My RAC subscription is due on the 5th of February and the amount of emails, letters plus phone calls on my home and mobile phone twice a day for the last week is a bit over the top, they want £328 to cover 2 vehicles for two years, an increase of £59 from last time, I've been a member for twenty two years and used them once when the rear mudguard bracket on my Rocket snapped, It took four hours for them to turn up whilst I sat there in the pouring rain, going to try Green Flag this year, and to cap it all, my home and mobile is ringing at the same time while I'm typing this and guess who it is?
In August 2021 saw a set of highway bars for a 2018 Speedmaster on EBAY. They were nice and reasonably priced at $271 (compared to Triumph's bars). They were being offered by an Italian supplier, CafeRace. The chart on their ad showed the bars would fit a 2018 Speedmaster. I knew Triumph changed their frame in 2016 when they went to a water-cooled engine. So, just to be sure, because their ad said "No Returns," I emailed them. The ASSURED me the bars would fit my bike. I made the purchase and paid $58 shipping (still cheaper than Triumph's bars). When the bars arrived, of course, they didn't fit. I requested a refund. They responded that the ad specified no returns. I advised them that I understood and if it was a simple case of not liking the bars I would accept that, but THEY WERE THE WRONG BARS. They are for a 2015 or older. Nope they said. Their supplier says they are correct. I contacted EBAY. They said they would step in. They got back to me and said the seller said they'd accept the return, but I had to spring for return shipping. WTF? They sent me the wrong item! I shouldn't have to pay shipping. Ebay said that's all they could do. USPO wanted $125 to send them back. UPS wanted $300! I contacted the company again. I said this was unfair that I had to pay for their mistake. They asked for proof the bars were wrong. I sent photos showing the mounts did not match up with the frame. A week went by. Nothing. I asked them if they were going to refund and pay shipping after my proof that the bars didn't fit. They said they didn't get the email. Bullshit. I sent them again. They got back to me and admitted the bars were wrong and said they'd refund and pay shipping. They asked for the dimensions of the box. It's their fucking box! But I sent them. A week went by. Nothing. I emailed again. They said they didn't get the email. I sent the dimensions again. Another week went by. I asked what was going on. They said they were having trouble figuring out how to square up the refund and shipping costs because they were two different departments. Just figure it out! I began emailing them every other day. Same response. Six months now. I stopped pestering them about a week ago. Still nothing. I have a set of nice chrome highway bars for a 2015 or older Speedmaster I can't use and I'm out the money. I'm fucked.
Should've done some kind of fraud claim with your bank. YMMV but mine is pretty good at refunding me my coin straightaway then going after the other party.
I did check with my bank. They said this wasn't fraud, per se, it's a customer dispute. Also, these fuckers are in Italy and the bank said there wasn't anything they could do anyway. They had no leverage with a company in a foreign country. I have put the bars on Craigslist and Facebook Marketplace. No bites yet. I usually attend a few MC swap meets over the summer. I'll try to hawk them there when I do.
I'm not sure if the rules are different outside the UK but this is a good time to remind (at least some) people that any purchase over £100 you can't be 100% sure about should be put on a credit card so it can be charged back when you dispute it.
Oh so you you actually told them the truth? Well therein lies the problem then. I've gotten 2 refunds through my bank for Chinese companies who sent me items that weren't as advertised. I was VERY careful how I worded my gripe and let's just say I "economized the truth." Mind you these were not eBay purchases. A little late for me to be issuing advice, but we live and we learn. I've been beaten on eBay twice, Gunbroker twice, and PayPal once. PayPal DOES NOT back purchases I can assure you, despite what they claim. This is why I have ZERO issues beating these websites at their own game. Screw 'em. I'll keep my eye out for someone looking for those bars. Are they posted in here?
Didn’t know where to put this, it’sa little too serious for the funnies, but I did find it amusing… https://youtube.com/shorts/TuO6wqEaRW0?feature=share
Not a very cogent argument and I already have my own pronouns. They are ‘grumpy’ and ‘stubborn’. Apparently.
