Bellows snake is at it again!!!

[Al 96 Ram Air T/A]

I just checked ebay to discover the clown selling the Fernco bellows is at it again. He's selling the Fernco bellows for upwards of $30!!! It's a $4.50 part at Home Depot!!

Better yet, he's still using Fred's photo from his site...a real snake.

I will be emailing every one who bids on his item and telling them to withdraw.

I could use everyone's help on this to save unsuspecting F-body guys from getting ripped off. If you see a bidder...warn him.

It takes a real crook to not only steal someone else pictures but charge nearly ten times what a part costs!!!

[RangerBob]

Ever hear of capitalism?

With the exception of using Fred's photo withoout permission, he is doing nothing wrong.

[wolfdogs]

Originally posted by RangerBob
Ever hear of capitalism?

With the exception of using Fred's photo withoout permission, he is doing nothing wrong.

nothing wrong under capitalism........

but under fbodybrotherhoodism........he sux.

i discovered the ferno mod in 97 and have told tons of folks about it......... and where to get it.......

this dude aint right......

sorry

[Al 96 Ram Air T/A]

Ken said it best...

It ain't about capitalism, it's about deception. There are a lot of new guys who are just learning why we enjoy our F-bods so much. Crooks selling $5 parts for $30 - $40 is just plain wrong. I can understand making a part yourself, but marking up a part found on the shelf of Home Depot...just not right.


It's all about the cars...not capitalism.

[Injuneer]

Can you give me a link?

[RangerBob]

I don't see Fred's engine bay.Ebay Link

[TimeLord]

Well SLP are selling it for $49.95 so this guy is cheaper !!

They are also selling a Tq arm that looks amazinly like BMRs !!

[Hyper94uznj]

Is their a way we can expose this jerk for what he really is? It's similar to Speedvison airing the "Automotive product showcase" where some punk kid is selling a get rich quick scam on buying and selling used cars. I sent several e-mails asking Speedvision why they were insulting the intelligence of it's viewers buy airing such a scam.

[Al 96 Ram Air T/A]

Hey Fred...Ebay link

Originally posted by Injuneer
Can you give me a link?

Hey Fred...here ya' go!
Here's the link...this item sold Aug. 9.



http://cgi.ebay.com/ebaymotors/ws/eB...tem=2421225065


I'd recognize your engine bay anywhere...

[Hyper94uznj]

What do you say we e-mail the winning bidder and inform him that he was just scammed? I many have to set up an account on e-bay so i can get the bidders e-mail addy. Ince when does a 98-02 Camaro/Vette use a 52mm tb????????????

Hyper

[00 Ragtop Z]

Hmmm--using the same logic as used in some of the posts, anyone who sells a skip shift eliminator for $25 or $30 or more instead of just selling the resistor is scamming people too. That includes a good number of teh vendors who support this board.

Sorry, I agree that this is not being deceptive, and it's not being a crook. It's finding a market and filling it. By analogy, everyone who sells something for 10 times what it costs is a crook too. I don't agree.

[Al 96 Ram Air T/A]

Originally posted by Hyper94uznj
What do you say we e-mail the winning bidder and inform him that he was just scammed? I many have to set up an account on e-bay so i can get the bidders e-mail addy. Ince when does a 98-02 Camaro/Vette use a 52mm tb????????????

Hyper

The high bidder will try to retract his bid. He thanked me for the friendly tip and will be going to Home Depot for the part.


As for 00 Ragtop Z's analogy to the skip shift eliminator...

The distinction for me is simple. The eliminators for sale on ebay and sponser sites are contained in a weatherpack connector and are more than just a resistor in a ziplock bag. For the ease of installation, the plug, and the watertight connector, I feel it is justified to charge a modest sum for the engineering. I have no problem with profitting off an idea that requires engineering, testing, modifying, etc. But as I've said earlier, getting in your car, driving to Home Depot is not a valid excuse to charge $30 over cost. If the guy modified the part, (say a different color, hardware, modification, etc.) OK. But he's simply shipping a stock part...to me this is a form of deception.

Kinda like buying Zaino, then reselling it for a higher price without disclosing that it's in fact Zaino. Now, if you were to take the same bottle of Zaino and somehow do something to it to make it better (chemically modify it, test it, etc.) , then a mark up may be justified for your time and knowledge. Zaino may not be the best example, but I think you catch my drift. It's all about honesty. Disclose what the part is then sell it on ebay. Otherwise, your a crook.

[Kevin - Blown 95 TA]

How many guys have bought a beer at a ballgame for $4.00 when you can get a 6-pack for less at the grocery store? How about my earlier post about the new T-Bird with the $17,000 dealer markup?

Not saying I would ever do this type of thing, and don't really agree with it, but this is, to a great extent, how free enterprise and capitalism works. The guy buying the Fernco for $30, or whatever, isn't going to feel screwed until someone points out to him that he got screwed. Who knows, maybe the guy buying the Fernco also spends $50 a month on bottled water when you can get the same stuff for free out of the faucet. If someone feels that they own the rights to using a Fernco as a intake duct, then they should try to patent it. If it really pisses you off, then start selling them on Ebay for $5 + shipping and steal the guy's customers...

[Injuneer]

Most of you guys just don't get it. He stole a picture of my engine to sell his parts. If people are so uninformed that they will believe this guy's hype (can any one of you people who are so vigorously defending his right to sell these things show me a dyno that can prove this thing nets 7HP gain?) maybe they deserve to be scammed... or maybe they could have come here, or to CamaroZ28.com, or Project TransAM, or fbody.com, etc. and found out the truth from those of us who want to help out.

I do not want to be associated with the scammer. My opinion, but that's what he is. He has no right to use my engine picture, and to leave some people with the idea that somehow I am selling these parts or endorsing these parts.

Even eBay found his theft of intellectual property (their words) to be unacceptable, and shut down his (still active) auctions that were using my pictures. And I have already advised anyone who bought the Fernco, based on an auction using the picture of my engine, that they were scammed by this guy.

If your idea of "capitalism" is that it is OK to steal other peoples pictures and use them to rip people off, its a sad day. Kinda changes my opinion of a few people here.

[M3EATER - GG '00 WS6 T/A]

I too, have had my product photos stollen & used in other people's ebay auctions.

It can tend to really piss you off. Here I am trying to make an honest living... doing all of the work... and some bozo comes along and just steals yer stuff.

By the way, the SLP bellows ... and mine... are not the same as the Fernco connector. The Fernco piece is very thick and rigid. If you need it to make an angle it will stress the parts it's connected to. It's not all that uncommon to damage the MAF (especially plastic ones) with the Fernco.... on LS1 cars.

Gordon
www.provenperformanceconcepts.com