Blog

Short blog posts, journal entries, and random thoughts. Topics include a mix of personal and the world at large. 

I'm once again asking for competence

When you trade you hard-earned money for a service or item, you expect to be treated correctly. No need overly slobber over my knob, no: I’m just asking for mere competence. Do the job properly! Return emails and phone calls in a timely manner. You know, basic customer service stuff.

In the never-ending journey of fixing my used 2019 Volkswagen Golf GTI back up to my standards of acceptable quality, I’ve been buying quite a few parts. In order to save as much as possible, certain items I’m okay with buying used on eBay. It’s already a used car: there’s no point to making it perfect.

The previous owner of the Golf must have frequently hauled large items in the hatch. Which is great, because I love seeing cars being used for its intention. However, that means the inner hatch cover of the GTI is a bit too beat up for my liking. One side doesn’t even fit flush anymore.

I bought a replacement panel on eBay off a wrecked car. However, the seller failed to cover the entire piece in cardboard. When the shipping company - doesn’t matter who, really; they all don’t give a crap - inevitably drags the part on the ground, the exposed corners got marred. Not the end of the world, but annoying nevertheless. You’d think a seller of used car parts would know how to package them properly for transit.

From a different seller I purchased a used rear door skin. This seller actually covered the entire thing in cardboard. It’s a sad state of affairs that I have to be impressed at mere competence, but here we are. At least I’ve now found a known quality seller, should I need additional replacements parts for the VW.

If you’re looking for car parts off of wrecked cars, look first at Enthusiast Car Parts.

I don’t have friends.

Stolen goods

An often forgotten marketplace to save some money is eBay. I recently had to buy some tools, and the same brand-new pieces were cumulatively $50 cheaper on eBay. Not a bad deal for me considering the only con is that I have to wait longer for shipping. Amazon really spoils you in terms of delivery speediness.

I do wonder how it is possible for an eBay seller to undercut the official vendor. Keep in mind: eBay takes a 10% cut the transaction before money hits the seller’s account. Either the margins are that enormous, or the tools must have been acquired via not so honorable means.

Retail theft is indeed a problem. At our local Home Depot, the expensive power tools and hand tools are locked behind security cages. Otherwise that would be an easy payday for some enterprising individuals who are willing to bypass the checkout counters. The best margins are when the cost of goods sold is zero!

I’ll be honest: it’s entirely possible the brand-new tools I bought on eBay were stolen. How can a buyer know for sure? The items were sold by anonymous entity with a username somewhere in the Midwest. Due diligence surely cannot be on the buyer. We’re all just trying to save a few bucks in this economy.

Which eBay is also great if you’re okay with second hand. I bought many a used replacement part for my Golf GTI. It doesn’t make sense to pay four times more for a new tonneau cover at the dealer when a used one from eBay works just fine. It’s going to get scratched up anyways, so who cares of it comes already pre-scratched.

Fading light.