Bought a scope from Rick, in IDlast year. His wording " very good" condition. At best it was average, and in state I could have gotten off E-bay for about 1/2 his price. Besides the average condition, the stench from smoke was intolerable with this thing.
Took issue with this shortly after purchase, and Rick was going to make good on transaction with some other radio type goods thrown into the deal. Nothing ever came of his offer to make it good, even though I inquired a couple times through the last year, and he was always going to let me know what he would offer me.
Summary: Didn't lose my money, the scope was shipped to me, no follow-thru by this seller of his word, so get some detailed pictures, and don't make the mistake of overpaying for over-stated condition of equipment.
N7ANL - Watch/Double-check condition description
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As of Dec 9, 2013: ONLY BUYERS AND SELLERS directly involved with a transaction can post here. Do not post replies in any topic if you are not the buyer or seller in the transaction being discussed! If you believe you can help the buyer or seller, please use the Private Message system to communicate with them. NOTE: if you have been scammed by someone pretending to be a ham, please post in the Scammer Reports forum instead. See viewtopic.php?f=2&t=136 for additional rules.
Most of the time there is a lot more to it!
I think most would fully agree with Mark.
Determining the condition of a piece of equipment, sight unseen, is not as easy as it might seem..
What to do?
We are no better off than the blind man who wants know what an elephant he has never seen looks like. We, too, must ask very specific questions that, when answered truthfully, would allow us to make up our own mind about the condition of the equipment. Here are some relevant questions.
1) Does the outside of the equipment have any scratches, gouges, or dents?
2) Is the equipment complete? Are there any parts missing (broken, lost, etc.)
3) Has the equipment been used in a smoking environment or a saltwater environment?
4) Has the seller tested the equipment and does it work as it is suppose to work?
5) Are there any known faults or issues with the equipment? If so, what are they?
6) Has the equipment been damaged in any way?
7) How old is the equipment?
8) Where did it come from?
9) Are you the original owner? If not, what do you know about the history of the unit?
10) Is there any burning smell or the smell of smoke from the equipment?
11) Do you have the original manual or other paperwork that comes with it?
12) Do the connecting cables come with it?
13) What accessories come with it?
14) Is the face of the meters and dials clear and unscratched?
15) Do all the controls work as they should?
16) Is the surface of the front panel faded or discolored?
17) Are the dials still the original color or have they been sun darkened? Sun faded?
18) Are all the bulbs or other lights illuminated when it is turned on?
19) Is the digital display bright and clear (if it has one.)
20) Are there any blown fuses?
21) Do any spare fuses, or other replacement parts come with it? If yes, what are they?
22) How does the speaker, if any, have a clear crisp sound to it?
23) Is the power cord, if any, frayed or cracking?
24) Has it ever been repaired? Why?
25) Has it been modified in any way. If so, what mods have been done and by whom?
26) Has it ever been used mobile or portable? Explain?
27) Have any safety interlocks, if any, been disabled?
The above questions have one purpose, to help learn about the equipment when hands-on inspection of the equipment is impossible and sight-unseen deals are the only option. It is not a "PASS/FAIL" criteria, rather a list of things a prudent buyer would want to know about the equipment he is interersted in trading or buying. The questions automatically answered by a hands-on inspection and hands-on testing are in red. The answer to these would be self evident if one were trading or buying at a ham fest or at the sellers shack. The remaining questions, in black, might be asked of the seller in the course of chatting about his equipment, regardless of location.
No attempt was made to make the list exhaustive, I’m sure other questions could be added.
If someone tells you, as honestly as he can, that his 2 Meter transceiver is GOOD, he really isn’t telling you all that you need to know. Without the answers to the kinds of questions listed above, “GOOD” means what it means to the seller and you STILL don’t know the real condition of the equipment!
This is ALWAYS true if you are dealing over the internet and/or not eye-ball to eye-ball with the seller and the equipment.
Determining the condition of a piece of equipment, sight unseen, is not as easy as it might seem..
What to do?
We are no better off than the blind man who wants know what an elephant he has never seen looks like. We, too, must ask very specific questions that, when answered truthfully, would allow us to make up our own mind about the condition of the equipment. Here are some relevant questions.
1) Does the outside of the equipment have any scratches, gouges, or dents?
2) Is the equipment complete? Are there any parts missing (broken, lost, etc.)
3) Has the equipment been used in a smoking environment or a saltwater environment?
4) Has the seller tested the equipment and does it work as it is suppose to work?
5) Are there any known faults or issues with the equipment? If so, what are they?
6) Has the equipment been damaged in any way?
7) How old is the equipment?
8) Where did it come from?
9) Are you the original owner? If not, what do you know about the history of the unit?
10) Is there any burning smell or the smell of smoke from the equipment?
11) Do you have the original manual or other paperwork that comes with it?
12) Do the connecting cables come with it?
13) What accessories come with it?
14) Is the face of the meters and dials clear and unscratched?
15) Do all the controls work as they should?
16) Is the surface of the front panel faded or discolored?
17) Are the dials still the original color or have they been sun darkened? Sun faded?
18) Are all the bulbs or other lights illuminated when it is turned on?
19) Is the digital display bright and clear (if it has one.)
20) Are there any blown fuses?
21) Do any spare fuses, or other replacement parts come with it? If yes, what are they?
22) How does the speaker, if any, have a clear crisp sound to it?
23) Is the power cord, if any, frayed or cracking?
24) Has it ever been repaired? Why?
25) Has it been modified in any way. If so, what mods have been done and by whom?
26) Has it ever been used mobile or portable? Explain?
27) Have any safety interlocks, if any, been disabled?
The above questions have one purpose, to help learn about the equipment when hands-on inspection of the equipment is impossible and sight-unseen deals are the only option. It is not a "PASS/FAIL" criteria, rather a list of things a prudent buyer would want to know about the equipment he is interersted in trading or buying. The questions automatically answered by a hands-on inspection and hands-on testing are in red. The answer to these would be self evident if one were trading or buying at a ham fest or at the sellers shack. The remaining questions, in black, might be asked of the seller in the course of chatting about his equipment, regardless of location.
No attempt was made to make the list exhaustive, I’m sure other questions could be added.
If someone tells you, as honestly as he can, that his 2 Meter transceiver is GOOD, he really isn’t telling you all that you need to know. Without the answers to the kinds of questions listed above, “GOOD” means what it means to the seller and you STILL don’t know the real condition of the equipment!
This is ALWAYS true if you are dealing over the internet and/or not eye-ball to eye-ball with the seller and the equipment.
Last edited by K4ICL on Thu Oct 21, 2004 1:41 pm, edited 2 times in total.
27 questions
In all due respect, if those 27 questions have to be asked, don't buy used, buy new instead.
Over the last 20 years or so that I was dealing in vintage gear, I cannot remember one single piece that would pass that 27 questions. To have to deal like that simply is not worth the time and effort.. As far as that matters, I doubt that any piece of gear that I ever sold could pass that test except for one and only one..
That was the one that I traded to Al however but it was in a still factory sealed box and "untouched" or opened up by me. I offered to open and inspect the gear for shipping damage for him and he asked me not to and I honored that request.
I would venture to say that there is not ONE SINGLE piece of gear on QTH today that could pass those 27 questions. Not even from the high positive feedback dealers.
Not a single one.. folks, not a single one.
Over the last 20 years or so that I was dealing in vintage gear, I cannot remember one single piece that would pass that 27 questions. To have to deal like that simply is not worth the time and effort.. As far as that matters, I doubt that any piece of gear that I ever sold could pass that test except for one and only one..
That was the one that I traded to Al however but it was in a still factory sealed box and "untouched" or opened up by me. I offered to open and inspect the gear for shipping damage for him and he asked me not to and I honored that request.
I would venture to say that there is not ONE SINGLE piece of gear on QTH today that could pass those 27 questions. Not even from the high positive feedback dealers.
Not a single one.. folks, not a single one.
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