Hi guys looking for some views on this
Recently Refurbed a 1996 Pantera, sourced a lot of NOS parts for it including full STX-RC groupset.
The original bike was a totally original used, grimy, dirty and unloved bike. Underneath the crap I knew was a good bike hiding. I spent hours on the bike polishing with Autosol fitting the the new parts, etc. The donor frame was in my opinion in really good condition, minor driveside chainsuck and some very minor pitting to the top tube, very small ding to top tube but only noticeable on very close inspection. There was no cracks, splits, etc.
I wasn't using it and the wife was moaning that I had too many bikes taking up space, so I decided to sell it. I stuck it on eBay and a buyer put a last minute bid in for £200 and won it.
I took a bit of a hit on the finances but that's the risk of an auction.
Now after he bought it the buyer bombarded me with messages asking for advice on fork upgrades and the like and I offered him my advice. He wanted to put modern Rockshox's on.
The buyer stated that he wanted to restore his own Pantera but didn't have the time or know how to do so. I sent him the link to my build on here
http://www.retrobike.co.uk/forum/viewto ... sc&start=0
The refurb probably cost in the region of £400- £450
The bike sold for £200 so I took a hit and expected to do so.
I posted the bike in two days went through the hassle of sourcing a box from Halfords (10 mile drive!!) Took me about two hours to pack and I had to stay in at home for a whole day waiting for Parcelforce to collect!! (B*stards :x )
The buyer has now messaged me the following
"........I received the bike yesterday morning - great packaging, all intact thank you. I spent yesterday evening assembling it, setting the brakes/gears etc and it looks incredible. However, as I've been getting close to it, I've noticed a serious issue with the frame. There's areas of it, particularly around the down tube where the aluminium is incredibly thin. .......I took it down to my local bike shop and they agreed - great groupset/components, but don't take it out on the trails - it'll be liable to flex and any tumbles and it'll most likely wreck the frame"
Basically the Buyer now wants a full refund plus p&p to return it to me. I'm going to lose my Final Value Fee, Listing Fee's, Postage costs and to top it off in my eBay advert I recommended viewing and collection. Which the next highest bidder wanted to do !!
Now I've bought and sold a lot of things on the Bay and got 100% positive. I had a good look at this bike when I built it. It's a 13 year old bike it's not perfect but the frame in my opinion is bloody damn good and everything else is NEW
I offered the Buyer a partial refund of £100 so he'd be getting the bike for only £130!! Telling him that if he was still set on the rebuild strip my bike and get another frame. The parts alone would cost him far more than the £200 he paid. I'm going to be out of pocket but you win some, you lose some
Nope wants a full refund. So I told him I would minus the Cost incurred for me to list, post and pack.
I was shocked when he said the metal was 'thin' and that he had taken it to his LBS to get it checked out. I feel now as if I've ripped the guy off!
I've asked the buyer to provide me with details of his LBS and the name of the person who examined the bike, I really want to speak to him or her.
Do you think I'm being unreasonable with my offers of a solution? Would you challenge a Dispute?
I've since looked at his profile on the Bay and he now appears to be buying some modern low end bike parts. Think his short lived love affair with old bikes has ended. He ends his message to me
"..can't use it for the purpose I bought it"
I hope he wasn't intending on taking a 13 year old Pantera on serious trails cos I bloody wouldn't
Oh well I didn't really want to sell it in the first place Wife will be
Recently Refurbed a 1996 Pantera, sourced a lot of NOS parts for it including full STX-RC groupset.
The original bike was a totally original used, grimy, dirty and unloved bike. Underneath the crap I knew was a good bike hiding. I spent hours on the bike polishing with Autosol fitting the the new parts, etc. The donor frame was in my opinion in really good condition, minor driveside chainsuck and some very minor pitting to the top tube, very small ding to top tube but only noticeable on very close inspection. There was no cracks, splits, etc.
I wasn't using it and the wife was moaning that I had too many bikes taking up space, so I decided to sell it. I stuck it on eBay and a buyer put a last minute bid in for £200 and won it.
I took a bit of a hit on the finances but that's the risk of an auction.
Now after he bought it the buyer bombarded me with messages asking for advice on fork upgrades and the like and I offered him my advice. He wanted to put modern Rockshox's on.
The buyer stated that he wanted to restore his own Pantera but didn't have the time or know how to do so. I sent him the link to my build on herehttp://www.retrobike.co.uk/forum/viewto ... sc&start=0
The refurb probably cost in the region of £400- £450
The bike sold for £200 so I took a hit and expected to do so.
I posted the bike in two days went through the hassle of sourcing a box from Halfords (10 mile drive!!) Took me about two hours to pack and I had to stay in at home for a whole day waiting for Parcelforce to collect!! (B*stards :x )
The buyer has now messaged me the following
"........I received the bike yesterday morning - great packaging, all intact thank you. I spent yesterday evening assembling it, setting the brakes/gears etc and it looks incredible. However, as I've been getting close to it, I've noticed a serious issue with the frame. There's areas of it, particularly around the down tube where the aluminium is incredibly thin. .......I took it down to my local bike shop and they agreed - great groupset/components, but don't take it out on the trails - it'll be liable to flex and any tumbles and it'll most likely wreck the frame"
Basically the Buyer now wants a full refund plus p&p to return it to me. I'm going to lose my Final Value Fee, Listing Fee's, Postage costs and to top it off in my eBay advert I recommended viewing and collection. Which the next highest bidder wanted to do !!
Now I've bought and sold a lot of things on the Bay and got 100% positive. I had a good look at this bike when I built it. It's a 13 year old bike it's not perfect but the frame in my opinion is bloody damn good and everything else is NEW
I offered the Buyer a partial refund of £100 so he'd be getting the bike for only £130!! Telling him that if he was still set on the rebuild strip my bike and get another frame. The parts alone would cost him far more than the £200 he paid. I'm going to be out of pocket but you win some, you lose some
Nope wants a full refund. So I told him I would minus the Cost incurred for me to list, post and pack.
I was shocked when he said the metal was 'thin' and that he had taken it to his LBS to get it checked out. I feel now as if I've ripped the guy off!
I've asked the buyer to provide me with details of his LBS and the name of the person who examined the bike, I really want to speak to him or her.
Do you think I'm being unreasonable with my offers of a solution? Would you challenge a Dispute?
I've since looked at his profile on the Bay and he now appears to be buying some modern low end bike parts. Think his short lived love affair with old bikes has ended. He ends his message to me
"..can't use it for the purpose I bought it"
I hope he wasn't intending on taking a 13 year old Pantera on serious trails cos I bloody wouldn't
Oh well I didn't really want to sell it in the first place
Wife will be 
