What should I do???

[Fitzpatrick Speed Works]

Okay before I start my story please let me say in no way am I either excepting responsibility nor am I blaming the second party. (I am blaming the third)

Recently I had some wheels for sale on the classified section of this site. The wheels were second hand as stated, but in very good condition. I stated everything about the wheels and was very upfront about all physical aspects of the wheels. After heaps of interest and the usual time wasters a genuine buyer came foword. Due to the fact I had dealt with so many non legit buyers in the past and had so many time wasters I was really specific with aspects of the tyre wear and the condition of the wheels and tyres, as I didnt want to waste his time nor my own. I know I explained everything accurately as we meet in Sydney to make the exchange and I didnt want to drive 3 hours get there and have the buyer say I didnt mention something and say they are not what I said and not buy them.

Now the deal went through, the buyer expressed that the rear tyres where worn on the insides as I explained but was happy that the front ones where better than I had explained so that was a pleasant suprise. He thoroughly inspected the wheels agreed they where in the condition I had specified and bought them. Please remember he inspected the wheels then bought them I didnt hide anything the wheels where there for him to look at!!!

The following day My brother and I both recieved phone calls and messages saying we had to organise a way to refund partial payment on the rims as they where not what he agreed on. I didnt really understand as he looked at them took them and paid us, there is no secret science to tyres and wheels you can see the condition and see exactly what you are getting when you look at them.... I rang him today and it was explained to me that he went to get the tyres rotated on the rims, the same day the tyre shop rang him and said the sidewalls on one or two (dont remember) of the tyres had exploded out (ie. split the inner casing). They then went on to say it wasnt their fault and the sidewalls were already split by the previous owner (ME) from running them on too low of a pressure.... The buyer now wants us to refund him the price of two new tyres as he believes the tyre shop!!!! ( they where always run on 38psi)

Any respectable tyre shop will tell you, changing really low profile tyres is a pretty hard job. You have to be super carefull with the prongs so as not to scratch the rims but keeping the prong up off the rim means you run the risk of tearing the inside casing of the tyres, which is what I believe happened in this case.... Heres my arguement:

First the buyer inspected the wheels and tyres, if the sidewall was split you could either see a huge bulge in the sidewal or see a crack/tear in the tyre, it would be really obvious.

Second the tyres would not hold any pressure, I have had the wheels sitting in the workshop for over 4 months and they havent lost 1 pound of air, and if it was a torn inside wall they would go down over night so even before he took them to the tyre shop you would notice something is up and the tyre place would inform him about it before they started basically to cover their ass.

Third logic says if you take a perfectly good product to a certain place to have the product worked and something goes wrong at that place, wouldnt you blame them not some guy three steps back in the equation????

To put a long story short if there was damage to the wheels it would be blatently obvious, and I would not have sold the wheel in such a state, but beside that fact the buyer inspected the wheel and bought them, as he could see they were in good condition and had no damage.

The reason behind this story is to get peoples opinions on what I should do???

I dont want to seem like an A hole to this guy as I think he is a pretty decent guy, but he is under the impression I screwed him, and its pretty hard not to get angry when someone accuses you of that when its not true!!! So any advice opinions is greatly appreciated.

Regards,

Daniel

[ossie_21]

Seems a pretty difficult situation mate.............................

From your side of the story it seems that you tried to do the best you could to describe them, he knew what to expect before he had even seen them. Obviously the tyre shop won't accept responsibility (be a good idea to find out who it was, it could be a dodgy place, but don't mention names in here), but from my view once he has agreed to buy them, thoroughly inspected them & taken possession of them, they are no longer anything to do with you.

For the other guy I would just say bad luck, & to get 2 tyres for free from the shop that is the most likely to have damaged them. I don't think anyone would be silly enough to sell damaged tyres, or even sillier to buy them. Good luck with it all.

[Baz]

Don't take the opinon of one tyre shop. Take it to another tyre shop and see if they diagnose it in the same condition as the previous tyre shop. One thing you should learn in the motor industry is not to take the opinon of one person or company. If you don't want to seem like an a$$hole even pay for the tyres to be inspected at another tyre shop if need be.

[Amaru]

Its called "buyer beware"... once he paid you the cash and he took the goods, theyre not your problem anymore.

As you pointed out, if the sidewal was indeed cracked, the tyres wouldnt hold any pressure. Id delightfully tell him to cram it with walnuts, its obvious hes trying to screw some money from you.

[noise]

buyer beware!

you did you best, tell him to get bent

[Fitzpatrick Speed Works]

yeah buyer beware but the thing that gets me cut is that they werent in bad condition, I definately sold them to him without the damage that magically occured at the tyre shop and was somehow my fault!!!!! I just wanted to gauge what people thought of the situation, and what you thought my obligation was cuase he is under the impression I owe him two new tyres cause the tyre shop claims that it wasnt their fault.

[GTR R32]

Considering that he inspected them and the fact that they are second hand, i'd say its not your problem. I reckon the tyre shop has damaged them.

If I was him I would just accept it and deal with it. Thats the risk you take when buying stuff second hand. He probably realises that, but is just trying to see if he can get money out of you.

[someonestolecc]

Sounds like you've done all you can - I think if you don't want to be an asshole you have to tell him all of the logic (assuming you haven't already).

Tell him they wouldn't hold any pressure if what the tyre shop is saying is true. Make mention to him that you're trying to help him and you should then ask him for the benefit of the doubt enough to call the tyre place to clarify.

Obviously if the sidewall was cracked when he picked it up they would be flat when they got to the shop so he should ask them their reasoning as to why it cracked when they did it.

Also - ask him to go have a look at the tyres themselves and ask him if the buggered sidewalls was something he'd have seen as being ok when he inspected them.

Good luck hope you both work it out and are happy with the outcome.

[OYEAHA]

as above. If hes seen the tyres in person and has been happy to take them it comes from his pocket from then on. By the sounds of it you have done as much as you can.

[yogi000]

simple s13drifter.......his fault

It the risk you take buying second hand goods and u seem to have made an effort not to hide anything.

[SKYBEE]

buyer beware !!!

what would you do if it were an engine? or you sold him a turbo?

looks good feels good etc.

at the end of the day he makes the decision to buy SECOND HAND PRODUCTS so its up to his disgression! not yours on the choice to purchase the goods

personally i think you are being too nice in tryin to help him out.

these are the wheelings and dealings of the secondhand market

research and knowledge is the key !!

but whats to say he put them on straight away thinkin they were all good and in a month he found them to be no good would you think the same i dont think so!!

just my 2 cents could be way off but just something to think bout!

stick to your guns! he bought them as is his problem i believe

[yogi000]

if he had half a brain he would of had you meet him at a tyre center and have them checked by a pro, since you drove out to him

[Fitzpatrick Speed Works]

Thanks for all the replies....

I felt like saying that its tuff tittie you bought them in the first place but tried to help him out... What if he put them straight on the vehicle and they exploded??? How was I to know that would happen, how can I predict the future???? Its like if I bought a second hand TV, checked it out saw it working, took it home and it blew when I first turned it on... thats not the sellers problem when honestly they didnt know that would happen!!!!!

I just wanted to see if people agreed that something like he is claiming a cracked sidewall would be noticable and could be seen on inspection.... ANd thatI have done the right thing refusing giving him money back off the price after he has taken the goods.... the reason he didnt notice this is cause there was nothing wrong with the tyre when I sold it to, and thats my arguement!!!!!!! Once they are his then whatever happens to the tyre once under his care is not problem.... THis is exactly what I have told him I just wanted too check if I was saying and acting the right way, because I buy and sell on here alot and didnt want to get my reputation tarnished by a tyre shop or indeed the buyer trying to make me responsible for something that common sense says I have nothing to do with. As a note I rang Falkin Aus today about the issue and he agreed the side walls on a modern tyres dont just explode or crack. He talked me through some causes to the type of damamged explained to me 1) a heavy impact, which on low profile tyres usually results in a dent and/or buckled rim)very noticable) 2) a torn side wall or cracked side wall from galging the tyre with somethin and he said it would stand out as a big bulge in the tyre or as a crack which leaked air rapidly. The wheels had niether before I sold them..

Again thanks to all that listed, Cheers,

Daniel.