Thought it was a bargain...til I saw it...

Nos4r2 · 03 February 2007, 16:38

This was the listing.

Looks pretty good for £360...

I got there and this is what I found. It's an Avon Sportsboat.

No varnish on the transom at all (not even on the elephant's trunk hole) and a really bad longshaft conversion which wasn't actually bolted to the transom-the ally is all that holds it in place.
Ply delamination inside the trunk hole too.
Holes drilled through transom and not sealed at all.
One floorboard made of chipboard.
Patches everywhere-half of them done with what looks like latex covered cloth.Some looked like inner tube patches.
The 'reasonable' trailer was lethal-nearly 1" of wobble in the o/s wheel and rotten as a pear.
There were flares in the drybox. 7-10 years out of date.
The pics look 100 times better than the boat is.

The guy sealed my opinion of him when he started up the engine he had for it out of water saying 'it'll be ok for a minute'.

I can't believe that kids were allowed in this-or allowed out with this cretin.

Jizm · 03 February 2007, 17:38

Hope you didn't travel too far............

I've been in the same situation it's a royal pain in the arse...

vince · 03 February 2007, 17:52

Great for use in Both Offshore and Inshore waters! -actual quote from his ad!

But then, someone who needs to sell parsnip seeds for .89p must need the money! (see sellers other items!)

Nos4r2 · 03 February 2007, 17:52

180 miles round trip...

Can you see the angle on the offside trailer wheel? That's the bearing dying.
The guy had been towing it like that behind a minibus full of kids.

mike · 03 February 2007, 20:52

hi,
I looked at this one but the image quality put me off and he promised to post more images but didn't.

seen loads of rubbish this year.
I was V lucky last week and saw an avon sib 3.45 roller floor with a listed price of £1050. Via a govt disposal site. The ad said 2 years old but when I got into negotiations it turned out to be 6 months old, they dropped to £650 (it was filthy) when I got it home 320 miles round trip, it was unused, took 1 hour to clean and has never been on the water!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

don't give up hope the bargains do come up, I have looked at loads of rubbish.

PeterR · 03 February 2007, 21:12

Quote:

Originally Posted by Nos4r2

180 miles round trip...

Can you see the angle on the offside trailer wheel? That's the bearing dying.
The guy had been towing it like that behind a minibus full of kids.

Sorry to here that Nos,Mike wasnt rubbing it in was he??Good luck mike.

Biggles · 03 February 2007, 21:13

matt,

Did you buy it though. Or look at before the end. I'm not too sure how Ebay works if your sold a dog.

alexm · 03 February 2007, 21:20

When was this boat last used?

If they were really using this up until recently in the sea scouts then heads should roll!

mike · 04 February 2007, 08:51

I agree if it was used recently it would worry me!
My friend is in charge at the local unitand although the gear is often older he ensures its fit for job.

It may be that recently = a while ago it was put to one side then sold, hopefully!

I wasn't rubbing it in, just couldn't believe my luck!
If you sell a dog on ebay it does nothing but give you bad feedback if it does not do what you say it does most people would have listed that as a project or spares to avoid comback.
m

Nos4r2 · 04 February 2007, 08:53

If it's significantly different from the description you don't have to pay for it. Safe but needs a service wasn't anywhere near the description for the trailer and 'reasonable' doesn't include a badly bodged transom that's started delaminating (the transom is actually bent backwards as you look along the line of it too suggesting quite a bit of water ingress).
I doubt a chipboard floorboard in something advertised as 'safe for offshore use could be assumed as accurate either

Incidentally, a couple of the patches looked like they had Luxton's Disease.

I don't think Mike was rubbing it in BTW-I've had some really silly bargains too.

Worst thing is, I don't want to spoil my 100% positive feedback so can't really leave him a negative unless he leaves me feedback 1st...

yoyo · 04 February 2007, 12:49

Hi

My advise is to never bid on such large items as boats or motor cars off ebay without viewing first and being 100% happy with what you are bidding on. Never be happy with poor quality pics and always ask the seller lots of questions.

Nos4r2 · 04 February 2007, 16:05

Quote:

Originally Posted by yoyo

Hi

My advise is to never bid on such large items as boats or motor cars off ebay without viewing first and being 100% happy with what you are bidding on. Never be happy with poor quality pics and always ask the seller lots of questions.

That only works if you've got a ridiculous amount of time and money to waste travelling. Sometimes it's worth not asking the seller questions as the answers (if displayed) will drive the price right up....

yoyo · 04 February 2007, 16:42

Quote:

Originally Posted by Nos4r2

That only works if you've got a ridiculous amount of time and money to waste travelling. Sometimes it's worth not asking the seller questions as the answers (if displayed) will drive the price right up....

If you asked the seller the questions and got the honest answers (displayed or not) would you have still bought a £300+ pig then?...If he displayed any Q&As it would have been sold for the price of a pint IMHO....

Nos4r2 · 04 February 2007, 16:45

Quote:

Originally Posted by yoyo

If you asked the seller the questions and got the honest answers (displayed or not) would you have still bought a £300+ pig then?...If he displayed any Q&As it would have been sold for the price of a pint IMHO....

You're right....kind of.

He genuinely thought that it was fine so any answers I would have got from him would have been misleading.

bobbyjoeufb · 04 February 2007, 19:02

Wow talk about major false advertising!

It is really sad to see, I used to be a Sea Cadet Instructor and yes we did not have the best equipment in the world but we would never run any craft as deadly as that one.

I would certainly refuse to pay and complain to ebay as they are clearly trying to rip people off.

I bought my Zapcat off Ebay last year and it was in great condition, the only thing that let it down was a lack of a service but still runs great.

Planning a full service before the season starts.

John Kennett · 04 February 2007, 20:07

Quote:

Originally Posted by Nos4r2

He genuinely thought that it was fine so any answers I would have got from him would have been misleading.

I wonder if he plans to relist it!

John

Nos4r2 · 04 February 2007, 20:23

Quote:

Originally Posted by John Kennett

I wonder if he plans to relist it!

John

Well...It's got to be worth £50 for the hypalon. It does stay up. It's just a mess of bodges from bow to stern though.

Nos4r2 · 13 February 2007, 22:51

It's been relisted...

http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/16-ft-Avon-Spo...QQcmdZViewItem

I feel quite guilty now that I haven't left him a negative as he's STILL not mentioned the rotten trailer, bodged transom and chipboard floorboard.

bedajim · 14 February 2007, 07:04

Quote:

Originally Posted by Nos4r2

It's been relisted...

http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/16-ft-Avon-Spo...QQcmdZViewItem

I feel quite guilty now that I haven't left him a negative as he's STILL not mentioned the rotten trailer, bodged transom and chipboard floorboard.

Shall we ask some questions then

Nos4r2 · 14 February 2007, 07:32

Quote:

Originally Posted by bedajim

Shall we ask some questions then

I say sir, what a damn good idea!

He hasn't mentioned that the winch strop you can see across the bow is tied on there because the bow 'eye' or whatever you call it on the boat is broken either.