It is with regret that I am posting this email from Stan Chernoff to the list.
It is a reply to my questions after receiving a pair of damaged Solexes which
were sent to me via FEDEX . I have come to the conclusion that they were well
packed and not damaged in transit. I have set up an album of photographs of
the shipping boxes at www.photopoint.com . Enter by searching my email address
elmo@interlog.com and opening the 'Solex' directory with the album viewer. You
may come to your own conclusion and, hopefully, learn from my mistakes.
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Hi Stewart,
I will respond with CAPS line by line.
At 02:01 PM 8/9/01 -0400, you wrote:
Stan,
I have been dealing with the FEDEX claims adjuster regarding the damaged
Solexes and have several requests and questions. We have determined that the
box was not opened by customs (no customs tape) and am investigating the
possibility that the box was opened in transit. The interior box was damaged
in two places corresponding to the damage on the carburetors. The outer boxes
are intact.
1. Can you confirm the actual price paid in writing?
<<<<
THE ACTUAL PRICE WAS $2650 USD. DO YOU NEED A LETTER OR WILL THIS DO? YOU
SHOULD ALSO HAVE COPIES OF THE EMAIL CORRESPONDENCE THAT WAS SENT PRIOR TO THE
SALE OF THE PARTS.
2. How was the outer box sealed? Tape? How many layers?
THE OUTER BOX WAS SEALED ON THE JOINING SEAMS WITH CLEAR SEALING TAPE. THE TOP
FLAP WAS FIRST SEALED WITH ONE PASS OF "FRAGILE HANDLE WITH CARE" TAPE AND
THEN SEALED WITH CLEAR SEALING TAPE. ALL OPEN EDGES OF THE TOP AND BOTTOM
FLAPS WERE SEALED WITH SEALING TAPE. I CANNOT SPECIFY WITH ACCURACY EXACTLY
HOW MANY LAYERS OF SEALING TAPE WERE USED ON THE OUTER BOX. THE PERSON AT THE
FEDEX COUNTER SAID THAT THE BOX WAS WELL PACKED AND SHE WAS NOT CONCERNED.
3. What was the general condition of the internal box? How was it sealed?
Tape? How many layers?
AS I REMEMBER,THE GENERAL CONDITION OF THE INNER BOX WAS EXCELLENT WITH NO
VISIBLE DAMAGE. I REMOVED THE PARTS PRIOR TO PACKING TO VERIFY THAT ALL ITEMS
FOR THE KIT WERE IN FACT THERE. THERE WAS NO APPARENT DAMAGE TO THE INNER BOX
OR THE PARTS INSIDE. I BELIEVE THAT THE INTERNAL BOX WAS SEALED ACROSS THE TOP
FLAPS WITH CLEAR SEALING TAPE BY ME AND HAD WHATEVER ORIGINAL SEALING TAPE
THAT IT CAME WITH WHEN I RECEIVED IT AT LEAST 10 YEARS AGO. I DO NOT REMEMBER
IF I ADDED ANY OTHER TAPE.
4. Did the internal box have any damage?
I DID NOT OBSERVE ANY DAMAGE TO THE INTERNAL BOX THAT I CAN REMEMBER. THE BOX
WAS IN GOOD CONDITION AND HAD NO HOLES.
5. Do you have an exchange or refund policy?
I DO NOT HAVE AN EXCHANGE OR REFUND POLICY SINCE THESE WERE MY PERSONAL
PARTS.
6. Do you or your company have insurance to cover this sort of thing? If so,
whom should we contact?
I AM AN INDIVIDUAL HOBBYIST AND DO NOT HAVE A COMPANY OR INSURANCE FOR ANY
ITEMS THAT I MAY SELL OR TRADE. FEDEX INSURED THE PACKAGE AND THE
7. Please comment upon the fact that the two throttle bodies do not have
matching (or even close) numbers.
I DO NOT HAVE ANY INSIGHT AS TO THE NUMBERS ON THE CARBURETORS. THE FRONT AND
REAR CARBURETORS ARE NOT THE SAME AND THE MANUFACTURER MAY HAVE HAD DIFFERENT
NUMBERS FOR DIFFERENT PARTS. A CASUAL OBSERVATION WAS THAT THE PACKAGING FOR
THE CARBURETORS SEEMED TO BE THE SAME (BUBBLE WRAP) AND ONE WOULD SUSPECT THEY
WERE PACKED AT THE SAME TIME ALTHOUGH I DID NOT INSPECT THE PACKAGING FOR
SIMILARITY. THE KIT WAS NOT ASSEMBLED BY THE CARBURETOR MANUFACTURER AND THE
ORGANIZATION THAT ASSMEBLED THE KIT HAD CONTROL OF THE PARTS.
8. Will you take the carburetors back as damaged goods?
>>>>I CANNOT ACCEPT THE PARTS BACK AS DAMAGED GOODS BECAUSE THEY WERE NOT
DAMAGED WHEN I DELIVERED THEM TO THE FEDEX OFFICE.
STEWART,
I SUSPECT THAT THE PACKAGE WAS HANDLED ROUGHLY IN TRANSIT AND THAT THE BOX WAS
DROPPED ON THE SIDE ADJACENT TO THE DAMAGE ON THE CARBURETORS. SINCE THERE WAS
SPACE BETWEEN THE INNER AND OUTER BOXES THAT WAS PARTIALLY FILLED WITH FOAM
PEANUT TYPE PACKING MATERIAL THE INNER BOX WAS ONLY SUSPENDED AND NOT FULLY
SUPPORTED AND COULD HAVE SUSTAINED THE HOLES FROM THE SUSPECTED ROUGH
HANDLING.
STAN
Please reply ASAP
Thank You,
Stewart Higgins
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