[Gary Logan]

I sold an engine to a guy over a month ago. The auction was a no shipping -local pick-up only auction. He e-mailed me before the end of the auction and asked if I would ship if he made the arrangements. I replied that I would do that, only if I could drop it on someones else's palette and they secure it. so basically, no. He is in Michigan, I am in Florida.
He bid anyway and won the auction. A week went by with no payment and no reply to e-mails so I submitted a dispute through eBay. A few days later, I get a reply from his wife that says that he is broke down out of town in the truck that he was buying the engine for but I would receive payment by Friday. Saturday I received full payment via Paypal.
Now three more weeks have passed and I have not received any replied to my "when are you going to pick this up?" e-mails. It has been over a month. since the auction ended. Should I send notice that I will refund his money minus expenses and re-list the engine or wait it out. I could use the space and the stand that the engine is sitting on. I He got a real good deal on a used 5.2l Dodge Magnum long block. That I could easily get more for if I tear it down and sell the individual pieces.
What would you do? What can I "legally" do?

[bastard]

Did you make an agreement with him about a time frame for him to pick it up? If not, it is up to you how to handle it since he didn't complete the deal by picking it up. In essence, he didn't fulfill his part of the agreement, so it seems entirely fair to me for you to send him back what he paid you minus the ebay and paypal fees. You could send him an email notifying him of your intent to charge him a storage fee that will accrue daily. If he waits too long, the money he has paid you to date will cover his storage and you will have to sell the engine again anyway. That might make him decide to get on the ball. It is all a matter of how long you are willing to wait versus how much time and effort it will take to part it out and find another buyer.

[greg7764]

I have not received any replied to my "when are you going to pick this up?" e-mails.

You might also use the "request read receipt" from the menu bar under tools. That way you know if your e-mails are being received and read.

[MikeC]

Maybe the poor fool is having some bad luck at this time...... i. e. His truck broke down out of town. His computer got hit by a virus and is DOA. Did you get phone number for the fella?

I get antsy also with Ebay stuff, but you've got the motor and $$, imagine how worried he is.

MikeC

[Gary Logan]

The only replies that I have gotten are from his "wife". I wonder if he is not being detained. You never know. Usually when I give up my money, I want something in exchange for it. I did not stipulate a time frame for pick up, just payment. No number, The only correspondence that she has replied to is via the ebay dispute resolution process. I can say that I can hold the engine longer than the cash. It's long gone. I guess I will continue to wait. (Jeopardy theme song softly playing in the background)