I got slightly burned by the old switcheroo a couple years ago here, and it's not egregious enough to name and shame, but it was slightly slimy. This does not apply so much to original parts, but parts that someone has restored.

You see it as "oh I found another one, I did the same thing to it" and it's 85% as good as the one you thought you'd get, but you still feel kind of ripped off. A lot of guys make money on this thin zone of plausible deniability where they are betting someone won't make a fuss, but they can still rip folks off a bit. A cousin of this maneuver is to reply to a want ad with "yes, I have a set, it's good, I want X for it," but you were expecting show car / restorable parts, but you got driver stuff. I hate writing "not junk" in my want ads, but it is necessary.

So, request. Pictures in for sale ads need to be of the parts for sale then and there. You sell another set, you take and post new pictures in a new ad. No turn and burn.

 

I hate to say it but I also got "semi-burned" on this site. A "new" gauge surround and fake wood applicate was for sale for a 71 Cutlass- I didn't question it and paid the price. When I got it I found that it must have been glued together by the sellers grandkid- Not flat and glue seeping out the sides, cant get it back apart- Junk... I never said anything to the seller and thru it in the trash... Sad to think one of our community would do that...

 

I agree pictures are a benefit and parts an/or cars should not be bought without them, caveat emptor is still a major component to any purchase. It was until recently that we included the buyer-seller-feedback forum for expressing both good and bad experiences. I suggest using it for the history and the sake of future member purchases. For the most part, members on this site have generated mostly positive reviews and a lot of disagreements have been rectified due to peer pressure.

 

I had that experience shortly after joining CO. I stopped purchasing on CO for a long time. And now I only purchase small parts that show a picture of the part. Otherwise, I buy through people whom I trust like 70Post.