Subski5-(4) 18' Enkei Rsv's [Archive]

krisdahl

08-19-2008, 01:06 AM

Okay, first off I've given Arthur Ciesielski (who goes by Subski5 on NASIOC) plenty of time to take care of this, but he hasn't followed through.

I had thought that he was a stand-up guy, but it is clear to me (and some other buyers) that he is a scammer.

I have no other choice but to make information about this public so that at a minimum he won't cheat anyone else on NASIOC.

I'm putting everything up here.

So basically here is the deal. Bought these wheels from them, looked to be in near-mint condition from the photos he posted. What I didn't realize is that he actually strategically positioned one of the mint wheels in front of two wheels that have damage--one was curbed a bit and the other one was actually bent!

Here is an archived version of the original posting (with the pictures):
http://fatboyraceworks.com/subski5/

Pictures he posted (notice the first picture in which one good wheel is covering up the damage of the two other wheels--this was intentional):

http://fatboyraceworks.com/gallery/d/5210-1/IMG_0335.jpg (http://fatboyraceworks.com/gallery/v/ForSale/album/IMG_0335.jpg.html)
http://fatboyraceworks.com/gallery/d/5208-1/IMG_0340.jpg (http://fatboyraceworks.com/gallery/v/ForSale/album/IMG_0340.jpg.html)
http://fatboyraceworks.com/gallery/d/5212-1/IMG_0337.jpg (http://fatboyraceworks.com/gallery/v/ForSale/album/IMG_0337.jpg.html)
http://fatboyraceworks.com/gallery/d/5214-1/IMG_0339.jpg (http://fatboyraceworks.com/gallery/v/ForSale/album/IMG_0339.jpg.html)

Click to enlarge.

And here are the pictures of the wheels he actually sent:

http://fatboyraceworks.com/gallery/d/5197-2/DSC00185.JPG (http://fatboyraceworks.com/gallery/v/ForSale/album/DSC00185.JPG.html)
http://fatboyraceworks.com/gallery/d/5200-1/DSC00186.JPG (http://fatboyraceworks.com/gallery/v/ForSale/album/DSC00186.JPG.html)
http://fatboyraceworks.com/gallery/d/5202-1/DSC00187.JPG (http://fatboyraceworks.com/gallery/v/ForSale/album/DSC00187.JPG.html)
http://fatboyraceworks.com/gallery/d/5204-1/DSC00183.JPG (http://fatboyraceworks.com/gallery/v/ForSale/album/DSC00183.JPG.html)
http://fatboyraceworks.com/gallery/d/5206-1/DSC00184.JPG (http://fatboyraceworks.com/gallery/v/ForSale/album/DSC00184.JPG.html)

In addition, one of the tires also had a puncture (nail) and was flat, requiring a repair.

Its a pretty lame thing to do--intentionally cover up damaged wheels and sell them as mint.

Also included in the sale where some lug nuts, which he did send me. He promised that he would send them and a partial refund, and has done neither.

I originally asked him for $250 to cover the replacement of the bent wheel. I then offered him to just send the lug nuts and just get me a 25% refund for one bad wheel and I'd let the flat tire and the curb rash go--which I thought was really pretty reasonable. Although he agreed, he never actually followed through, and is now not responding to my emails or the PayPal inquiry.

I submitted a PayPal complaint, which I will be escalating to a PayPal claim later today.

Below is the PM and email communication between us:

I ask for a shipping quote.

From Subski5 on 07-16-2008, 06:35 AM
give me an addy and ill get you a shipping quote

From Subski5 on 07-17-2008, 03:30 PM
150 bucks for shipping and tires are nanking ultra sport 225/40/18

I offer $600 shipped.

From Subski5 on 07-17-2008, 03:42 PM
ok i can do that my paypal is vikingsaahockey@aol.com dont forget the 3% fee ill try to get them out saturday

From Subski5 on 07-20-2008, 11:08 AM

hey heres the tracking number i have 4 individual numbers ill just give you one since they will get there at the same time 677843410036971 via fed ex thanks again

I receive the wheels and realize that that one is bent, so I send him the following email.

From krisdahl on July 25, 2008 2:20:45 PM PDT

Arthur,

Sent you this message via the PM's on NASIOC as well.

I received the wheels today, but there is a bit of a problem.

One of the wheels is bent--and it does not appear to be shipping damage. Looks like it hit a curb. The damage is substantial enough to where it has no chance of holding air and will either need to be professionally repaired or replaced.

Also one of the wheels had some rash, one of the wheels had a tire with a nail in it (which is flat).

Two of the wheels have excessive shoulder wear from being underinflated or improper alignment settings.

They were supposed to come with lug nuts as well, which I did not receive.

The wheels in the pictures were in basically mint condition, unless you intentionally covered the damage by placing one wheel over the two damaged ones. I really hope that isn't what happened.

To be honest with you, I probably wouldn't make an big issue of it if it were just the rash, worn shoulders and the flat tire with the nail. I would have even been willing to overlook the missing lug nuts, but the bent wheel is a pretty big deal, and I can't let it slide.

I haven't been driving my STi because I've been waiting for some streetable tires. Now I'm kinda stuck.

I want to give you a chance to make this right.

Message me here, or send me an email at . If you want to talk about ti via telephone, just shoot me your number and I'll give you a call.

I've been stand-up and honest with you about getting you your money quickly, with the paypal fees, shipping, etc. I need you to do the same for me.

I really need to hear back from you today about this.

Thanks,
-Kris

He answered back an hour or two later with two nearly identically worded emails--one saying it was taken the night he shipped and the other saying it wasn't. Not sure which was true.

In any case, he admits that the wheel was bent but it should hold air--which is really not the point. It was not my intention to purchase a bent rim.

From Subski5 on July 25, 2008 3:15:49 PM PDT

The pictures were taking not the night I took them off the car. All the tires hold air I was driving on them for 2 months. I did not know about the nail and I did not think that was rash. I thought it was rubber. I didn't get a chance to look over the wheels I just had to sell everything as fast as I could because our house was taking under foreclosure. I'm sorry if the wheels ardent what you expected but I took pictures. None of the wheels have to be replaced and the bent is only on the outer lip and it doesn't leak air or effect anything.The lug nuts I forgot to send that's how caught up I am in everything, the money you sent me I used towards the house if you don't like the wheels you can try selling them I grantee you can let them go for as much as I sold them to you for.

Here is the email that he sent just after, only he changes his story a bit--saying that he DID take take it the night he took them off.

From Subski5 on July 25, 2008 3:15:49 PM PDT

The pictures were taking the night I took them off the car. All the tires hold air I was driving on them for 2 months. I did not know about the nail and I did not think that was rash. I thought it was rubber. I didn't get a chance to look over the wheels I just had to sell everything as fast as I could because our house was taking under foreclosure. I'm sorry if the wheels ardent what you expected but I took pictures. None of the wheels have to be replaced and the bent is only on the outer lip and it doesn't leak air or effect anything.The lug nuts I forgot to send that's how caught up I am in everything, the money you sent me I used towards the house if you don't like the wheels you can try selling them I grantee you can let them go for as much as I sold them to you for. There is no air in the tires because i took all the air out for shipping.

I responded back to him with this email:
From krisdahl on July 25, 2008 4:26:34 PM PDT

First off, I want to thank you for getting back to me so quickly. I do appreciate it. This sounds like an honest mistake.

The tire with the nail--it could have been a slow leak, probably was full when you shipped it. It is flat now though. I can have it repaired--no big deal.

The one that is bent is bent pretty badly and is also flat now. It may have also been a slow leak--although I suspect it won't hold air for very long.

In any case, I guess weather it holds air or not is irrelevant. What I paid for was 4 straight wheels, based on the pictures. I don't want a bent wheel on my car for aesthetic and safety reasons.

If the photos were not taken the night of you took them off (as your first email says), and the damage occurred afterwords (and I suppose it is possible that you just didn't notice) then basically you described one thing and sold me another. Honest mistake, but still, we need to make it right.

If the photos were taken the night you took them off (as your second email says), then you were intentionally trying to mislead me into thinking they straight because the pictures don't show a bent wheel. Hopefully this isn't the case, but still it needs to be made right.

I tried to find a used replacement online, couldn't find one. I have been able to find a place (1010tires.com) the Enkei RSVs in Bronze 18x7.5 45ET. THey charge more for singles than sets, unfortunately. It looks like I can get it shipped for $208. Mounting/Balancing one tire will be about $15. The fair thing to do would be to refund me the replacement cost of the bent wheel, about $220.

Once I get the replacement I'd be happy to send it back to you if you want to pay shipping.

I guess the other alternatives are if you want to give me a full refund and shipping, I'll send them back. Or you maybe able to find a buyer local to me who can buy these from you rather than ship them back.

I know its a tough situation, so I want to thank you again for email back and trying to work this out. I'm sure will get this resolved.

Cheers,
-k

At this point I was pretty sure he was going to try to screw me because I did not hear back for 5 days, when I received this email:

From Subski5 on July 30, 2008 8:26:52 PM PDT

Hey sorry I just got back in town I had a lot going on but that sounds fair to me. Once I get 154 ill paypal you immediately and ill send out the lugs hopefully this weekend. Can I have your address one more time and ill ship them out to you. Sorry for the late response

I responded back to him with this email:
From krisdahl on July 30, 2008 8:28:29 PM PDT

No problem.

Kris Dahl
[...]
Issaquah, WA

Paypal is [...].

Cheers,
-k

No answer, so I followed up with another email two weeks later:

krisdahl on August 14, 2008 12:19:59 AM PDT

Where are we at?

Havn't seen the lugs or a refund.

Let me know.

-k

I filed a PayPal complaint a few days ago, no response.

I'm going to be upping the PayPal complaint to a full-fledged claim later tonight. What is crazy is that all I'm asking for $250 to cover the rashed wheel, bent wheel, fixed flat (cost $15, have receipt), and the missing lug nuts. I think it is fair--won't even cover the cost of a wheel and mounting/balancing.

I don't know if he is telling the truth about being in tough financial situation or not. I guess ultimately it doesn't matter--no matter what situation you're, I don't think it gives you an excuse to scam or steal. At a minimum he should work out SOMETHING with me, and answer my emails. I've been pretty patient, haven't been hounding him all the time.

In any case, I'm not pleased about the situation--we'll see how the PayPal thing goes. If you're thinking of doing business with him, I'd be very, very weary. In fact I'd disassociate myself with him altogether.

So basically that is the story.

Here is the information on the scammer:
NASIOC Username: Subski5
Real Name: Arthur Ciesielski
Email: VikingsAAHockey@aol.com
Phone: [...]
Address: [...] W. Smith Rd
Manhattan, IL 60442
Picture:
http://www.robertmorris.edu/athletics/menshockey/chicago-white/roster/2007_picture_roster/ciesielski_218.jpg
Frequents: Chicago, IL, Orland Park, IL & Manhattan, IL Subaru Meets.

I just realized that he put his phone number on the shipping label. Nice. I will call him tomorrow, see if he's going to take care of this or not.

I'm withholding posting the phone and address street number number due to privacy concerns--although I think he probably forfeited any claim to privacy when he committed mail fraud. If people want to know the rest of the information, PM me and I'll send it to you.

The only other thing that I know about him is that he is likely a student at Robert Morris College in IL and plays goalie for the hockey team. He is/was involved with the AA Vikings near Chicago. I think Hockey is pretty important to him, and most schools and sporting organizations have a honor code / ethics policy that he may be in violation of. I haven't his coaches or hockey teams yet, but I suppose I could if he doesn't send me the refund.