Live and learn.
You should definitely have been more careful, paying so much to ship a game from FL.

Definitely post the name of the seller so we don't get hosed in the same way.

The OP obviously didn't use PP or CC. This is in reply to the other 10 posts asking the same.

Once again...the best way to avoid getting hosed is to demand high-res pictures. Next step is to do a better job interviewing the seller. Another safeguard is to solicit help from a trusted pinsider, friend, family member (whatever). If you don't know a trusted pinsider/friend/family member in a part of the country, you might want to avoid purchasing from that region. I'm a Florida collector of fairly high-end pins and I'd gladly help someone appraise a pin if it were fairly local to me.

Charles seems like a really nice guy who unfortunately did a bad deal. Since deals involve 2 parties, spending too much time demonizing the seller is misguided. It's just one guy, and the likelihood of anyone dealing with this person is extremely low. Their are larger lessons to be learned from this thread!

Well, I for one would appreciate knowing who the seller is, so I can avoid him. The condition is a joke and the pin was misrepresented.

I am curious as well if the OP used paypal or some other form of payment where there might be an avenue of resolution. I for one don't think they will just side with the buyer like many on Pinside assume. It's also the reason buyers should not be expected to gift paypal or pay with check since they should be afforded some peace of mind too. I think the seller needs the buyer more so than the opposite way around.

I wish you the best of luck in getting some compensation. I also think the PF can be drastically improved. I know it's not what you expected to do, but might be be quite satisfying fixing the poor workmanship.

Well, I know of dozens of transactions among myself and other pinsiders across the country, and this is the very first one I've seen or heard of like this one. For the most part, people on this forum are always honorable and great to deal with.

I don't think this is the norm here.

I know the seller personally, and have had many dealings with him in the past. I also help set this deal up and now I'm sorry I did. I never had any issues with any deals I made with him. I truely hope that the two of you can work something out that makes both parties involved happy.

Bob

Hopefully he responds to reason. This Paragon's playfield is toast. The value of the pin is not more than 500-600. At $1300 for the sale I'd say $500 recompense is a bargain. He's got two options, settle up amicably and recover with some dignity, or play it dirty and have crap for reputation - and a mob of people that want his head on plate, self included.

In for a penny, in for a pound.

Maybe get compensation from person who misled you?
In other words HE PAYS for it!
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Paragon, 1979 Bally
Original Bally paragon pinball machine. Nice backglass. Works with sound O.K. Has at least 1 broken drop target, and 3 of 5 of the 6 digit displays are weak. I have 'new' 6 digit glasses to install. Just wanted to see what demand existed for this popular game.
Dan Tiemeyer, Phone: 316 262 1325
Wichita, Kansas 67213

Posted: 9 October 2012

I agree, I sent him an email but as of yet have not heard from him. Had I known the condition of the playfield I would no have gotten involved

ouch that hurts,,

I'm actually pretty surprised at the responses you are getting about you getting money back. Don't get me wrong, I completely agree its not something you were seeing when purchased and the seller knew this was a problem and I too think you should get money back....my experience was similar ( different seller) with a champion pub.

Ended up finding out the seller soldered a 26 gauge wire to an 18 gauge with no heat shrink sleeve or electrical tape and shoved it back under the boxer motor. This would have been impossible to see without cutting the tube around the wires. In turn this was taking out the processor.

Everybody told me I bought it and lesson learned....there is no way I could have checked this without ruining part of the machine.

The pinsider still happily posts here and feels he did nothing wrong even though he admitted to "fixing" this.

I hope you get some money back man

Seems he's getting money back...it's just how much. $500 is letting him off easy and he should jump on it!

I think it's because this clear coat is so egregious, no one is taking the other side.

Agree with you frolic,.. I guess my point was both sellers knew they had something to hide... Did their best to hide it successfully. I guess I was just stupid. Just sucks shady people are out there. My seller even later sold a gnr that was dropped down a flight of stairs (without disclosing this)!!!

I would call him and ask for a refund and if he says no I would try to get my money back through PP. That game is a POS, no offense, and it isn't worth anything the way it is.

your damn right it hurts Rich, I vouched for him, now I look like a dick!!!

True. My seller is just a flipper. Cleans them up real nice, "fixes" them and profits. Hope he doesn't scam anybody else here. Sorry for the thread jack! Again hope you get your money back man.

Well said. I too am ashamed. Hope he mans up. You have been more then cival by not mentioning his name. Word is spreading about who it is. I wil stay clear!

We should have a charity fund for this op so he gets his 500 or a new playfield.

Pin-It should delete his post in the event someone searches for that name later and finds this thread and thinks he had something to do with this transaction.

The seller now has to take leap of faith on his own, give you the $500, and then "things will be made right on the board". Silly to hold the money ransom, since it will not help.

No fault has to be accepted by the seller, he can continue to claim he didn't know, but wants to satisfy the customer. Then it's settled and everyone can move on.

This is a valuable lesson for the rest of us. Sorry to see this, buddy. Hope everything works out for ya.

Good point, poster.

To the seller:

If you "didn't take off the glass" to get a look at what you were selling as a professionally clear coated playfield, it was an accident or oversight on your part. It happens. Right your wrong. You owe the buyer more than $200 shut up money. Give him $500.

If you knew that you were selling garbage all along, took pictures to disguise the garbage, shipped the garbage expecting to just get away with it, you owe the buyer more than $200 shut up money. Give him $500

I agree, it would be like if I sold a TV or something, never turned it on, and the buyer tells me it is missing colors or something. As a reputable seller I'd have to eat it.

Where in LA are you man? Let's play pinball sometime!

Fo sure radrats. Let's try and plan a holiday hook up.

All I can say is that I am sorry you ended up paying for someone's shoddy work. This kind of shit drives me crazy! Does anyone remember how to be honest?

I hope you somehow straighten out your deal with this guy.

Will definitely steer clear.

holy shit is that playfield a POS. If you sent that to me, i'd have to charge at least $600-700 to fix that. Your better off getting a nicer used one, and having that restored and then do a hot swap. Someone doesn't know what clearcoated playfield actually means.

I am a little surprised the villagers have not jumped on this guy. I love that board also.

Neo - you could fix it though right? Not economical, but could be done?

I am pretty sure the villagers have .

just incase you need this...

http://www.mailpoop.com/

Woot! I love this!

"We also offer the Extra Mad Special for Grande orders. This amazing mess is heat sealed in black bag the mess runs $30.00"

I would have accepted his offer to refund the machine plus the $100 for shipping, waited for the money to come through and stripped it bare. Removed boards, plastics, power supply, flippers, replaced the back glass with a crappy scan. Sold it all and bought a proper one with the proceeds

My friend, Jack, lives in West Palm. I'll ask if he can knock on the door!

$200 was offered, so really this fell apart because the seller didn't want to kick in an extra $300. Shame. Now this thread gets to come up every time someone google's his name.

I vote that we all collectively start signing him up for every spam email and snail mail that we can...

I'm in!

1. This sucks. Sorry you got screwed. My only pin was shipped from CA to TN and I worried the whole time, and there were a few little issues, but the seller made it right. It is awful to be screwed after you've trusted someone.

2. Next time I need villagers with pitchforks and torches for a good cause, I know there to go.

I am just assuming you guys are kidding? Hard to read joking on a website, but seriously?

They are not joking.

I know Eric. Really nice guy. Whatever happened between these two should be resolved/not resolved between the two. No need for others who have never dealt with him to pile on this situation with this petty crap.

He also goes by Kawikid on:

http://www.southernpinballforum.com

http://www.pinballowners.com/kawikid

If this is him, this is classic:

http://fubar.com/199692

Petty Crap????? I can't believe you are sticking up for him.

Since the amount of the fraud was more than $500, he will be lucky if he is not brought up on Federal Wire Fraud charges.

One does need to be made example of to discourage future unethical pin sales.