Advice Please

[Jono Garton]

I personally advertised an engine on RIB.net (http://rib.net/forum/showthread.php?t=26230) for a customer who I had previously sold the engine to on the back of a rib. The advert says it all.

A nice chap who is a Master Mariner Engineer in the Marine Trade phoned regarding the engine, Ed from Olmec had seen the advert and put him on to me. He asked very few questions, didn't want to see it, paid for it by transfer and sent a courier to pick it up from my house. I made £150 on the transaction to cover my time.

A few months later I get a phone call to say the prop shaft is a few thou out and its thrown a con rod out the side of the crank case. The chap sounds very reasonable and honest, but then again I know the engine was 100% fine and running when it left on the courier. If the chap didn't sound so honest I would think the prop had been in contact with the hard stuff.

As it was a brokerage sale and the customer chose not to view or survey the engine, legally I don't have to do anything.

But what should I do?

Rock: Jono :Hard Place

[Polwart]

Originally Posted by Jono Garton

As it was a brokerage sale and the customer chose not to view or survey the engine, legally I don't have to do anything.

You've answered your own question. Anyone buying a second hand engine without inspection or guarantee does so at their own risk. You also have no way of knowing what he (or someone else) has done in the meantime. Only real reason for trying to help is if you think there is goodwill to be gained for some future sale.

[Leapy]

Originally Posted by Jono Garton

the prop shaft is a few thou out and its thrown a con rod out the side of the crank case

Which is the cart and which is the horse? After throwing a rod I'm surprised any part of the drivetrain is only "a few thou out"

[codprawn]

Horrible situation to be in. Did it go bang straight away or after a few hours?

In fairness an engine can self destruct at any time - even brand new ones can do it!!!

[Jono Garton]

Originally Posted by codprawn

Did it go bang straight away or after a few hours?

Apparently after he changed the plugs.

Jono

[JSP]

I think you should only have to do something if it was sold un safe and you as a company had done work that could have resulted in this happening.
Sounds like the answer to the above would be a NO so I'd say you don't need to do anything. A goodwill gesture on your part could help if you felt inclined to do it. But only you could decide that Jono.
The very fact that your thinking about it shows your worth your salt

[codprawn]

Originally Posted by Jono Garton

Apparently after he changed the plugs.

Jono

Too long a plug or dropped something down the hole maybe? Or just sheer bad luck!!!

[Dirk Diggler]

Difficult situation to be in, now legal action is available to the great unwashed, anyone can cause you grief for about £50.00, and the law is so fecked up common sense no longer comes into it, so quite often the courts rule in favour of the numpty making the claim.

I'd dig me heels in and stick by the "buyer beware" adage, but that's easy for me to say coz it ain't my problem!

[markb]

Jono
you say you got a call several months later surely after this time there would be no come back to you particularly if it was as stated brokerage. I take the warranty has expired.
If you tried to take a second hand car back to a dealer after that time with the warranty expired they would probably just laugh at you

[Nos4r2]

Originally Posted by Jono Garton

I personally advertised an engine on RIB.net (http://rib.net/forum/showthread.php?t=26230) for a customer who I had previously sold the engine to on the back of a rib. The advert says it all.

A nice chap who is a Master Mariner Engineer in the Marine Trade phoned regarding the engine, Ed from Olmec had seen the advert and put him on to me. He asked very few questions, didn't want to see it, paid for it by transfer and sent a courier to pick it up from my house. I made £150 on the transaction to cover my time.

A few months later I get a phone call to say the prop shaft is a few thou out and its thrown a con rod out the side of the crank case. The chap sounds very reasonable and honest, but then again I know the engine was 100% fine and running when it left on the courier. If the chap didn't sound so honest I would think the prop had been in contact with the hard stuff.

As it was a brokerage sale and the customer chose not to view or survey the engine, legally I don't have to do anything.

But what should I do?

Rock: Jono :Hard Place

The advert is clear it's brokerage so no warranty. Doubt he'd get anywhere with a claim. However, if you were feeling helpful I have a PM waiting for you if you enable them.