Have you ever come across a item that, once it was in your hands, turned-out to be a filthy mistake? I'm not just talking "extremely dusty" or "mild tobacco-smoke stains"... I'm talking the irreprehensible "Roach Hotel". And I don't mean the kind you smoke! So my story is this: I look on eBay for an Aiwa 'Box similar to what I have in storage AM/FM/CD/Cassette w/soft-touch controls, "bass boost" and multiple programmed EQ-settings) hoping to find one with a total cost that'd be less than the trip to get the other one. (It's a looooong trip!) I spot a couple: One's looks good, but is priced a bit high... and one's pictured--the only picture of it--in what seems like the hallway of a storage locker building. I note them both, figuring I'll wait until the money's there before jumping. A couple weeks go by and the higher-priced one's gone, leaving me to get messages about the other. So I by the other, and wait for it's arrival... which was today--four days late! Opening the box carefully, I find it wrapped in a sheet of large-bubble bubble wrap--just one sheet! And loosely at that! It when I get it out of the box I discover why there was only one picture of it: The rear of the case was stained with tobacco smoke beyond belief! and it was cracked by the case's handle as if someone took a hammer to it one-time! But that's not the worst of it...! Hearing something rattle inside, I get a screwdriver and open the case to--WTH!?! Sur-PRISE!! The source if the odd, brown dust in the exterior's crevasses: Dead roach bits! I've just finished cleaning AND sanitizing it, my tools & workspace... along my arms up to my elbows more times over in a few minutes than I would in a day... flushed the napkins I initially wiped & sanitized with in the toilet and threw my shirt, along with the rags I further sanitized with, into the washer. I then placed the item back into it's shipping package, and now can't decide if I should pursue a complain, along with a refund demand, or just shove this thing into the detached garage or the trash. "$44.80 for this...?!" I'm thinking now... as I wonder if karma is getting back at me.
I've been fairly lucky but I have found some dead insects before. My biggest fear is that rodants will attack my full-size speakers, I had some at a garage I was renting and a few didn't make it. The freakin mice ate just about everything, luckily they only got three speakers, an orphan Marantz HD 660 and two Cerwin Vega Monster rock and roll speakers from the late 70's, they must have loved that orange surround cuz it was gone. I asked a guy that bought everything at auctions (mosty online) about worrying if it worked or not. He said it has to be exactly as it's described or they have to take it back no-questions asked.
I bought an Oscilloscope from the Radio Club that had definitely had mice living inside ( there was a large hole in the back where an expansion interface could be fitted.) Chewed wires and a coroded circuit board which I had to clean up. Unconnected to the mice a few of the expoding Rifa capacitors. I got it all working apart from one v/div setting on one channel. As I only paid £10 I thought it was a good buy.
When I had discovered evidence of mice at my brother's place--while it was just being used for storage--I set traps & set-off foggers after laying large tarps over everything. When it was done, he asked if his late-model Cerwin Vegas were okay... which thankfully, they were!
Exploding capacitors... I've been there: The original power-block to a portable DVD viewer I'd bought new ($299.99!) became a paperweight after hitting a tiled floor sharply, forcing me to use an adjustable-voltage wall wart. It powered the unit directly fine, but when I tried to charge the battery with it... POP! Smoke & a moment of panic later, it was disconnected and I was stuck with a project to tackle. I managed to get it working right again... save for my sorry soldering skills at the time... but I never did get a proper replacement 'pack and now it's in storage, replaced by tablet from RCA. (Not that one!)
I've already started procedure, and gotten response from the seller, whom offered to refund half the selling price ($27.90)--I demanded half the total cost. They seem willing to meet it... problem is, they keep asking ME all these questions that eBay should clearly be able to answer. "How much is half the 'total cost'?", "How do I refund the money?" and, get this: "What's your email address?" I'm writing this off... I rather eat the cost than deal with this obviously "sleazy" moron and their robbery scheme any further! Plus, the box--with the item inside--has already been sprayed into with Lysol and set in the garage. Temps have been around 34*F lately, so I doubt anything will try taking shelter in it. The saddest part: I thought this would be better than spending money to get a similar unit from my locker, which is a 3+hours drive from here. So next time, if I want something that I've stored away, I'll just make the trip, instead.
Well, some "good-news" and closure on this: The seller actually managed to return half the total cost of it--as requested--completely on their own... so that's finally done & over-with. Meanwhile, I sit... looking at the Sony WM-FS555 I just received--in far-better condition than the subject of this thread... and I wish I had a cassette to test it with!
