Need opinions: I was taken advantage of by a member...

I’ve only been on here for a year and a half, but, both sides have valid points. Both parties should take a deep breath, and yes, pick up the phone a talk 1st. Listen to each other. Think about each other’s view point, then, after 24 hours of cooling it, see if you can come to an arrangement. When you are upset, your brain will only access those memories that were “stored” when you were emotional. This is a business transaction, talk it out and get it done.
When I bought my basket case bronco, it was from a guy that is sometimes on the forums, but he was professional, as he tends to flip them. Did I over pay? Hell yes in this environment. But am I happy to have it, yes. All the previous opinions have valid points, but we are not hearing from the seller, so, my final point is, call the buyer, listen and work it out. Life’s too short for this much stress.

I'll tell my side of the story in a post later tonight after I get home. I can only take so much of this bashing! Thanks to friends and supporters on here, I appreciate it. Amicable??? %)

Another person just contacted me and told me he bought one from the seller and it was not as described. I can't confirm or deny but a lot of people are reach out.

Here is the update. The seller would not return my calls until I started this post yesterday. He then called and yelled at me (with profanity) for posting and said he would call me back before 6 pm with some ideas on how we could work things out. I finished the post that I told him I was working on (I appreciate everyone reaching out) and he called me back and yelled at me again (more profanity) and said he would call back before 6 pm.

I waited ten minutes after 6 and then left for my appointment. He called at 6:15 so I pulled over. He said a couple of words and then the call dropped or he hung up. I called him right back and he didn't pick up. I called again and he answered and said he was in the middle of something and would call me back.

He never called back so I texted him at 8:54 (7:54 his time) and he responded with the attached picture. We can see that he said he would communicate with me in the morning via text and he did not communicate anything this morning. However, he is watching this thread (his profile page says he was on at 2:21 and 3:18 pm) so it appears that he would have time to tell me he needs until the end of the day or something but again, no contact. It is clear he is more interested in the thread than responding to me.

http://classicbroncos.com/forums/member.php?u=12474

I texted him at 2:34 and he responded 20 minutes later and texted he was in the middle of something else and would contact me in 30-45 minutes.

He has not contacted me per usual although he is still on the site.

I understand that people have had positive experiences with him and that is why I bought from him after several conversations and exchanges of photos. I asked specific questions and for specific photos and they were strategic in that they ommitted the problems. He skipped all of the bad parts and showed only the good parts. I will provide examples and everyone can judge for themselves. Also, of note, I have been contacted privately by 6 members that have had similar issues with disclosure. I notice there are a lot of people here supportive of sharing the story and some others seem frustrated by the idea of a member not disclosing problems with a vehicle. Several people have privately asked if it was this particular seller even though I had not named them because they said they had the same problem with him. I think that


This is not the island queen bronco as some guessed. Again, I did speak to that seller and thought he was a good guy and he didn't think the vehicle was a good fit for me based upon what I was planning on doing. This is the link to the ad for the vehicle:

http://classicbroncos.com/forums/showthread.php?t=284773

The seller is BajaFresh75: Chris.

The seller had the vehicle listed for 9500 and I bought it for 9000. I will post a copy of the contract less personal details.

Oh, and he told me that if I shared information on the forum he was going to light me up because I asked him not to put the purchase price on the bill of sale. I had actually asked him not to put any buyer info on the bill of sale and title. I am in CT where only a bill of sale is required. The other states around here require a title and it is real trouble to get one so having one is valuable. So, he can "light me up" over that all he wants, I am stil sharing what happened.

I am going to reiterate that I don't want to be spending time on this and just want to be treated fairly and respectfully.

terms of deal:

We had spoken several times and I asked him for a bunch of specific photos and a bunch of specific questions. In the ad you can that the front floor, one rocker, brightwork trim, front seat belts and wiper assembly are a part of what is being offering for sale. Due to the activity of the seller on the site I asked him about what parts he had that need to be replaced. I asked him because it appears he did about 24 sales in 2017 and I thought he might have some of the items that the truck needed and we could negotiate.

http://classicbroncos.com/forums/showthread.php?t=284773

In the attachment we agreed on those parts plus a few others including a rear quarter, door panels, a mirorr and glass. Our conversation was always congenial until I received the truck and he would not answer calls. When I asked about steering and the column he said it had a 4 turn box and I told him that while most of the community liked these 4 turn, I actually preferred the less valuable 6 turn. In the agreement, he was going to swap and keep the 4 turn.

In the ad, it is said there is all of the parts for the wiper assembly and he said he was going to put that back on over the weekend and so that is included in the agreement. He didn't do it.

The truck arrived without the steering box swapped, without the wiper assembly installed, with glass that has a bunch of chips in it and missing some of the other parts like the front floors.

More posts to come about rust issues:

Here are all of the text messages. The latest is he said he was going to offer me money back but because I posted he doesn't know how he is going to do it. He only responds to me after I post. It seems the only thing he is concerned about is his perception on this site because he flips so many broncos.

There were some strange comments about recording phone calls so that maybe is his excuse for not calling me back.

This is what is has been like for me to deal with this person after the deal was made.

frame/undercarriage/body mount:

These are all of the undercarriage/frame photos the seller sent. He omits all of the problems and takes pictures of the good metal.

Some of the biggest issues are the rust that he hid. He was specific on the body repairs that were needed: front floors, passenger rear fender and one rocker. Note that seller explains in the ad that he was and did swap all four wheels:

http://classicbroncos.com/forums/showthread.php?t=284773


-the passenger front body mount is completely gone. Not disclosed
-the inner fender is gone. Not disclosed
-the driver that delivered the vehicle said he had to remove the rear bumper because it was falling off . Not disclosed
-front crossmember has been welded. Not disclosed
-rear axle drivers side missing brake hardware/shoes/etc. In the ad he calls the brakes weak, not missing. Even the backing plate is ground down. He changed the wheels but didn't disclose
-tail light housing brace on passenger side is rotted out which would have been seen during wheel change. Not disclosed

these are the photos that I took of the same areas with less convenient framing that actually shows the problems.

more underneath

clutch:

in the ad he says the clutch is new. However, the vehicle will not go into reverse. When on the lift, the bolt needed to be removed to change the clutch is rusted frozen. When I asked him about it on the phone he said that the previous seller told him it was new and it wasn't his problem.

the top is described as "new" in the subject of the ad. Had it been used and decent that would have been fine but it has green algae and has obviously just been sitting in a wet location. The bows are broken and the front lip is rotted off.

http://classicbroncos.com/forums/showthread.php?t=284773

I was told the doors were in good shape. In the ad he took a photo of the bottom of each which are fine. However, they both have cracked bondo which he didn't disclose. Missing hardware, broken vent window. Photos just show the good part and nothing else is communicated.

http://classicbroncos.com/forums/showthread.php?t=284773

the passenger striker is rotted out behind. In the ad he says "the posts and strikers are nice":

http://classicbroncos.com/forums/showthread.php?t=284773

He dislosed the passenger side rocker needed to be replaced. I was fine with that but the driver's is also rotted.

notice in the ad how there are two photos of the interior and both crop the driver's seat. the photos are misleading because the driver's seat is torn up

http://classicbroncos.com/forums/showthread.php?t=284773

Not disclosed and hidden in the pictures:

-rotted windshield frame
-bent and rotted hood
-ignition switch doesn't work right
-engine bay inner fender replaced with plastic

http://classicbroncos.com/forums/showthread.php?t=284773

Looks to me like he pulled it straight out of an old barn and threw up for sale! Love the rear brakes my god really!!! The frame and suspension componets are just as rusty as the body sheetmetal. The truck has been stored wet/damp many times over the years to get the frame looking like that. That truck has been off the road sitting for long time. If you add another 9k to the price you paid you could have bought a nice fresh Bronco that's never been off the road IE: (always licensed) and taken care of. it would take more than that to fix what is there! None of those pics were in original listing gee I wonder why? I guess it just proves that assumption is the mother of all F&%k ups! Sight unseen never seems to work because you cant trust anybody and 10k is a big gamble. Hope you get something resolved. I guess on the bright side you do own a good mud truck candidate.

I totally feel ya. I bought sight unseen and 10 years on I'm still fixing stuff from a "professional bronco restorer." Just do a search for "buyer beware" and look for anything from alabama and you'll see. Literally today I ordered all new sheetmetal for the bed, wheels, braces, door posts, because they are rotten but were covered up with loads of bondo, fiberglass, painted over and or covered in bedliner (DENNO-LINER!). I'm sorry about your situation. And I'm really sorry you aren't having a good experience with one of our guys on here. That's rare.

Since your asking for opinions,,I'll throw my horses ass in the ring.

I have bought two broncos from Chris over the last 20 years and I have been extremely pleased with both of them. I purchased my last one from him about a year ago. I made sure that what I was buying fit my skill/experience level. It had some rust issues but I made sure it was something I could handle. He didn't know my skill ability, that's up to me to decide if it works for me. I passed on several that were not the right fit for me!!
Sounds like you got a little too far over your skis and have some buyers remorse when it was too much of a project for you.
Quit with the sour grapes and bashing. You bought something that was over your ability. If you wanted 500 Pictures of every stitch and seam you should have seen it in person.

Flame away!

NashBronco said:

Since your asking for opinions,,I'll throw my horses ass in the ring.

I have bought two broncos from Chris over the last 20 years and I have been extremely pleased with both of them. I purchased my last one from him about a year ago. I made sure that what I was buying fit my skill/experience level. It had some rust issues but I made sure it was something I could handle. He didn't know my skill ability, that's up to me to decide if it works for me. I passed on several that were not the right fit for me!!
Sounds like you got a little too far over your skis and have some buyers remorse when it was too much of a project for you.
Quit with the sour grapes and bashing. You bought something that was over your ability. If you wanted 500 Pictures of every stitch and seam you should have seen it in person.

Flame away!

Click to expand...

I'm not going to flame you if that's your opinion. I had a different experience and was treated differently than you were.

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