GL botched auctions

[GoinNutts]

I have been looking at GL auctions and notice postings with conflicting written descriptions and pictures. Odometer and general pics show one thing and description says something different. I am in the middle of a botched auction currently where they had this exact problem, pictured and described one way and they deliver a totally different product. Wanted to move on and am looking at other auctions but I am a little weary. Understand accidents happen but if this is common then I really need to be careful.

 

[Warthog]

Welcome to the Government Liquidations madness.

Yes it is a common occurance for the pictures to not match the item.

If you read their rules, they say they are not responsible for errors.

That is why you should try to do an inspection before bidding.

Reading you other post, it looks like you learned first hand about this problem. Good luck with getting your money back. It will happen, it will just take awhile.

 

[doghead]

Read the trems and conditions.

You'll find this if you do.

1. PROPERTY DESCRIPTIONS: The information and descriptions found in the advertising materials for specific sales are deemed reliable but are not guaranteed. We neither assume responsibility nor make any warranty regarding the sale's contents. Condition codes, National Stock Numbers (NSN), Local Stock Numbers (LSN), National Item Identification Numbers (NIIN), and Scrap Condition List (SCL) codes are provided as received from the DLA Disposition Services as assistance to our customers. We do not guaranty the accuracy of this information. It is your responsibility to verify an item’s information and description, including but not limited to, product condition, estimated weight, count, measure or other factors that determine the bid price. Information provided by us is not guaranteed and should not be considered as a substitute for your due diligence and physical inspection of the property.

So, you can look at a truck on their website, read the description of a truck, read the NSN of a truck and bid and win.

If you did not inspect the "truck", you may have just won a pool filter.

One thing that is really funny is, in the terms and conditions, they tell you that you must provide them with correct information!

Welcome to great deals on GL.

 

[319]

Common or not, always be carefull (like, don't run with scissors) with any auction!

 

[clinto]

Shortest answer possible:

If you don't preview, personally, the item you bid on, what is waiting on you when you go to pick it up may be something entirely different. If you do a google image search for "buyer beware" you get 10,000 images of GL's logo.

They truly personify everything that's wrong with Corporate America.

I've seen it all-they list the wrong item (pics don't match), the item is damaged after the auction ends or after the pictures were taken, trucks look great in pictures and are scary rustbuckets in person, they mention broken glass but leave out windowed engine blocks, you name it, it happens.

Best advice: Always bid low enough that you can scrap whatever it is (be it boots or trucks) you buy and break even.

Otherwise, it's a real turkey shoot.

 

[GoinNutts]

Live and Learn

 

[Flyingvan911]

I wrote down the description of each truck I wanted to look at and made sure the numbers/descirpition matched. If not, I made a note. GL is a gamble.

 

[GoinNutts]

They described the truck to have 2179 miles, pictured the Odometer to show the miles then pictured the VIN plate. Then they delivered a truck with 39K miles, different vin plate and totally different condition. It would be one thing if they used generic pics but do not claim the mileage then back it up with a picture. This is a textbook switch and bait.

 

[rosco]

A case can be made for negligence. But who has the time to push it?

 

[markmontana]

"...pictured and described one way and they deliver a totally different product...."

They described the truck to have 2179 miles, pictured the Odometer to show the miles then pictured the VIN plate. Then they delivered a truck with 39K miles, different vin plate and totally different condition. It would be one thing if they used generic pics but do not claim the mileage then back it up with a picture. This is a textbook switch and bait.

You say 'THEY' delivered? Who is they? Did you buy a truck and have someone pick it up for you? If so, did you give them information so they picked up the item you bid on? If not, you made more than one mistake! I'm not picking on you, just doesn't sound like we have the whole story. Maybe you could explain things more clearly for us. If you call 'bait and switch' we want to know the details.

Good news is that we learn from mistakes.

 

[paulfarber]

As I mentioned in another post the GL is relying on the cost of a lawsuit to be more than you want to spend for an auction win (unless its over the $5k or so price).

Nothing in their little 'contract' is ironclad. Fraud, intentional or not, is not legal just because their 'contract' says so. If they say you are bought Lot 123 and they say its an M35, yet when you show up its a pool filter, of course you have recourse. But is the legal action less than simply 'chalking it up to experience'?

If I go to pick up my recently won M35 and its substantially different from the pics/description I will leave it, get VISA to issue a chargeback for the total amount and buy an M35 from a private seller. I really don't care if they ban me, and I really don't live off of GL items.

 

[GoinNutts]

I did not mean they delivered in the sense they brought it to me. I went out to GL in Barstow, CA with truck and trailer to p/u the 1031 and the truck they said I purchased was not the truck they described in the auction. The truck had 39k miles, the dash resembled a rice crispy and all the black paint on the truck was baked off and rusty. I immediately called GL customer service and explained the situation and customer service spoke with the GL field person and they said I did not have to take the truck because it was their error. I did not take the truck home. It is one thing to use generic pictures to display the trucks configuration but to claim the truck had 2179 mi. and show a picture of the odometer w/ 2179 mi. and vin plate. Total Switch And Bait!! Plain and simple!! They use the name "Government" but they don't need to operate like one and certainly explains the BS they peddle.

 

[GoinNutts]

To salt the wound the truck next to the truck they misrepresented and sold me was the truck in the pictures w/ 2179 miles. It turns out they sold that truck again a month later.
I have both event and lot numbers and the 2 auctions are identical but they had two totally different trucks

 

[ODdave]

I have felt the same way........ Search this thread.

http://www.steelsoldiers.com/members-rides/48722-why-my-truck-sale-g-l-again-its-my-house.html

 

[GoinNutts]

Final result on botched auction was they refunded my money today and paid for a trailer rental and fuel. It took a while but they should up and took responsibility for their mistakes. All in all PITA but they made good on the deal. So I can CAREFULLY start looking again.

 

[doghead]

Read and head post # 3.

Don't be suprised when they repeat.

 

[paulfarber]

For vehicles we have an extra layer of Consumer laws that says you cannot state you are selling a car with 10,000 miles, but when I pick it up its 100,000, and then FORCE ME to still buy it at the 'agreed' price (or lose my $). That would be my best guess as to why they are a bit 'fairer' when the error is big enough.

Any ad has to have some resemblance to the actual item. Swapping the 100's, 10's or 1s is not a huge deal: 24,850 is not that far from 24,580. But 24,580 and 42,580? Error or not your understanding was that you were bidding on a vehicle with 24k miles, NOT 42K.

I can't see how this is so confusing. The general description is just that. If you want to see the color of the fluid in the brake cylinder to ensure its DOT-3 not DOT-5 then you go look at the truck... that's not reason to demand your money back. If the stated mileage is off by 30,000 miles? yeah... you got legs to stand on.

 

[doghead]

They proved once, they do NOT need to follow title laws, when they refused to offer them.

They are NOT a used auto sales company, even though they are a registered dealer.

Let's all try getting our money back in a month on the "lemon law" plan... Not gonna happen. NO 30 day warranty, nothing.

You are buying Government Surplus, what you do with it is your problem.

 

[mlwats1@hotmail.com]

used car salesmen are the same, bait and switch and hope you still buy

 

[doghead]

It's not "bait and switch", they are really that incompetent and inept.