WallyP

I need to replace a couple of the half-shaft boots on the '90GT, and I have wanted a 3/4" torque wrench for quite a while. This looked like an opportunity to buy a new tool!

I found a Proto 3/4" Drive Torque wrench, Part #6018 AB, for $100 on Craigslist. Oops! Only goes to 300 lb/ft - not enough.

Additional searching on Craigslist led me to an ad for a Proto J6020AB, 3/4" Drive, 120-600 Foot Pound, Ratchet Head Micrometer Torque Wrench, as new in the case, for $250. Ouch! But, a quick check shows that puppy sells for $805 at Grainger!

A quick email (at 11:15 pm) to the poster offering $175 was just as quickly accepted. I arranged to meet him at his workplace the next day to pick it up.

After driving an hour in heavy traffic and finding his well-hidden company, he announced that he had it on eBay, and had a bid, so if I wanted it, I could bid on eBay.

We almost had a good tool to share in the Atlanta area.

At least I still have my $175...

bronto

What a tool

blown 87

Somebody needs to go pay that POS a visit.
I would have been very pissed off.

He agrees to a price, you drive a hour each way and he tells you to go screw yourself.
That would have not been good.

White Lightnin'

Sounds like everyone should make a ficticious eBay account and run it up to say... $5,000 and then cancel the account and don't pay. Think he would learn a lesson?

dprantl

Maybe all the Atlanta area sharks should drive over there. Would be pretty scary seeing 15 angry 928's in front of your store

Dan
'91 928GT S/C 475hp/460lb.ft

dr bob

Justice works it way in many diverse (or 'perverse' depending on your point of view...) ways. Find his ebay listing, put in your $175 as a max or set it into a sniper program, and see where it takes you. You might get the wrench for even less than your original $175 offer, and he gets to cough up the ebay fee to boot. Worst case is you are right where you are right now, with the $175 in your pocket.

You can't punish yourself for other folks' lack of consideration. But you can sometimes benefit.

You other guys who want to bid it up to the moon, wrong method! Bid it up to $40 in one-dollar increments.

IcemanG17

Luckily for me Charley has a MEGA torque wrench....its probably 5 feet long...it also does a great job of cracking big sockets too

S4ordie

Funny how things work out..... could be you would have spent $175 for a torque wrench that was not accurate. Sometimes, sometimes, a perceived missed opportunity is really Karma sparing you un-realized grief.

M. Requin

Take the POS to small claims court - you had a contract (email offer and acceptance) and he broke it. That is, if you don't get it cheaper following the advice above!

Bill Ball

Heh, heh. I have one of those accounts for special occasions like this and the fake Andy Keel Supermodel supercharger kits that show up on eBay.

WallyP

Naw - I just vented (which is more than I usually do) and will move on.

If this were a vendor or regular eBayer, I would warn folks, but he is just an individual trying to move an expensive tool.

Wally

SeanR

And here it is

http://cgi.ebay.com/ebaymotors/Stanl...motiveQ5fTools

Mark Anderson

Wally I have a new 3/4" torque wrench that goes to 500 ft lbs for $150.

WallyP

Mark,

Thanks - If it is a Proto, I'll take two. ;-)

Harbor Freight has a 600 lb/ft, 42" wrench that is supposed to be accurate to +/- 4%. That means that the rear axle torque will probably be between 417 and 450 lb/ft, which is probably close enough. The store is about fifteen minutes away, and I have a 15%-off coupon, so I suppose that will be my next move - but I would really, really rather have had the $800 Proto!

Wally

Giovanni

Wally, I love HF and their products. One line of products that I have bad luck with is their torque wrenches. I have a 1/4, 3/8 and 1/2 and two has come apart. Next time I will get me a good brand.