Need help tracking down a forum member near Worcester, UK

[Apogee]

Hello all,

I purchased two 6/1 engines from a long-time member on this forum over in the Worcester UK area about a year ago.  They were originally to be shipped as part of the container Mike was putting together and were in storage while the logistics were being worked out.  Unfortunately, they have yet to be shipped, the member has disappeared from this site, and has stopped responding to my emails.

Is there anyone who lives in the Worcester UK area who would consider helping me by either giving him a call or stopping by his place to inquire on my behalf?

His last contact was July 11, 2011.  In that email, he mentioned that he was leaving for Germany to work on a racing team and that he would be back in about two weeks.  I've since emailed numerous times trying schedule delivery to the shipping warehouse.  To date, I have not received a response.

I am very disappointed as I forwarded him a significant sum of money for two very nice engines.  This was not a bargain basement sale.  He was a long time forum member so I figured there would be no problem trusting that he'd follow through.  However, he has moved on to other interests (racing) and isn't into the stationary engines like he once was.  Hence, why he was willing to sell the engines.  They are supposedly in storage in the Worcester area waiting to be shipped.  Unfortunately, it has not been a priority of his to follow through and get it done.  At this point it's a year later and I have no engines, nor an estimated delivery date to the shipping warehouse. 

I feel I have been overly patient and have tried to be understanding of the various excuses that have been presented.  However, after a year my patience has reached its end.  I figured I'd ask to see if anyone was willing to lend a hand before I am forced to retain legal council.

I do have a name and address that I can forward, but I'd rather do it privately as I’m still trying to give the guy the benefit of the doubt.  Please PM me for it if you'd be willing to lend a hand.

To say this is a HUGE disappointment would be an understatement.

Any help would be much appreciated! 

Thanks in advance,

Steve

[dieselgman]

Sorry to hear of that problem Steve... others have also lost a couple of their engines to the same kind of circumstance on this particular "Auction" deal. Unfortunately, this goes with the territory when things do not unfold to original plan, and unwilling people are left to store stuff for others. People's circumstances can rapidly change. A couple years back I lost $3750 cash on a genset in Florida because I could not retrieve it on originally expected schedule and the previous owner decided to re-sell it and run. That all happened within 30 days time - no recovery was possible. Any more I do not put those funds out there unless I'm also willing and able to take the full risk of loss. Live and learn... 

dieselgman

[listerdiesel]

Drop me his details by PM, I'll see what I can find out. It is possible of course that he is still overseas.

Peter

[millman56]

Steve,

It`s not good to read of your problems,     please don`t associate the majority of English people and my plans to export engines to the US with what has happened to yourself and others on "this particular auction deal".  From a sellers perspective  I can certainly sympathise with sellers who are being used by dillatory promise all buyers as long term storage facillites and interest free bank services though.
No one wants to go down the road of having to have legal documents covering transactions that should be done on trust but I am afraid it`s now a neccessity.
Mark.

[Apogee]

Hi Mark,

No, I don't paint with a broad brush and lump everyone together, whether English or not.  I'm still trying to give the gentleman the benefit of the doubt until I know for sure one way or the other.

In this case, very early on I knew that I could not ship via the container due to it costing more once it reached its unloading point in the US.  Hence, I decided to have them shipped to me separately and also paid the seller to arrange the crating.  He mentioned to me that he'd be happy to handle it because he previously had good luck with a firm in that business and already had quotes from shipping other engines.  Due to delays in getting things crated (firm went out of business), I then requested that we use the money that I'd sent instead for transport to the broker who would take care of the crating.  Neither has happened.  This has not been a case of requesting that the seller store the engines for me.  I knew within a week of putting the deal together that I was going to be shipping them direct once I figured out the additional costs for shipping from Kansas to Seattle.  It simply didn't make sense to go with the group container.

I agree wholeheartedly regarding the paperwork.

Best regards,

Steve

[AdeV]

Steve,

It`s not good to read of your problems,     please don`t associate the majority of English people and my plans to export engines to the US with what has happened to yourself and others on "this particular auction deal".  From a sellers perspective  I can certainly sympathise with sellers who are being used by dillatory promise all buyers as long term storage facillites and interest free bank services though.
No one wants to go down the road of having to have legal documents covering transactions that should be done on trust but I am afraid it`s now a neccessity.
Mark.

Speaking of which, are you planning on returning that deposit having decided not to sell me the engine? Or would you still be willing to do the original deal that we planned?

[millman56]

Ade,

You really are the limit, one year ago you came to my workshop and agreed to buy the 38-4 leaving a £100 deposit, promising to collect the engine and pay the balance within a month, this never happened, you then made numerous promises by emails, text messages and phone calls (me calling you) to complete the transaction.  Now I have considerable patience but this has been stretched to breaking point by your prevarication and I finally called it a day when you failed your last promise (Sept), hence me refusing to continue with the charade.
If you wish to collect your deposit then please call to see me as you know where I am.

Kind regards,
Mark.

[listard-jp2]

Ade,

You really are the limit, one year ago you came to my workshop and agreed to buy the 38-4 leaving a £100 deposit, promising to collect the engine and pay the balance within a month, this never happened, you then made numerous promises by emails, text messages and phone calls (me calling you) to complete the transaction.  Now I have considerable patience but this has been stretched to breaking point by your prevarication and I finally called it a day when you failed your last promise (Sept), hence me refusing to continue with the charade.
If you wish to collect your deposit then please call to see me as you know where I am.

Kind regards,
Mark.

Well Adrian this sounds like a familiar trait of yours, and the above would go along way to explaining why you failed to follow through on the JP liners that you also paid a me deposit for, and on this subject I subsequently never heard from you again. Now in light of the above it suddenly becomes alot clearer


Millman56,

Are you breaking this JP4 as I see you are listing some parts for it on ebay, as I know someone who may be interested in some parts from it.

Regards,

Listard-jp2

[slowspeed]

Well Gents
sounds like a bit of crying over spill milk.We must have a bit of understanding .All this mess is just, us big boys playing with our big toys.I too have lost some of my toys.But no cryen here!
Put it to bed Gents!
Its a few bucks let it go
in my case it $900
My 2 cents
Slowspeed

[AdeV]

I would like to take this opportunity to publicly apologise to both Mark & Kevin - I spent most of the year destitute thanks to an unexpected £12,000 rates bill (local commercial property taxes), a £9000 electric bill and about £6000 rent arrears at my old unit (only that last one was not unexpected). You'll appreciate I hope that when the council are sending letters saying "pay up or next stop is jail", that I tend to try to appease them first.

I am now extremely busy with my day job, which has run into the last 4 or 5 weekends as well, and whilst that obviously takes the edge of the financial issues, it also prevents me from taking a day out to go pick up an engine from 100 miles away.

I offer these explanations only as reasons, not as excuses.

Gents, you may keep your deposits, call it "storage" or whatever.

Kevin - obviously without a JP4, there is no point me buying any liners. I'm sure you'll move them on quickly enough through ebay or your other contacts.

In truth, having had to down-size my unit to less than 1/2 my previous space, accomodating a JP4 was going to be difficult anyway, which is perhaps another reason I didn't prioritise picking it up.


PS: If the concerned parties doubt me, I would be willing to provide photocopies of the bills mentioned above.

[millman56]

Ade,

 I had no wish to air any of this laundry in public it was your choice and I accept your apology in the spirit that it was given, but if someone will stand me on an oil drum I`ll scratch your eyes out and pull your hair.

Kind regards,

Mark.

[wrightkiller]

 

[listard-jp2]

Adrian,

I also accept your apology and your reasons for not being able to complete the deal, but it would have being preferable if you could of let me know sooner as to your situation.

With best regards,

Kevin.