DrunkenGimp

iTrader: (3)

https://www.rx7club.com/showthread.p...&highlight=pfc

I purchased a PFC and Commander unit from CUBA6942 from this thread. Upon receiving the package, I was immediately worried with the condition of both units. He claimed the Commander was in the box and the item condition in the thread title was "new" so I expected a unit that was in good condition, I also expected them to be compatible with each other as they were both taken off of his father's FD.

As you can see in the pictures the English serial number sticker has been either scratched or melted off, and both have more wear than can be considered a "like new" condition, which is what I had expected to be paying for based off of a phone conversation prior to purchase.

I apologize for the length of the post but I want to be crystal clear. I am well aware that used PFC units come with some wear if they have seen miles. I also do not know if the commander and ecu actually were compatible or not, or even if they were functioning because I returned them as soon as I opened the box. Regardless of function or physical appearance, he agreed to refund me. Now he is attempting to keep both the units as well as my money!
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He also etched his name into the back of the PFC here:





And here is a picture of the Japanese serial number:


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POWER FC NUMBER------------------------COMMANDER NUMBER

414-Z001 --------------------------------415-Z001
414-Z002 --------------------------------415-Z001
414-Z003 --------------------------------415-Z001
414-Z004 --------------------------------415-Z002
414-Z005 --------------------------------????????? (doesnt say)
414-Z006 --------------------------------415-X001

These are the compatibility numbers for the Commanders and PFC's referenced from this thread:

http://mazdarotaryclub.com/forums/sh...ad.php?t=20024

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Even ignoring the compatibility of the units I was dissatisfied with their condition given the price that I had paid, so I sent an email requesting a return and offered to cover return shipping + insurance. This was his response:

Alain Otero

Sir, Im sorry you feel that way. I didnt misrepresnt the item. I engraved my name in the ecu simply so that i knew that you couldnt return me a different ecu. Everything was as stated. The scratches on the PFC unit are from normal wear from being in the ECU location on an FD . the ECU is fully funcatinal. Try it on your vehicle. I would no sell something that does not work. The commander is compatible with the PFC for sure, I was tunning with it for almost 2 years. The item is in full funcational condition. I didnt take the picture in a misrepresenting way. If you feel that way ship it back and i will refund your money. Just know that i never ment to misrepresent the item. Im sorry you feel that way. you should really inspect the pictures next time you make a purchase from someone. I never meant to mislead you!

Sincerely,

Alain Otero
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Thankful for an easy exchange, I responded with this:

That's fine it was a miscommunication, I'm satisfied that you're letting me return it. The reason I question their compatibility are the serial numbers in Japanese that are on the units I referenced to a thread here:
http://mazdarotaryclub.com/forums/sh...ad.php?t=20024

Commander serial is X001 on the box, the unit that the original poster has is the same PFC unit 415-Z002.

If you could refund my account I'll send it back out ASAP today with the insurance via USPS. Thanks for the smooth return transaction.

-Charles
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Then, to my astonishment, this happened when the package was redelivered:

I noticed that the package was redelivered and that you signed for it. As soon as you refund me I'll post positive feedback on the return. Please get back to me ASAP.

GLWS,

-Charles

Alain Otero

Ok, I recieved the pfc and commander. However, I installed it on my buddys FD and now it doesnt work. the car cranks and cranks. I sent you a good unit. I have video of this item working a couple of days before shipping them out to you. I dont know what happended but now my unit is not functional. I knew something was up when you all of the sudden changed your mind. I will not be refunding your money and i have all my emails and conversations recorded as well to protect myself. I have already contacted paypal. You got me good! Now im out of a PFC and 800 dollars. Thanks alot. I will never do buisness with you again!!!!!

Sorry for any inconvience.
Alan Otero
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He did not refund my money, so this statement was an obvious contradiction. Additionally, there is no way to tell that the tune would or should even start the car he "installed" the PFC on, along with as many other factors for his "buddy's FD" not starting that you can think of. His logic is completely flawed as I don't even own a datalogit or have an FD that's running to even install the unit on, much less damage caused by opening the package, photographing it, then returning it. If it isn't functioning now it wasn't functioning when he shipped it to me.

Here are pictures of the items as I sent them. They were removed from the packaging, then immediately photographed and returned via insured USPS delivery.









I've had a good experience with the forum up until this incident. His dishonesty caught me completely off guard. I kept the entire return transaction off of paypal and the forums as a courtesy up until now, believing that I was dealing with a decent person who was willing to work with me to solve the issue. Now I'm out a PFC and Commander, and was not refunded my 800 dollars. That's not to mention an extra shipping fee with insurance (insured for 800 dollars).

Protect yourselves and do not buy from him.

CUBA6942

iTrader: (12)

Ok now im pissed. I didn't mis represent this item at all. I sent this guy a PFC and commander that was in" Like New ".I have video of the item working on my dads Fd. Which i will be posting later on when i get home. I gave him extra pictures of the item after he saw the pictures on the posting which say in " like new" condition. He told me he wanted the item, so shipped it out. He recieved the item and told me that i misrepresented the item a day after he recieved it. You probally tried this item on a car that was wired in-properlly and Burnt the PFC out. You think your slick. Buddy you got exactlly what was on the posting and nothing else. You cant change your mind when you make a purchase.Paypal calls this Buyers Remorse and is frowned heavily upon by paypal. Now, he is giving me a bad name on the forum. When i have a positive rating on this forum of 10. Thats not including all the stuff that i have sold before the Itrader score started. Youve been a member of the forum since 2005 and you have not even 1 Itrader rating but you say that you have had good expierences! Where are they and why do you not have any ratings??????. Suspicous I have been a great selling member on this forum since 07. I have never had a bad write up until now. I have sold countless items on this forum and never a bad deal. Until now. A computer that sits in the kick panel of an FD is gonna have some scratches "normal wear". The only reason that i couldnt refund this guy his money is because i wanted to make sure that i was gonna get a working unit back which i didn't. I'm glad i didnt refund him from my bank account because the PFC is no longer in working order. If the unit would have been in working condition i would have refunded the money instintly!This guy is a Scammer and paypal will be investigating this matter. Now i have to send the unit to my buddy @ Drift motion in Cali to see what happened.More shipping costs!!!! Hopefully he can repair the unit. If not then im out a PFC. I have plenty of people that have seen this item working on my Dads Fc and they will be posting on here to back me up! Im the good guy in this matter. I should have listened to my instinct and never dealt with this guy!! ****!!!!!!!!1

Here are the pictures that he saw on the posting..






Here are the additional pictures i sent the buyer before shipping out the item. you had more than one chance to back out . you knew from the get go what you were planning on doing!!!!!!!



As far as the serial number missing that is bullshit! This item had the Serial number before i shipped it. you must have ripped it off and taken the picture to also put that as a defect. Here is that picture of the serial number on this unit prior to shipping out!



I etched my name in the unit for the simple reason of identifing my unit if for some wierd reason you returned it which you did! What did you do? replace the inside of a broken PFC with mine and ship it out to me. Your a scammer!POINT PERIOD, BLANK!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

I will post the video of my dads FD later on tonight.

I will be fighting this matter till the end!!!!!!!!!

MattGold

iTrader: (106)

I've bought from Alain in the past and he was VERY up front and communicative. But this does not sound like a situation I would like to be involved in.

Truth is, no one really knows what happened when.


Hope this works out for you both.

Laz93RX7

iTrader: (5)

i have bought from Alain and never had a problem always had great communication. hope for a smooth resolution for both of you.

Fritz_X

iTrader: (1)

I hope you are able to easily resolve your issue, but I can vouch for Alain's credibility as a seller. In my experience dealing with him, he at no point misrepresented himself or his goods.

It sounds more likely that you were hoping to replace a piece of broken hardware at no cost to yourself. I sincerely hope this isn't the case.

Here is hoping that this is all the fault of the shipping company, but I am willing stand by Alain's credibility from previous experience dealing with him.

RotaryPoisonStar

iTrader: (2)

I'm new here to the forums but I've spoken with Alkain on numerous occassions and have made plans to buy parts through him, I'm honestly not sure what the deal is here, but there is definitely something fishy going on here. Good luck getting this resolved.

DaMaCCa

iTrader: (1)

I had a recent transaction with CUBA6942 and I couldn't have been any happier. I bought a used LSD from an S4 NA. The unit came in packed to the hilt with styrofoam and bubble wrap. I don't know about you guys but when it takes you close to 15 minutes to unpack something you know that the person on the other end took extra special care as to make sure nothing got damaged during shipping. Each of the 4 pieces were individually wrapped in bubble wrap and place very strategically apart to make sure they would not collide with one another during shipping.

And as for speed of shipping I sent the money out at 12 am one night and it was shipped the very next day I can't ask for any better than that.

The product was not misrepresented and far exceeded my expectations. I would not hesitate to buy from him again nor should anybody else on this forum.


Anybody who was purchased from CUBA in the past knows that this is a scam and that he is as honest a human being as any of us could ever hope to deal with.


Thanks again for the great parts and fast shipping I look forward to buying from you again in the future. And I hope this all works out for you.

XIEmperorIX

iTrader: (8)

One of the first guys I bought anything off of on this forum and he was great. Great communication, answered my questions, and fast shipping. Sucks to see someone conning a great seller.

DrunkenGimp

iTrader: (3)

I have not seen the serial number picture before. It could have been taken at any time and I have described a way to review that for yourselves below.

There is absolutely no way that I'm conning him. He still has both the PFC and Commander in addition to my money. I have no cards in this matter. It would have been far easier to just try and resell the broken unit to someone else. Sound familiar?

If you look at the picture he posted here:


You will notice that it is a different serial number in the picture I posted posted here:



Which is the same unit that has his name and date scratched into it here:



http://i430.photobucket.com/albums/q...h_PA250288.jpg

If you're tech savy you will see that there is exif data on both of my images correlating to the exact date I sent the item on return, and the back of the unit has his name and date scratched into it as you can see. He admitted to scratching it in his return email (linked in my original post). The exif data on his serial number picture posted here has been erased. If that isn't suspicious I don't know what is. He could have picked the picture up anywhere. Here is a link to Jeffrey's Exif viewer, it shows all of the data encoded onto an image for tracking:

http://regex.info/exif.cgi

Here is the wikipedia on exif information:

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Exchang...ge_file_format

Just plug in the URL or save the images to your computer and link it to the website. Or you can find another program and view the exif data if you're suspicious about the one that I'm linking. It's a safety and tracking feature in all cameras. Do you notice a strange quality difference between the pictures from his "for sale" thread and the serial image? His original pictures have exif data on them. The serial does not.

You can verify for yourselves the date of the pictures taken. You can even see that they were taken with the same camera with the same exposure. The first images in my post are tagged from the date of receiving it. The second images are tagged with the date it was sent out.

DO NOT trust this seller. Obviously he has gotten his friends to try and make his story sound more legitimate, but there are obvious holes in his argument. I have nothing to show from the entire transaction, and there is definitely something fishy going on with his pictures.

CUBA6942

iTrader: (12)

Just plug in the URL or save the images to your computer and link it to the website. Or you can find another program and view the exif data if you're suspicious about the one that I'm linking. It's a safety and tracking feature in all cameras. Do you notice a strange quality difference between the pictures from his "for sale" thread and the serial image? His original pictures have exif data on them. The serial does not.
^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^ Your a joke man! Seriouslly ???????
Dude i took that picture with my cell phones shitty motorola razr with like a 1mp camera for someone else that was interested in the PFC. I have nothing more to say to your sir. This will be the last time that i post on this thread! I do Good Buisness!

DrunkenGimp

iTrader: (3)

If you're too lazy to plug in the images into the viewer I added screen shots. Images that were modified from the original camera source do not show up with exif data. You can test this by putting in the URL of a thumbnail into the data viewer.

These pictures are direct print-screens from my computer into paint.

First my picture:



Then his:



Then "his" serial image:



You can see all of the raw data of his original pictures and my pictures. Suddenly a difference on the serial. Strange to you?

CUBA6942

iTrader: (12)

Ohh **** is that another positive feedback on my Itrader??? Y Y Yes it is!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

CUBA6942

iTrader: (12)

From my phone I uploaded them to my email. then from my email i sent it to my desktop then from there i loaded it to my photobucket today. I havent done anything wrong. Im done!

mar3

iTrader: (8)

Send the broken-by-whomever pieces back to the Buyer. For $800, he should at least get the junk back. You don't get to keep it all.

There's this big thing everyone needs to remember. CAVEAT EMPTOR

I'm going to ask the Sheriff to take a look at this and do what he does best....get to the actual truth of the matter. Everyone get ready to have your feelings hurt as he does this.

His final "report" will determine if this thread stays undeleted or hits the round file. I can already tell y'all one thing right now. Roller is only going to want the OP and the Seller posting from this point on out. All other comments will be deleted and if you're a persistent jerk, you're gonna get a vacation.

Mario III, SuperModerator

DrunkenGimp

iTrader: (3)

In order to do good business, wouldn't it make more sense to defend yourself if you were confident that you were being scammed?

And regardless of what "shitty motorola razr" you used to take the picture, there would have been exif data if it was an original picture.

http://www.cellutips.com/exif-data-is-your-friend/

From Wikipedia:

"Exif was created by the Japan Electronic Industries Development Association (JEIDA). Version 2.1 of the specification is dated June 12, 1998"

"Motorola RAZR (pronounced /ˈreɪzər/ "razor") is a series of clamshell mobile camera phones by Motorola. They were first developed in July 2003 and introduced in the fourth quarter of 2004,[1] with sales starting the following year."

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Exchang...ge_file_format
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Motorola_RAZR

Your phone records exif data.

I would also like to reiterate this: I do not have a running car, or even a power source. I was in the process of relocating my battery. Even if I did, how many times have you plugged your mouse into a socket only to have the socket instantly destroy the mouse? Before I looked into purchasing a PFC I was running an AEM EMS, but was then convinced that the difficulty in set up was not in my personal best interest. Suddenly it makes sense that I somehow acquired a broken PFC unit and then idiotically tried to send it to someone in good faith before securing payment?

DrunkenGimp

iTrader: (3)

The purpose of this thread isn't to bully the seller into a payment, although I intend to resolve the matter through paypal and my credit card company. I will leave the judgement between whether caveat emptor or caveat venditor apply up to the authorities in the matter.

I paid for two working, compatible units. I did not receive either. I was assured a return, then accused of being a scammer. I lost money both in the expected return and in the shipping, and even if he sends the junk back I will have been worse off from buying from him.

I would like the other potential buyers for this seller on the forum to know my experience, as this is the point of this thread and section on the forum. As I have said, this is the first time I've had an unfavorable transaction here and I believe this is a necessary step to keep others informed.

DrunkenGimp

iTrader: (3)

I never claimed that all of your sales are scams, only the way that you are dealing with this current transaction is unacceptable to me. Essentially to let other buyers beware.

The box was sent insured by USPS for $800 with exactly the same packaging as it was sent, save for a 1 layer thick covering over the old shipping tags to avoid confusion by the shipping company. You can see the dates when I opened the box till when I shipped it out in the exif data from my pictures
.

CUBA6942

iTrader: (12)

My box had some dents.. I'll post pics when i get home. I have not had a chance to get that video of my dads fd. I will be going by his house today.

CUBA6942

iTrader: (12)

if you're a persistent jerk, you're gonna get a vacation. ???? Really??? The only way i will send this guy the merchandise that i recieved is if i have a written document stating that he will not charge his credit card or paypal back! That the only way. I have no use for this computer. I own an FC with a completly different type of motor 1JZ. I dont need this computer at all. I am only protecting my self. If I dont have an afidavit i will not ship this item back!!! Once again i have to protect my self.

CUBA6942

iTrader: (12)

If i send this guy back the computer and the Commander. All he has to do is charge back his credit card and paypal. Then guess what I'm Fucked! How come he hasnt asked paypal to give him his money back? Why hasn't he taken action with his credit card???? Like i said before Manyin Chang ( Charles ) If you want the computer and commander back I want an affidavit signed and notorized. Than i will send you the package back!

CUBA6942

iTrader: (12)

^^^^^^^^^^^Could be that it got damaged during shipping. I know i sent him out a working unit. My buddy is also running a PFC on his car. It was running fine. I plugged in the PFC that i sent Mr. Chung and the car will not start. I want to fix this problem. I have a steady revenue selling parts on this forum. I will send back the merchandise as long as i have an affidavit stating he will not charge his credit card and paypal.

mar3

iTrader: (8)

I meant the numbskulls trying to post their opinions or guessing at facts when everyone has been told not to post in this thread. Not you.

Waiting on rx7roller02 to show up. Your fate is in his hands unless the drunk gets the results he thinks he's going to get from his avenue of actions.

AGAIN - Only the drunk and the defensive Cuba will be allowed to post in this thread. Vacation time is waiting for the next person posting in here that doesn't fit that description.

Mario III, SuperModerator

DrunkenGimp

iTrader: (3)

Just because someone else uses a PFC does not mean that whatever map might have been loaded on it from your "dad's FD" would work with it. Additionally, you agreed to refund me the purchase, and I sent it back, in exactly the same condition and circumstances that it was sent to me. It did not so much as touch another electronic device other than the box of the commander unit it was sent with.

Damage during shipping is incredibly unlikely, there was sufficient packaging around the unit in both directions. Car ECU's are built to function under hugely inflated heat and vibration standards compared to average computer equipment, and I've purchased computer parts in much worse off looking containers than that with no problems. Unless the shipping company purposefully passed the ECU under a giant electromagnet I don't believe that is a possibility.

I have asked paypal to return the money. Paypal did not let me escalate the dispute to a claim as the package was delivered, and suggested that I request it from you.

Paypal responded with this automated response to my dispute:

"Our investigation into your claim is complete. As stated in our User
Agreement, the claims process only applies to the shipment of goods. It
does not apply to complaints about the attributes or quality of goods
received. Therefore, we are unable to reverse this transaction or issue a
refund."

The paypal investigation will be ongoing. I have not contacted my credit card company because I am sorting the matter with paypal. If paypal gets a sudden drop out on the charge without fair warning it will reflect badly on me. I always prefer to offer every chance to make a reasonable compromise, but then you suddenly explode on an email saying that I scammed you and that I was at fault. It is beyond a tolerable reaction.

This is the reason I kept everything off of the forum and paypal until now. As a courtesy to you as you had shown good faith in allowing me to return the item, I was willing to allow you to keep your other transactions and reputation isolated from our dispute.

Obviously you are looking to point blame at anyone but yourself. You instantly explode at me, then sudden amend your opinion because someone else offered other options: damage during packaging, or sending the unit back to me. Both of these options give you a way out without taking responsibility for both trying to cheat me, sending false images to your own benefit, or insulting me for damaging something that was not touched.

It is not acceptable to have the unit shipped back to me, especially because you yourself have admitted to installing it on a car now and claim it inoperable. That would mean that I still ended up purchasing a broken unit from you, and there would still be a reason for this thread.

You agreed to a return, regardless of function or appearance, and I sent it back under the same conditions as it was sent to me. Then you refused to refund me based on unsubstantiated evidence that the unit is broken. I'm at a loss.

My last name is spelled Cheung, and I go by Charles.

DrunkenGimp

iTrader: (3)

I finally managed to get a paypal representative on the phone. Paypal does not have any coverage over anything in this regard, so I will be opening a claim with my credit card company this afternoon.

CUBA6942

iTrader: (12)

Mr. Cheung ... I did not send you mis represnting images. If you would have asked me for the serial number on the back side of the ECU. I would have sent it. You say im not taking responsiblity. I sent you a working unit, If you would have taken the time to install the unit on any FD you would have seen that it was fully compatible and in working condition. Im sorry for getting aggresive, but put your self in my shoes i sent you a working unit, now i have a unit that does nothing.I wanted the item back to make sure that it was working order as it was when i sent it to you. What would you do if you were in my shoes???? Another question is why would you buy such an expensive item if u dont even have a working vehicle to install it on?? I would have never done the transaction if i knew that you didnt have a vehicle to install it on!I would never buy something wheter it be here or on ebay if i didnt have a car to put it on to check its compatiblity or functional state. I want to work this out with you. I want to resolve this issue but i cant take a hit of 800 dollars and keep a non functional Unit? Lets come to an agreement! I need to keep selling parts on this forum. Im sorry if i came on to strong. Its just that I dont trust anybody. This world is full of dishonest people.

Thanks ,
Alain