ImpalaSS - Bad Deal

[excobraguy]

OK, I thought long and hard before posting this here....long and hard. But after getting the royal shafting I did I feel compelled to post this. I tried getting my money back before hand but no dice.....anyway, here's the deal.

ImpalaSS advertised the CP .020 over pistons, I purchased them from him for $270. He quoted me $250 + shipping for a total of $270. Well, when I got the pistons, that he described as "In excellent condition" they were covered in scratches from where they had something obviously scratching them inside the engine, metal??? They were so bad my engine builder, who is one of the most reputable guys you could have, does the word "Syclone" ring a bell???
Anyway, my engine builder told me to trash the pistons because he wasn't going to use them in my engine. He said they had been in an engine that was under severe detonation and could not be used. Remember, for some strange reason these pistons came out of an engine with less than 1000 miles.

So I contacted Jamie aka Impalass through Paypal's resolution center. I asked for my money back and he came back and refused to make good on them, not only that I went back to the original post and he originally stated that he would sell them for $250 shipped!!!!!!!! Yet he charged my $270 shipped and included $20 for shipping!!!!!! I'm livid over this deal. I come on here to help make my engine build a little cheaper by buying people's parts from here but when deals like this happen it makes me shy away from those "Excellent deals" I see listed. I know he doesn't represent everyone on here but how is anyone supposed to know????

I could have just relisted the pistons and tried selling them on here saying I didn't need them, but that is not me! I am not going to screw somebody to make a buck much less just to break even.

Jamie, hope your happy with my money and me with your busted up pistons. Now my build will be delayed finding funds to buy additional pistons I need. I just wish you would man up and take them back and refund MY money back to me! You give this forum a bad name.......

Dean

 

[alittlev6]

OK, I thought long and hard before posting this here....long and hard. But after getting the royal shafting I did I feel compelled to post this. I tried getting my money back before hand but no dice.....anyway, here's the deal.

ImpalaSS advertised the CP .020 over pistons, I purchased them from him for $270. He quoted me $250 + shipping for a total of $270. Well, when I got the pistons, that he described as "In excellent condition" they were covered in scratches from where they had something obviously scratching them inside the engine, metal??? They were so bad my engine builder, who is one of the most reputable guys you could have, does the word "Syclone" ring a bell???
Anyway, my engine builder told me to trash the pistons because he wasn't going to use them in my engine. He said they had been in an engine that was under severe detonation and could not be used. Remember, for some strange reason these pistons came out of an engine with less than 1000 miles.

So I contacted Jamie aka Impalass through Paypal's resolution center. I asked for my money back and he came back and refused to make good on them, not only that I went back to the original post and he originally stated that he would sell them for $250 shipped!!!!!!!! Yet he charged my $270 shipped and included $20 for shipping!!!!!! I'm livid over this deal. I come on here to help make my engine build a little cheaper by buying people's parts from here but when deals like this happen it makes me shy away from those "Excellent deals" I see listed. I know he doesn't represent everyone on here but how is anyone supposed to know????

I could have just relisted the pistons and tried selling them on here saying I didn't need them, but that is not me! I am not going to screw somebody to make a buck much less just to break even.

Jamie, hope your happy with my money and me with your busted up pistons. Now my build will be delayed finding funds to buy additional pistons I need. I just wish you would man up and take them back and refund MY money back to me! You give this forum a bad name.......

Dean

pics? maybe he was scrubbing the carbon build up? man i hope you get your money back

 

[excobraguy]

pics? maybe he was scrubbing the carbon build up? man i hope you get your money back

I can put pics up tonight, at work right now. The scratches are deep and on the bottom part of the skirts of the piston.

 

[Pronto]

Not trying to be a wiseass but you're just coming off a bad deal with the engine failing, why would buy used pistons? Did you get pictures of them first?

 

[excobraguy]

Not trying to be a wiseass but you're just coming off a bad deal with the engine failing, why would buy used pistons? Did you get pictures of them first?

Yes, he had the pics posted AND I even made him give me his phone number first to call him and ask questions before buying them. He said he was a GM certified mechanic and that the pistons were in excellent condition and that a customer had bought another whole complete motor and wanted to part this one out. The scratches could not be seen in the pics. I asked him like 3 times if they were in great shape because I didn't want to get screwed over.....he replied, yes in excellent condition...........by the way, didn't take your comment any other way than constructive, thanks. Guess that's what I get for trying to stick to a budget engine build............

 

[Grumpy]

budget engine build............

I don't think that applys to any performance motor

 

[excobraguy]

I don't think that applys to any performance motor

Yeah, I'm finding out the hard way!

 

[excobraguy]

Just a quick update.......no emails replied to, no phone calls returned.....ImpalaSS just took my money and ran with it!!!!!!!! What an ASS!!!!!!

 

[Quick6'n'-K.C.]

Thats not right for a member to not try and make it right after the parts are bunk...
Sounds like the pistons i purchased off a member here a few years ago, were supposed to be .030 factory pistons.. I got hosed and never was able to use them.
BW

 

[six slinger]

its unfortunate that there are so many good guys to deal with, but all it takes is one scumbag mother....er!! to make people lose trust for anyone on this board!! sorry to hear that brother! this is exactly why i deal with people face to face! and if i do buy from a reputable vendor, i also make sure hes not too far from me! i will tell you that i bought a on center t/a aluminum block from otto and the man made good on his word!! and thats were reputations are built and i heard his rep is exactly like i thought is was!! P.S BROTHER: LIKE EBAY LOOK AT THAT PERSONS HISTORY OF MAKING GOOD ON HIS DEALS!!

 

[excobraguy]

Just an update, not that anyone cares, but more to just let everyone know what a POS "ImpalaSS" continues to be in this deal. No returned emails, no returned phone calls or anything........he didn't even make good on reimbursing the $20 overshipping charge he charged or the reimbursement for a new set of rings like he said he would.......WHAT A SCUMBAG!!!!!!!!!!!!

 

[excobraguy]

Paypal dispute information:



Seller Name & Email: Jamie Early, wahpaa@yahoo.com

Transaction Amount: -$270.00 USD


Transaction Date: Apr. 8, 2008









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Dispute History Log - Most Recent 5 of 10 Last 5 Show All
The Dispute History Log displays all actions related to your claim.
Date Actor Action Details
Apr. 21, 2008 PayPal Case closed
Apr. 21, 2008 PayPal Case does not meet filing guidelines
Apr. 21, 2008 PayPal Email sent to seller
Apr. 21, 2008 PayPal Email sent to buyer
Apr. 21, 2008 Buyer Dispute escalated to claim



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Total Messages: 5
From PayPal: PayPal on 4/21/2008 12:35 PDT
Buyer escalated this dispute to a Claim.
From Buyer: James Cassidy on 4/21/2008 12:35 PDT
I took the pistons purchased to a very reputable engine builder here in St. Louis. He examined the pistons and said they were not useable due to damage on the pistons. He refused to use them on my engine rebuild. Jamie told me the pistons were in excellent condition before I purchased them, they were not. They have several marks cut into them on the piston skirt area. I can provide pictures of these if they are needed. The engine builder also said that the pistons had been under great stress from the engine being detonated and that the top compression rings were stressed weaking the piston...... The pistons were sold as in excellent condition, now I am stuck with them and I have an engine builder telling me they can't be used. He told me I should just throw them in the trash, that's how bad they are.
From Buyer: James Cassidy on 4/21/2008 07:54 PDT
Jamie, The pistons are pretty scuffed up on the skirts, indicating some type of material was working on them. It was hard for me to believe someone would have an engine disassembled after 1000 miles as you stated. But I took your word for it. If you're so confident they are still good just take them back from me and resell them on the board......I don't want this deal to turn ugly and at the same time I don't want to have $250 in a set of pistons I can't use. My builder was very adamant about the pistons not being good and said he wouldn't even trust them in a backup motor. You quoted to me on the condition as "They are forged pistons and in very good shape. The pictures do not do them justice. They are very clean and the rings are in very good shape. I would have no problem reusing them." You didn't mention anything about all of the deep scuff marks on the skirts. Mike Christiansen is about as reputable as you can get. He built the first GMC Syclone pickup and is a former Buick Engineer. If he says they are bad they are bad. Please just refund my money and we can be done with the deal. I will pay shipping, again, to have them shipped back to you.....I will be out over $50 on this deal and you still get the pistons...what else do you want from me?
From Seller: Jamie Early on 4/21/2008 06:37 PDT
I will be happy to go in half on a new set of rings, but in no way sold you a defective part. I am also a GM employee myself and I am not new to the engine building market. I am involved with this on the OEM side and the aftermarket side. I would like to be fair in this situation, but I believe the diagnosis of the pistons is incorrect.