HELP!! Paypal/ebay claim problem. Please read!!

Thanks corolla_man
but really all that I need is someone (doesnt specifically say that it has to be anyone that does this for a living) to state that it is not what I paid for, and that the auction was wrong/misleading in a letter. After that, once I get my money back, I will deal with the pilar. The glass I can fix, the mounting I can do, hell even the paint I'll do, however I am still without the piece that I wanted. The letter that I fax in has to be written by someone else who at least knows about this stuff. It cannot be another letter from me.
As for the gauges that you mentioned, I might take you up on that offer, soon as this is all sorted out.

HELP!! Paypal/ebay claim problem. Please read!!

I have a problem with an ebay item that I bought and have put a claim through Paypal. I just got an email from paypal saying that they needed proof from a third party stating that the piece was not what I paid for, that it was significantly different, damaged, and an edtimate of the cost of the repair.
Here's what it is: I bought a triple gauge pod pillar for my 97. was supposed to be a complete replacement of the stock one, in great condition etc. etc. What I got in the mail was a piece of CRAP thing and cracked fibreglass cover (does not include the edging that goes around the door, so it is in no way usable as a complete replacement for hte stock one, which is what I needed.
The paint is chipping etc etc. for it to be used, it would have to be repainted, filled, the crack in one of the pod's reglassed, etc etc.

So I need some help here. I am wondering that if I either posted some pics (of both the stock and the part that I bought), emailed them to anyone would would do this for me, if someone would be willing to put together a letter saying the above (pictures will prove what I mean - i'll include the original auction information.

Here is a snip of the email that i got from paypal:

Basically this part that I paid for (over $100USD with some gauges, which I still dont have the sensors for), and it in no way is a complete replacement, pretty much unuable (it looks horrendous without being a complete replacement) and a bunch of gauges that are useless without the sender/sensors. The part itself really pisses me off, and the other thing that I had to put in the claim was the there were parts missing for the gauges (inverter) and the sendor the oil pressure gauge, and the water temperature gauge

IF you can help me, please please do. Someone from a shop would be great, but as long as you know what you are talking about, and have an idea what it would cost to repair this one to be a replacement, or just make a whole new one, that would be a great bonus!
I need to have this faxed in by sometime early next week (tuesday I believe), so it has to be done asap.

PLEASE HELP!

post a pic of the thing u recieved so we can see plz

I'll post up some pics when I get home from work (at work now).
As well as some pics of the stock piece that it was going to replace (A pillar trim) so you can easily see the difference. as well as the gauges, with the sensors missing, and the crack in the side of one of the pods (and paint chipping) etc/etc

This is going to be a long post, so whoever helps me out -> I OWE YOU BIG TIME!
This post includes all the pictures and a description before each one.
NOTE: something I forgot to mention was that it was supposed ot be shipped through USPS (thus costing me nothing to pick it up, no duty, customs, etc). But he sent it through FEDEX, and it cost me something liek $40 USD to pick it up (customs and brokerage fees).

The first image shows everything (absolutely everything) that came in the original package. This includes the cheap fibreglass A-pillar pods and the three gauges. Missing (what SHOULD have been included in the package) is an inverter for the EL gauges, an electronic AC technics oil pressure sender, and a water temperature sender.
TO WHOEVER writes the letter, please include the fact that new gauges would most likely have to be bought to replace these as I cannot track down an oil pressure or water temperature sender alone without buying new AC gauges.




The second image here is the bottom of the piece. Notice how it has been cut up with an xacto knife, and has a very deep chip on the left side. It does not meet the dimensions of the stock piece (see later pictures)



This picture is of one of the pods. Notice the large crack on the front, and the obvious wear and missing paint on the pod



This picture shows another crack (which I just found today) on another pod. The fibreglass here is no more than paper thin and is VERY flexible.



Same thing as last picture, just showing light passing through the crack



Another picture of the wear



Shows how the piece is warped and is not a complete replacement. It lacks the "lip" to wrap around, which would be on the outside of the panel, which covers the metal



Crappy interior fibreglass (not saying glass is bad, but this job was cheap). Hard to see in this picture



The gauges. They were all supposed to be the same (seller told me this in one of the many emails). Notice how the voltmeter is a different line that AC carriers (with a convex lens, and different font fact etc/etc)




Comparing it to the stock one (this is the bottom) notice the lack of .... everything on the "replacement one". It doesnt even cover everywhere that the stock one does



Notice how the fibreglass one is missing the "lip" to hold it onto the frame..



Again, no lip. NOT a replacement piece obviously



And one more of the stock one



THUS: gauges need replacing, piece needs to be refabricated or repaired to actually be used as a stock piece, otherwise it is useless and ugly. Cracks need repair, needs to be repainted. Sure some of this I could do on my own (paint) but that is not what I paid for!.

Here is the original auction text:

Here is my paypal complaint:

Hey dude,

Sux about your deal, but here is what I would do. Find a place that deals in selling the gauge pillars, and get a picture or two off of there, or email them, let them know the deal about your claim, and they might get some special angle shots for you. As far as the gauges, contact a gauge company, or just look at the other auctions for gauges, or pictures, and get pictures with all that there is supposed to be included and send that to ebay, and send pics of what you actually got

Note
With my gauge pillar it was supposed to be a " direct replacement " but, what it actually is, is basically the outer shell of the stock one with the gauge pods glassed in there, just like yours; and also, just like yours, doesn't have anything on the inside, like the plastic pieces that pop in the metal on the car. I think that the pillar was made hollow so that you can decide on how to run your wires, and all of that stuff behind the gauges. My pillar looks the same as yours on the inside with all of the glass matting, that's just the nature of the glass. I had to drill holes in my gauge pillar, and into the car itself to " mount " the pillar. It more or less stayed by itself, the screws were jut to get it tight on the car with no jostling.
/Note

I just read in the bottom of the auction and it says " This is the ultimate Show Gauge pod NO Exposed screws,double tape or Caps to hide the screws." That is letting me know that they know that you are going to have to drill this out.

Possible Resolve
If you do or don't get your money back from paypal/ebay; You can send me the pillar, and I will try to repair the gauge pillar's structural integrity to what it should have been, I won't be able to do the fitment thing, because I have a 98, but I know fiberglassing, You pay for parts/shipping (cheap) Also...I am sponsored by Faze Gauges, they have all of those gauges that you are looking for, and I can get them for you cheap...just let me know.....IM me or email me Jason@holyrollerz.org

I STILL NEED A LETTER FROM SOMEONE> ANYONE
As long as it is not written by me, and it comes from someone who knows what they are talking about.
Please, I need this asap, because if it isn't sent in in a couple days, the claim is "thrown out"

Just food for thought....

Although the gauges do not match, don't they have a lighting wire that you can splice into the dash lighting to light them up? Or do they have color changing features, and that's why you need the inverter? Also, I'm sure if you were to contact AC Autotechnic, you can purchase a sender by itself, without buying another gauge.

They need the inverter to run them, you cannot splice them into the dash becuase they are EL
as for the sender, I have contacted AC technics and ... nothing

Please, if someone would write a letter I would GREATLY appreciate it, or i'm our a lot of money for nothing. doesnt have to be long, not even a page, just has to state the obvious.