So recently I saw one needing work (and an older replica, not an original) on Ebay so bit the bullet and bought it.
The words "midlife crisis" were heard from the other side of the couch.
I then began to worry about the practicalities - How much to get it shipped from outside London to Fife? Will it actually fit through the doors? Will it fit in the living room? How hard will it be to fix the broken base? (you know, the stuff you are meant to worry about BEFORE bidding....
)And that's when the problems really started. Shiply used to be great - you put in the details of the item and the delivery address and got a load of quotes then the cheapest guy delivered it. It always worked well for me in the past. Not this time. Oh no!
First attempt. Company wins the job. I pay the deposit to Shipley (£7) balance to be paid to the courier on delivery (£60) then..... Nothing. No contact beyond automated messages. After a week I give up and re-advertise the job, and ask Shiply for a refund.
The first lot bid for the job again!
Ignoring them, I go with another quote, pay the deposit (again) and this lot want paid up-front. 'Oh well, can't be unlucky twice....'
Eh, yes you can! more piss poor comunication, excuses, delays and nae chair. They never even contacted the seller to arrange collection. Let's see if I ever get that money back
So, ring my local friendly coureir I should have used in the first place - yes he's a bit dearer, but 24hrs later it arrived.
Then I notice that the metal shaft tube in the base which was shown (upside down, I think) in the photos when I bought it is missing. Oh great, I now have a top and a broken base, but no way of joining them...... (a midlife crisis is more frustrating than mid-life itself!)
We gutted the van, no sign of it. We searched the street between the van and the house, no sign of it.
Email the seller. "Everything went with it, but I'll check when I get home on Saturday if it fell off onto the ground when we loaded it"
What are the chances? I'll not hold my breath.
So, first day of my holiday, rather than fixing the GRP cracks as I'd planned, has been spent drawing up a replacement shank tube to repair it and significantly strengthen it up.
I rather doubt I'll find any engineers open over the holidays to mean I can actually sit on the damn thing!
The moral of the tale is: be careful what you buy on Ebay - you may end up with a cool old lump of GRP in the corner of the room (one day!)
Al
