Bad Transaction with Old-N-Feeble
Buyer: Me (StoneNYC)
Seller: Old-N-Feeble
Purchase Info: 3 months ago I purchased a 210mm Graphic-Kowa f/9 lens that Old-N-Feeble claimed was different from the other GK lenses in that it covered 11x14, was selling the lens on eBay for more money but settled on $900 since I also bought a 150mm SS XL from him for $1,400. He agreed that if the 210mm GK lens didn't cover 11x14 that I could return the lens but said he was confident it covered it since he had counted the reflections, but had never tested it on an actual 11x14 camera, only on an 8x10 camera and used movements to check coverage. Old-N-Feeble claimed both lenses were in mint condition and that the 150 SS XL had been returned to him by another buyer and suspected it was simply buyers remorse, and I trusted him on both counts as we had previously had informational exchanges that went well.
When I received both lenses they were both incredibly dirty, not just the front and rear outside elements, but the inside elements as well, especially the 150 SS XL which was filled with dust and grime (no wonder the previous buyer returned the lens), and the 210 GK had a scratch on the rear element right in the center of the lens which was not previously mentioned and the shutter was covered with gunk (I don't even know what it was but it smelled funky and was some sort of build up), fortunately after spending a few hours on each lens and shutter I was able to clean them both up very nicely (except the scratch of course) and was very frustrated but was still glad I finally owned a 210mm that covered 11x14 as I was building an 11x14 camera.
Well 3 months go by and I was able to borrow another members 11x14 camera as mine isn't finished yet, and low and behold the lens does NOT cover 11x14 and clips at the corners even at f/22, so I contact Old-N-Feeble about it and he told me 3 months is too long and I'm stuck with it. I try to explain that the lens doesn't cover 11x14 as he claimed and that as an honorable seller he should try and work with me to resolve the issue amicably.
I proposed a few options that might seem reasonable to him, but asked that he also offer options if he didn't like my suggestions. The first was that he can take the lens back for the full return price of $900 and I'll pay shipping, or he can send back the amount of money equal to a little higher than the price the 210mm GK's are selling on eBay that cover 8x10 only so I proposed returning $450 to me and keeping $450 for himself, after he refused and claimed that I wanted too long, I even went so far as to offer $350 returned (that means I would have payed $550) as to be reasonable. His reply is simply to stop bothering him with this as he wasn't interested in working anything out and his claim was that I waited too long to notify him and that this was a package deal together and he doesn't care because he supposedly won't be selling on the forms again anyway.
His claim on not working with me is that I normally wouldn't be able to get a 150 SS XL for even the total of $2,300 that I payed for both lenses, so it shouldn't matter that the second lens wasn't what he claimed it was, and that it was a package deal and that somehow negates any validity of partially returned monies or returning one of the lenses even though the reason I purchased the lens was because of the claims of it's 11x14 coverage that it does not have. I understand that 3 months is a long time to want to return something but I had no access to an 11x14 camera, but tested it right away as soon as I did and contacted Old-N-Feeble immediately when I realized the coverage error.
Result: Refuses to return lens despite inaccurate coverage claims of the lens.
~Stone
