Anyone close to Townsend GA.????? I NEED HELP!

[pinzgauer pete]

Guys....I need some help here...and fast... I purchased a truck through Ebay and need someone to eyeball it before I pay for it which is like this sunday at the latest. The truck is located at the Firehouse 66inc. townsend, Ga 31331 and the phone is 912-832-4079. I have bad feelings about this vendor after doing some searches on google. He seels fire equipment and army vehicles but looking at the searches he is less than honest. If anyone from this site either lives close by or knows someone that knows their way around military vehicles I would like them to look at this vehicle and report back to me. I will be happy to pay some bucks for this as it may save me alot of heartache and headaches, before I pay for this vehicle. Am looking to get this done before saturday...thanks guys!!!!

 

[3dAngus]

If I would have known yesterday, I could have gone today. Can't go tomorrow or Saturday. Regrets, but good luck.

In any case, I would delay the payment, after contacting the seller and working it out with him, and make sure it is properly screened by a trusted individual, including paperwork, prior to making the payment and trip down.

Also, you should post for all to see what kind of truck. A truck is not a truck is not a truck, meaning, there is a huge difference in ones ability to screen a M715 vs. a 5 ton.

 

[SCSG-G4]

From the pictures, the truck was pressure washed about 5-10 minutes before the pictures were taken (wand is still in several pictures), it does not have a top on the cab - frame is there for a soft top, there are no pictures of the engine, the speedometer appears to be a replacement. The rest of the data plates are either wet or they are replacements as I have seen far too many that are faded, which would be normal. That's what I can see from the pictures.

 

[EMD567]

I'll bet my last dollar that it was pressure washed to get rid of all the mold and mildew. Those trucks sit along side I 95, in S Georgia. I bet it was covered with plant growth.

 

[doghead]

A search for the phone number on SS will get you a couple results.

 

[Blue2actual]

bad bad folks to deal with. search them on the internet and you will find some less then comforting stuff about these brothers that own the place.

http://www.wral.com/5onyourside/story/1989862/

 

[pinzgauer pete]

Yes this is looking bad, I have researched these boys and it looks like they have some odd ideas of doing business. The only way I would go through with it is if one of the trusted members of this community were to act as a agent for me, check the deuce, purchase it on my behalf and then remove it immediately from their property. I have very little hope that such a thing can happen in such a small time constraint, so I am more than likely going to reneg on this deal. I cannot take any chances on the goodwill, and fairness of these people. They have demonstrated poor business practise and ethics. I sincerely thank all of those that offered help, advice and support in my pleas for assistance..you are definately a great bunch of guys and I am proud to be amoungst you.

 

[hemichallenger]

Guys....I need some help here...and fast... I purchased a truck through Ebay and need someone to eyeball it before I pay for it which is like this sunday at the latest. The truck is located at the Firehouse 66inc. townsend, Ga 31331 and the phone is 912-832-4079. I have bad feelings about this vendor after doing some searches on google. He seels fire equipment and army vehicles but looking at the searches he is less than honest. If anyone from this site either lives close by or knows someone that knows their way around military vehicles I would like them to look at this vehicle and report back to me. I will be happy to pay some bucks for this as it may save me alot of heartache and headaches, before I pay for this vehicle. Am looking to get this done before saturday...thanks guys!!!!

You should have done all that before your first bid. Thats the trouble with feebay. People bid and do not want to pay, I have known TY for about 10 years. I moved fire trucks for him and never had a problem but am aware of his history.

 

[pinzgauer pete]

NOT TRUE AT ALL Sir...only after the auction was closed was the sellers name revealed as well as the discovery of his business name and his business practises. I have over 150 sucessful transactions over E-bay and have never renegged on a deal, however when a discovery is made that a vendor is being investigated for fraud, bait and switch schemes, or selling vehicles without proper paperwork those are not the earmarks of a trustworthy individual. Since I live in NY I would need full assurance that this seller is 100% up front in his dealings with me. I would have little recourse if I had paid for a running deuce depicted in the pics above and went there to find either a damaged or wrecked unit and to be told that the pictures I recieved are for informational puposes only and not of the actual vehicle I purchased. You state that you are aware of "his history" and would fault me for not trusting this man with a reputation that is his creation not mine, or that I somehow would be able to know sellers backgrounds before dealing with him, but E-bay dosent work that way all I have to go by is his reputation at that site and according to that site he has had only 3 transactions. Not much to go by.

 

[strycnine]

I went out to his place before I bought my truck. He SEEMED nice enough on the phone. He gave me directions and told me to just head out there.

The trucks were from ok to pretty rusty. This was a couple years ago.

 

[bonshawman]

I have bought vehicles all over the US on EBAY and have not had (lucky I guess) any issues. However, I sure have been nervous. It is impractical to, if available, travel and inspect, and expensive to pay someone to do so. Likewise, even on GL, some descriptions are not very robust, and maybe a "friend" on this site can help with a look see, but it is tough. I have to pick up a trailer in SC (from FL) and luckily a member here was able to assure me the tires are OK - it is a tough situation.

It truly is "buyer beware" with due diligence, WHEN POSSIBLE, best done in advance, or take the risk/gamble. It is like ANY auction - if you can't inspect yourself before you bid, or have someone knowlegable do so on your behalf, if you bid....

However, outright misrepresentation could be grounds to cancel a bid - despite the "as is, where is". There are always shades on condition, etc., which is why with classic cars they came up with a ratings system (1, 2, etc).

I hope things work out well for you!

 

[wreckerman893]

It is impractical to, if available, travel and inspect, and expensive to pay someone to do so.

I do inspections and recoveries at Redstone and Anniston Army Depot.....I had been charging 30-50 dollars to do previews depending on if I was going there anyway. With the price of fuel that is prob going to change. It also takes me at least half a day if I go to Redstone and I feel my time is worth something.

I take the customers phone number with me and try to call and give them a first hand account of whatever I'm previewing for them.

Paying someone to do a preview can be a good investment and will give you peace of mind.

 

[pinzgauer pete]

I too have bought and sold vehicles on E-bay, everyone of my buyers left feeling they dealt with a honest and fair individual.When I bought my Pinzgauer I had to completely rely on this persons assesment of his vehicle, but in every facet of the buying process he did what was asked and went above and beyond to make me comfortable and secure in the fact that I would be happy when the vehicle arrived. I could not have been happier. There are decent and honest people out there. There are also unscrupulous people out there as well. I came ever so close to paying for the deuce and hoping for the best, but after reading the news report and his statement to the reporter who confronted him with information that a customer had pictures of the truck he was supposed to get but was directed to another inferior vehicle and stated that you dont always get what you see in pictures...well that clinched it for me...Nope...I cant afford to lose money..BUT..I can afford to wait!

 

[bonshawman]

Great service you provide Wreckerman893 and well worth the investment. In fact, it would be great if there was a list of guys adjacent to the depots that would be willing to provide this serve-for-fee. I certainly would use it!

Pinzgauer Pete: Experience is a good teacher. I have found that good communication, pics, even receipt of documents w/VIN help avoid issues, but if someone is less than honest in their dealings they will find a way to "get over" on another. It is sad that is the truth, but I believe we get back, eventually, what we put out - sooner or later it catches up to us. I have seen that collection of vehicles off I95 - I prefer to buy from an MVPA member or from GL when possible, or, as Wreckerman893 suggests, if I can't pre-inspect myself, I will hire someone. That seems to be how things are going. I bought MY Pinz sight-unseen from pics years ago (since sold) and she was fine - but it was a gamble, and sometimes these trucks have hidden defects that the seller is unaware of - but that is a different story....