eBay has long been one of my favorite internet destinations. Until recently I hadn’t sold too much through the online retailing giant. More recently I have been running a business out of my house offering low price wholesale parts. I sell these items through eBay and Amazon. It seems over the years that eBay has lost its true identity, or maybe after all these years its true identity is finally coming out. Either way my frustration when selling an item through eBay is unparalleled by anything I’ve ever experienced. They are focusing so much on providing the buyers a better experience that they are losing their sellers. Not only that but the fees they charge to do business are absurd.
Most recently, after selling 10 items in the past 2 months, my funds have been held by PayPal for up to 21 days while I get a good seller track record? I have been selling on eBay for 12 years and like previously stated have sold over 10 items in the past 2 months. Now they want to hold my funds. I called PayPal to get the low down on the latest maneuver by eBay to alienate its sellers. The nice lady proceeds to tell me it is eBay that is holding the funds not PayPal. I wanted to shout, eBay owns PayPal, I realize it is ultimately eBay but you should know why…… I get transferred to an eBay rep, most likely at PayPal. She proceeds to tell me that I have sold 24 items this year and only need to sell 1 more to graduate from the program, as she called it! Really I have sold 24 items and this is the very first time this is happened but all I need to do is sell 1 more thing and you won’t hold my money any longer? Needless to say the argument went nowhere and I am still waiting on my funds. The good news for me is I have a good rep with Amazon already so I am going to focus my sells there as opposed to eBay who only wants to fee me to death and then hold my money 21 days. Funny thing is I bet they took their fees immediately…..
Tired of watching TV shows where some guy found this great unmolested “barn find”? While we can’t see in barns we can see cars on Google Maps! Now you cant zoom in and tell what the car/truck is but with the help of others not only can we document each car but we can help each other save cars that are just rotting away out in the open.
If you know where an abandoned car is sitting rotting away send us a comment tell us where it is and we will add it! (The more details the better.)
Work continues on the floor pans. This job is taking longer than expected but thats generally the case. Either way one pan is out, just cleaning up the spots to be welded. Planning on over lapping the panels and rosette welding them together instead of butt welding to save time. Nothing compromised as Im going to lizard skin the bottom of the car.
After 3 days of 1.5 hour sessions the seat brackets are out! I cant describe the frustration involved in attempting to drill spot welds that you cannot see. Best advice i can give is to be patient and drill the obvious welds first. Then take a flat metal “trowel” or similar tool and slide it in between the panels finding the other welds.
The 2013 Hotrod Power Tour will kick off from Ft Worth Texas and end in Charlotte North Carolina. This years tour will be the first in a while that will travel West to East instead of North to South or vice versa. Looking forward to the journey!
We hope to take our 1969 Camaro that we purchased in 2000 for $400, yes $400! Having the car for the past 12 years and not having the time or the money to get it going has been a bit disappointing. Luckily money for the car is available and all parts needed to complete the car have been purchased. Unfortunately the time aspect is lacking more than ever, so it looks like many long nights and weekends ahead for me. Either way we are going to do our best to get this car roadworthy for 2013.
Well here we are 5 months until The 2013 Hot Rod Power Tour and we are just about to start building our ’69 Camaro. Now equipped with all the tools (ie. plasma cutter, welder and the new 9000 lb 2 post lift) we should be able to get it done. She may not be perfect but we should be driving it on the Long Haul and entering the autocross events along the way! Stay tuned for updates on our progress or lack there of!
eBay constantly lets me down as a Seller. I have sold numerous items on eBay over the years and more than 85% of winning bidders never pay! You may be asking yourself how there could be so many deadbeat bidders on eBay. It’s simple actually, eBay doesn’t allow Sellers to leave negative feedback to buyers! You may be blown away by this news but eBay feels they are protecting their buyers from evil sellers. Ebay keeps track of “strikes” against buyers and will supposedly flag their account after so many.
eBay was at one point the best place to buy and sell on the web, but in today’s society with the Craigslists, YardSales and other services offering FREE classifieds eBay really falls behind. However, eBay is established and well known so it still attracts a huge audience. The fall of eBay will not be the double charging it’s Sellers (Paypal + eBay fees) but the fact that it will not protect them! If eBay doesn’t get it’s act together soon it will fall by the wayside and be even more irrelevant than it is already becoming.
1969 Camaro’s are one of the most iconic muscle cars of all time. I purchased this car in 2000 for $400 and haven’t had a chance to actually do anything to it. Hoping to change that soon!
Durrett Customs 