[Louie]

I recently won a Carousel 1 Messerschmitt 109E Adolf Galland 1940 on E-bay. The seller sent it in it's display box covered with brown kraft paper and a thin layer of bubble wrap 1 layer thick to be exact. As expected the USPS did the rest.....
The box arrived damaged with the clear cellophane window bashed in. Had he included the original protective sleeve that could have been avoided. the model is intact but the box is trashed. He charged me $2.98 over actual shipping and i am sort of o.k with that. I got the model for a song $19.95 and some would think why complain but c,mon you waste the value of a $70 model because you don't want to add shipping weight on a model you sell?...?
I could probably send it back but let's face it you really end up paying for something you don't get wether shipping is $5 or $15. I e-mailed the seller and let him know how I feel.
Should I rejoice at owning a great model for $32 invested with an f'd up box?
Do I return it and wait for another miraculous deal?
What do you guys think?

[hworth18]

If the model is fine, I'd count my blessings, keep it and rejoice. If your still not happy about the box, send the box and the plane to me, I'll send you the $32 and we'll call everything good.

[brunowbe]

I can see being upset, but at $32 for a messed up box and mint model, I'd take that deal. It could've been worse, a mint box and broken model that would require some glue. I think sometimes we (myself included) put more emphasis on the box than the model.

If you're still that upset with it, I'll buy it from you sometime in July (I've spent my cash for diecast already for June) for $32, you'll make out even.

[Louie]

I really do not collect that scale unless it's got yellow wings(Pre-war) or double wings (WW1) so my intent was to flip the model to help pay for up-coming stuff. I guess I could consider this a pre-war plane since we had not been declared war on yet.......the debate continues. if it were my scale I would have probably kept the model and counted my blessings who knows...

[skydriver]

I say be happy the plane is not damaged.

I recently won a B-52 for $30.00 and the seller did not charge me shipping because they screwed up a previous purchase I had made with them. It had no box, and the way they packaged it 3 of the engine nacelles and one of the external fuel tanks had broken off. The box was crushed because they did not use enough styrofoam peanuts.

Needless to say, I was not too thrilled, yet, a little super glue here and there and the plane looks fine.

So, as long as the plane looks fine, be happy.

[Cardinal]

Don't worry about the box Louie as the model is superb and an incredible bargain to boot. Rejoice with your new piece of diecast and remember that the box will disintegrate in a couple of hundred years in any case (if not sooner) .

[Cruver Collecter]

Nice to have the box, but plane undamaged and more than a reasonable price. I would just be happy with the plane and let the rest go.

[Elmer]

Originally Posted by Cardinal

Don't worry about the box Louie as the model is superb and an incredible bargain to boot. Rejoice with your new piece of diecast and remember that the box will disintegrate in a couple of hundred years in any case (if not sooner) .

I agree with Cardo, and everyone else, Louie. I haven't seen a deal like this on a C1 model. Its a keeper. You're gonna stuff the box in a closet anyway, right?

[Gambit]

I think we have all been down this road before.

Before I buy and if I don't know the seller, I tell them exactly how I want it shipped, packed and labelled.

Especially from Europe and Japan.

Rarely do I have extra charges and if they don't like it, better to know up front than later.

I'd be inclined to send it back as it would always bug me, especially if I thought the seller packed it poorly because he thought it was worth more. Then to charge more for shipping when its wrapped in paper!

[Tundra04]

That sucks Louie and I know how you feel! I had a seller in England do the exact same thing. He sent the plane, wrapped in nice brown paper, and the box arrived totally destroyed. Of course he totally underestimated the cost of shipping which is why it wasn't shipped in a box and instead made the trip across the Atlantic in friggin' butcher paper!!