Gone Kayaking
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long live the Vintage Shasta Trailer Forum....we're gone but you are not forgotten!
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Post by Gone Kayaking on Mar 2, 2011 12:14:44 GMT -5
I thought given my recent experience with a rehabber/reseller in Oregon, that we should start a thread on sellers to avoid as a service to other newbies who may be lured by these folks. I'll start: www.tininntraveltrailers.comowner Wendy Durighello is based in Klamath Falls Oregon. Great website of fantastic looking refurbished trailers priced mostly in the 3-4K range. Seller has good ebay ratings. I made a long distance purchase based on photos, conversation with the owner, and assurances as to the condition of the trailer. While the systems (electrical, plumbing, wheels/tires, hitch) were all in good order on the 1956 I purchased from her, the first rain revealed that it has extensive and active water damage which was imho hastily covered over and certainly was not disclosed. I am now looking at a significant rebuild. Ms Durighello did provide a $300 credit back when I raised the issue. If you decide to do business with Tin Inn insist on complete before and after pictures, and a complete inventory of work performed, thoroughly check before you buy, and negotiate a price that reflects the actual work. If you want additional details on my experience send a pm. Or check my post 1956 Aquadream--guess it's a project after all.
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safetybruce
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Miss Alabama 1961
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Post by safetybruce on Mar 2, 2011 12:41:42 GMT -5
WTG Gone Kayaking!! Vikx you were spot on as usual, with your comment...!! I believe this is a good place for this type of information, maybe Brian can tweak the small print under the heading to include...or were dissatisfied with...ebay allows for negative as well as positive feedback, so anyone bidding can at least know if some buyers were disappointed with what they got, usually as a result of deceptive descriptions of the actual item up for auction. This Forum is a thousand strong, and has 5 times that many visitors. That is a lot of potential vintage camper buyers to alert about the likes of the seller you dealt with...think about that Wendy, if you are reading this comment while looking for a new mark...honesty and dishonesty both have a way of spreading by word of mouth and cutting edge Forums like ours.
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Post by dawgpound on Mar 2, 2011 12:53:46 GMT -5
Just to play Devil's Advocate, did you contact Wendy and tell her what happened and ask what she plans to do about the water damage issue?
Again, I am not taking sides. If she owns a reputable company, she should stand behind her work. I own my own business and have for over 20 years and when there is ever a problem, I get it resolved fast.
Ross
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Gone Kayaking
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long live the Vintage Shasta Trailer Forum....we're gone but you are not forgotten!
Posts: 1,600
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Post by Gone Kayaking on Mar 2, 2011 13:12:23 GMT -5
The short answer is yes I have contacted her. I will send you a pm with the longer answer. Ross I can tell from your gallery that you are the kind of person that I wish I could have done business with!
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Post by Bow_Tied on Mar 2, 2011 23:59:06 GMT -5
I applaud the spirit of warning that this thread may be about, but my experience on other forums is that this kind of thing can deteriorate into vendor bashing. This puts this forum at risk, legally speaking. Proceed with extreme caution and stick to facts only. We don't want VCTF to become liable for what is typed here...
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joek
250 Post Member
Inside Out
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Post by joek on Mar 3, 2011 0:53:49 GMT -5
I don't think you can actually leave negative feedback on ebay anymore. I had a bad deal and no recourse whatsoever. Wasn't trailer related, but if want to know who not buy remote control cars from, let me know, haha.
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vikx
3K Post Member
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Post by vikx on Mar 3, 2011 1:47:28 GMT -5
I am not impressed with Velcro Strip on eBay. He wrote the book on poorly done repairs and is selling that as well as "restored" trailers. I would call them patched. I agree that bashing sellers could get out of hand, but people need to be informed! What else can we do?
If we are all adult about this, and only tell the truth, we can keep this section as it was intended.
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Gone Kayaking
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long live the Vintage Shasta Trailer Forum....we're gone but you are not forgotten!
Posts: 1,600
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Post by Gone Kayaking on Mar 1, 2012 23:49:28 GMT -5
Just learned of another person burned by the seller that I started this thread about. Another Shasta, just a year younger. I've told her about this site, I hope she comes here for help and guidance. And I wish more folks would come here first before buying. This person didn't find VSTF until after her purchase.
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Post by 65callie on Mar 2, 2012 0:23:14 GMT -5
Don't forget to file a BBB (Better Business Bureau) report against a business when you can't resolve an issue. Sometimes just the threat of doing that will get you some action.
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vikx
3K Post Member
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Post by vikx on Mar 2, 2012 2:32:12 GMT -5
Sigh. A lady informed me about the Oregon problem years ago; water and gas leaks, rot. I didn't even know who she was talking about. I do now...
Thank you Gone Kayaking.
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lamacki1
250 Post Member
Sundance
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Post by lamacki1 on Mar 3, 2012 14:33:45 GMT -5
Great and useful information. I hope it helps someone not be a victim. Can we pin this thread so it doesn't get buried?
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Gone Kayaking
1K Post Member
long live the Vintage Shasta Trailer Forum....we're gone but you are not forgotten!
Posts: 1,600
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Post by Gone Kayaking on Mar 3, 2012 21:15:51 GMT -5
To your suggestion 65 callie...good idea. Not sure if this individual even operates above the radar as a business locally or not. I can't find any listing of it on Yelp any more, where I posted a review. And it doesn't come up on local business search in the area. What is good is that this post does come up in a general search of the name and the business so hopefully folks will do their homework. Wish I had.
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Post by 65callie on Mar 3, 2012 22:50:03 GMT -5
If BBB says they aren't a business then report them to their towns chamber of commerce for doing business without a license. I say kick the hornet nest!
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vikx
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Post by vikx on Mar 4, 2012 1:56:04 GMT -5
They have the website and are on eBay every few months with a new "restored" trailer.... Looks like a business to me.
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lamacki1
250 Post Member
Sundance
Posts: 434
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Post by lamacki1 on Mar 4, 2012 10:34:06 GMT -5
Her website states that it is a business.
It's not just the hidden damage related to rot behind panels that is covered (or fluffed) up. It's the idea that these trailers could be potentially dangerous on the road.
Unfortunately this is a business where there is little repeat business and there's a new customer just around the corner.
Barbara
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Post by team831 on Mar 19, 2012 13:42:45 GMT -5
Does anyone know anything about y not camper restoration in Michigan?
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offspringin
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Never question the engineer's judgement!
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Post by offspringin on Mar 19, 2012 14:08:05 GMT -5
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Post by cjloftus on Mar 20, 2012 8:30:31 GMT -5
One of the gals in my Sister on the Fly camping group is getting her trailer done by ynot. At the time of this posting, her trailer is listed on their website - "Client Projects" as the Sigmon Project - 1973 Serro Scotty. www.ynotcamperrestoration.com/projects.htmlShe has a blog describing her process of finding her trailer at ynot and using them for the restore. She also has the cutest T@B going, but she wanted a vintage trailer too. sharonscoffeecup.blogspot.com/ I think she's real happy with them, so they should probably go under a topic of rehabbers that are trustworthy. :-)
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vikx
3K Post Member
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Post by vikx on Jun 3, 2013 23:38:22 GMT -5
Update: I have recently discovered that Tin Inn has moved: they are claiming Portland Oregon as home base these days. Just a curiosity and a head's up for people. There's also someone doing a similar business in Oregon's high desert...One More for the Road: www.onemorefortheroad.net/index.html Time will tell how this "new" venture works out.
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Gone Kayaking
1K Post Member
long live the Vintage Shasta Trailer Forum....we're gone but you are not forgotten!
Posts: 1,600
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Post by Gone Kayaking on Jun 14, 2013 21:32:31 GMT -5
One big difference I spot right away is that One more for the Road seems to be really trying to be part of the vintage trailer scene and posts on facebook etc.... where one is definitely exposed if their work is bad. TinInn isn't like that, owner isn't part of any of the established groups in Oregon as far as I can tell and isn't part of teh community. That's a tell.
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