MichaelBenz

iTrader: (2)

Ok guys....heres the idea! There are a lot of people that tend to put on the spoilers from ebay, ect after they have either come to this site and got the idea or somehow in conjunction with them joining they are doing stuff to their cars. I have an "Official Honda Trunk Spring Wrench" that I wasted my hard earned money on and used once to put the springs on that come with the OEM wing spoiler kit...willing to make it the "official Acurazine loaner wrench" but need to figure out a good no-profit program that would work for people.

Here is my idea? Person in need could PM me for wrench/phone number....they could call me and leave me a credit card # as a deposit on the wrench and I would mail the wrench to them (probably stadard priority mail @ $3.85 cost w/free delivery confirmation from internet). Then they use the wrench within say (I dont know?) 15 days or 20 days...(can you tell I am making this up as I go along here?) whatever someone would need? And return it to me via priority mail with a $5 bill in the envelope to cover my postage costs of $3.85 and gas to post office of $1.15 - then their credit card would be charged nothing and I would incur no credit card transaction fees either....would work for both parties then...

I would have a CC# on file to make sure borrowing party does not snooze and not send me the wrench back ever....and they would get to use the wrench for the cost of basic postage (not trying to make ANY money here, just helping fellow AZ members with use of the wrench and not getting screwed at the same time for my wrench!) Basically...if you never returned the wrench....your credit card would be then charged for the cost of the wrench - $32) We have a CC processing machine here in our office that I could use off of the proof of delivery from USPS.....and I could NEVER charge somebody if they also had the returning proof of delivery from USPS - all these proofs are free if you print your label from the internet USPS site.

Give me some feedback....tweak the program for me....what will or wont work and would keep everybody feeling secure and fair that they were not getting duped at all? As I said...not trying to make ANY money...just lend the "right wrench for the job" to install the spring and keep others from wasting the $30 I did for a "one use wrench"! I mean...if you were a body shop maybe you might need this thing...otherwise...once its on...its on?

Again...any feedback would be appreciated....and mods....if this "free loaner program" is not a good idea and breaks any rules...just PM me and delete this thread....not trying to start trouble!

khiyal

Program sounds good, but think about why would someone want to trust someone with their credit card info. Would people be confident that you wouldn't put it on a computer? How secure is your computer from hacks and the like? What are the possibilities that the CC number could end up where neither your or the card holder want it to be?

USPS does not insure the priority mail for $3.85. If the wrench gets lost in the mail, how would the recovery mechanism work?

I guess, for now you could just offer the service in your community. Eventually, as your program works, and you have some positive feedback, it may be expanded to members of Acurazine with some process other than credit card. You may want to take a look at Paypal and their fee structure.

Just a few thoughts, nothing personal against you.

I would like to see other people's insight on this as well.

mamboking

Kudos to you for the idea, but I don't think too many people would be willing to give you their credit card without knowing who you really are.

shaker31280

I say have the person send you the cost of the wrench + shipping via check or paypal.

You send them the wrench. They use it. They send it back to you and you either refund them with paypal which is free since its a refund. Or you send them back their check.

I don't like the CC idea since I would never give anyone my CC number. To much risk for a 32 dollar wrench.

Hope that helps.

Jeffa1

Michael, that's a good idea on loaning the trunk wrench. Maybe if someone wants to borrow your wrench, have them send you say $25. When they return the wrench to you, you send back $20. Just my thought.
I bought one last month when I installed my factory rear lip. Now it sits around as a garage ornament.
Still a good idea.

MichaelBenz

iTrader: (2)

I know what you are all saying on the CC deal....but that is the only way to do it without cost. Paypal costs money as everything they collect they charge me a bank fee on so that would only cause the cost to increase? But think about it:

How often do you know the people you do business with over the internet that you punch your credit card # in.(we are an established business just like they are?)

Someone said "without knowing who you really are"......this is who I really am....Michael Benz and have contact info on the net as I do business already on foodservice packaging....BellonSales.com and also through ebay with an estabilshed feedback rating of like 98.6 or something (one neg feedback out of 500 or 600)

I dont know....seems like not everyone is as apt to do business with credit cards like I do. Yes...I could charge your card anyway, right? All it would take to reverse the charge is a phone call to your CC company denying the charge at which time they send us a HUGE amount of work to mess with to PROVE that the charge was valid.....good point about lost mail too....didnt think about that as I have NEVER lost anything via priority mail before....but you have pointed out right away where there could be a scam pulled on me or the other guy being out the money? All very good questions and points made.....thanks! Thats exactly what I wanted....and can see right off that this is/would be more hassle than its worth as I truely have nothing to gain here but helping people out....and you make a VERY good point/points...if the guy/guys I am trying to help out does not even trust me...why even mess with it in the first place! Let them fend for themselves....just thought I could save some people some money on dumb ass wrenches that you use ONE TIME! I guess we all can have these fine fixtures in our garages for full price...what the heck!

That being said.....GET YOUR OWN TRUNK SPRING WRENCHES PEOPLE and quit asking me about mine! Just kidding....really! I asked for ideas/info...and thats exactly what I got! Why exactly I do not want to mess with it - you have all given me several reasons already....thank you very much for clarifying that for me.....you gave me exactly what I was looking for....the ins and outs of the proposed program as I didnt immediately see these facets as I had the "good will and trying to help people out" thing on my mind and not really thinking about screwing anybody over here! Heck....you people are fellow Acurazine buds....wouldnt think of it. But I can clearly see this proposed program would be a hassle totally! Thanks for the input guys! You have made the decision clear for me now!

Mike

mark 3M bra man

Michael,

Great idea. Too bad, that sometimes, trying to be a helping hand is not worth it.

Most of us Acurazine buds know each other at least from previous and numerous posts, but there are still those who think that your 424+ posts may be simply for the fact that you may want to rip them off.

Thanks for trying to be a good guy here.

Regards, Mark.

Brettg

On the Jag-lovers, people were always loaning tools and parts, copying diagnostic manuals, etc for free.
I used to repair the radios for free, I even paid shipping.
I worked a deal with Stefan R who owned a scap yard with lots of Jaguars in it to repair radios, bulb fail modules, etc for spare parts.
I had loaner cam alignment tools and valve spring compressors, and they always came back to me, sometimes with gifts. I had people visiting from England who took the wife and I out to lunch at a posh place...

The Jaguars were great, they had prolems with age, but a soldering iron would fix most stuff good as new. At about 100,000 miles, many cars needed a head gasket and valve guide seals installed, but otherwise the motors were solid.

Just loan the tool for free, bet it will come back...


Brett

MichaelBenz

iTrader: (2)

I hear ya Brett....but I think your typical Jaguar owner is a BIT different than your typical Acura owner.....many of these kids are under 25 around here...not to mention economics, ect

MichaelBenz

iTrader: (2)

Mods...please lock this thread as we are beating a dead horse here. I am just going to sell it for $20 and be done with it completely!

PLEASEME!! Thanks!

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