them up front so they know.  I also always try to send pictures of the original item.  I never sell a part that is not removed and inspected and this gets me in trouble because it causes me to be slow and I sometime loose sales.

I do have a raditator for you now Collector and I sent you an email with details/pictures.

TED

["Cadillac Kid" Greg Surfas 15364]

This may be the wrong place to add my two cents worth, but having needed a replacement radiator for my 76 Coupe deVille, I know how hard it is to find one.  Modine who used to make some really decent new radiators is now out of business, replaced by someone making two bit Aluminum, 2 row devices that can't cool a thing.
I ended up having US Radiators in LA  make me one of their 5 row, 3 pass units, and besides looking everybit as original as I can remenber, even trying to overheat the car in the 103 degree days we have been having here lately, it just chugs along.
In the words of Don Amachee. "Tings change".
Greg

[Otto Skorzeny]

Speaking of radiators, I recently had to buy a new radiator for my 1979 Ford F100.

I ordered one from a 1- 800- radiator place that I had used in the past (not for a collector car or anything).

Anyway, when the box arrived it said "Made in Thailand" on the outside in big letters.

Oh, wonderful, I thought, just what I need - some flimsy POS that barely fits.

To my surprise and pleasure, it turned out to be an exact duplicate of the original Ford unit only better! They had made 3 improvements to the design which aided installation.

1. Longer neck  with crimped "stop" for lower hose
2. Taller filler neck which allowed more clearance for overflow tube
3. Indentations in top tank for smooth routing of overflow tube.

It was all brass and steel just like the original and the mounting flanges weren't thin or anything.

I was amazed.

It says a lot about our expectations of quality these days when you are pleasantly surprised when something is built the way it's supposed to be instead of corner-cutting junk.

[Roger Zimmermann]

I'm not too surprised about that story. You are in the US; returning a wrong described part is not a big deal. However, imagine us, poor people from Australia, Asia and Europe confronted to the same situation. Usually the costs to ship back the part(s) is so expensive that we do the best possible out of the situation.
In two cases,  one of my suppliers did a major error: he sent the wrong crankshaft and, another time, the wrong front fender. He absorbed all the costs without the return of the wrong parts. His name? Ted Holcombe.

Roger