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{way cheap files} Check this out, something doesn't look right...

Did you try contacting Ebay about the legitimacy of that email? I.e. does that "eBay Transaction #2482547477" even exist? It's pretty easy to send mail to anyone with whatever sending address you want. If you can view the email's header, you can see some idea of where it originated from. It may be he just took an email from Ebay and substituted the pertinent stuff and sent it to you.
 
Aurora40 said:
Did you try contacting Ebay about the legitimacy of that email? I.e. does that "eBay Transaction #2482547477" even exist? It's pretty easy to send mail to anyone with whatever sending address you want. If you can view the email's header, you can see some idea of where it originated from. It may be he just took an email from Ebay and substituted the pertinent stuff and sent it to you.
there was an ad for a 2001 "Callaway" for $12k - clearly it was a fraud!!! The ad was then pulled (by e-bay??) and yet the seller is still trying to work a deal - Ugghhhh :(

Buyer beware!
 
Speaking of Buyer Beware - This one is VERY obvious!!!

Found this ad on e bay, it is an overseas "private auction" - no reserve...

http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&category=2192&item=2484862593&rd=1

ee_1.JPG


dd_1.JPG

d3_1.JPG


Same car??????????

http://www.californiaclassics.com/catalogDetail.asp?DC=45379

[font=Verdana, Arial][size=+2]94 Chevrolet Corvette Callaway 400 Super Natural 400 (Big HP) [/size][/font]
[font=Verdana, Arial][size=+0][font=Verdana, Arial][size=+1]Callaway Super Natural [/size][/font]

[/size][/font]

[font=Verdana, Arial][size=+0]Here is one of the baddest if not the baddest Mid 90's (1994) Corvette's we have ever seen, a True Callaway Supernatural 400 with just a little bit more to ensure that when you drop your foot down on the gas pedal that it gets it on! With an Est. 420 HP and ultra low miles this car is ready for action, Get one of the rarest cars in town come on down and see what it is all about.[/size][/font][font=Verdana, Arial][size=-1]Quick Facts:
Price: $34,995.00
Year: 1994
Make: Chevrolet
Model: Corvette
Body: Black
[/size][/font]
 
Evolution1980 said:
No, not the same car. There are very minute detail differences in the engine compartment... :)
you are kidding, right??

it IS the same car :nono

here is the pic from ad at the dealer -

10097_100_0.JPG



And here is the one on the "new e bay ad" -

ee_1.JPG



The car had been on e-bay before and I suspect that was where the pics came from - the original ad...

Looks like the same car from here :w :m
 
As I said...it's in the MINUTE details

*89x2* said:
you are kidding, right??

it IS the same car :nono

here is the pic from ad at the dealer -

10097_100_0.JPG



And here is the one on the "new e bay ad" -

ee_1.JPG



The car had been on e-bay before and I suspect that was where the pics came from - the original ad...

Looks like the same car from here :w :m
OK...first let's state the obvious...we AGREE that the ebay is a scam, that's what this post is about. So this isn't meant to flame you. (Anyways, Callaway's are your area of knowledge, not mine. However, digital manipulation and photography are some of my strengths.)

I respectifully have to disagree with you that the pics are one and the same.

1) I would assume that Callaway builds all series of a car in a certain way, from a listed process, using the same parts, assembled by the same people, using the same instructions from car to car. The fact that the engines bay are going to look extrememly simliar is no coincidence, and is to be expected.

The pics themselves.
2) One could argue that the pic is one and the same, but the picture from the actual dealer is closer/zoomed in than the ebay pic. If the dealers picture came first, the ebay'er certainly couldn't extrapolate [graphic/picture] information that isn't there to begin with.

3) If they are different pics, how can the angle be so simliar? Well, you are working with a fixed angle lens, such as a 35mm, you are going to want to take the best shot from the best possible angle. This would be from right off the driver-side front tire, with the hood up. This isn't rocket science. You could have 30 different people take a camera and independently photograph the same car. At least 25 out of 30 of them would be from the same angle, with about the same cropping/border, which is what you see with the two pics.

4) The two pictures have very different contrast ratios, as evidenced by looking at the part on top of (what I believe is) the A/C compressor. The ebay pic has better detail, whereas the dealer pic is higher contrast. If the ebayer stole the dealer's pic and lowered the contrast, he would only be left with a gray patch, not a better, more detailed section. Same goes with the plate on top of the fuel rail or manifold cover or whatever you call it. Again, the 'authentic' dealer pic is washed out from too much contrast (camera flash). Darkening this on the bottom ebay pic would not restore that lost detail.

5) Other minor details that cannot easily be added/subtracted...
5a) Look at the rocker covers with Callaway and the other text on it. The lighting is not the same, nor could it be. Even if the ebayer darkened his picture even more, the rocker cover would take on a much different look.
5b) Look at the master brake cylinder and the hose directly beneath it, in front of the ECM in the bottom picture. Not seen in the authentic dealer pic.
5c) Look at the upper control arm where is mounts under the A/C compressor in the top pic. It's nearly completely hidden in the bottom picture.
5d) Look at the top picture and notice where one of the AC lines goes under the MAF(?) and then make a soft 90° bend around the power steering resevoir(?). Now look at the bottom pic. There's some metallic looking knob or bolthead near that bend, at about the 1:00 position in relation to the MAF.

6) Basically, you have similiar cars but a different person taking a similiar picture, with different lighting and different flash settings. Also, one could postulate that the person who took the top dealer pic was taller (say 6'), which would allow for the steeper angle produced by taking a picture from a higher vantage point. The bottom pic was probably taken by another person in the 5'8" range, thus producing a picture with a more shallow angle.

Thank you. Class dismissed. ;LOL

---------------

...Now how's this for postulations? The ebay scammer had access to the dealer's car, therefor it could be someone associated with the dealer? Hmmm??? Maybe a honest in-person dealer, but an alter ego internet thief?
Possibly one of the dealers employees trying to scam someone? Maybe a disgrunteld employee tryng to F' the dealer by using his car to defraud someone online?
 
Evolution1980 said:
I respectifully have to disagree with you that the pics are one and the same.

Thank you. Class dismissed. ;LOL
Youd better get back in class. Chris said the CAR was the same not the pics.

Admitting you don't know much about Callaways then making a huge assumption about production in your first point doesnt lend much crediability to the arguement.

I will agree the pics are different...the car however is the same.
 
Yeah, my CSI investigation yields the same results. :L The pictures were taken by 2 different cameras. However, it is the same car. Anyone that is nutz enough to paint the ABS servo motor cover and fuel injector covers in some wacko blue paint pen just lost $10k in book value. Maybe that's why it's selling so cheap?? :L
 
Hows about another funny... Maybe the custom paint pen defamation was done by a CallOway owner. Any "real" CallAway owner would never do such a thing! :L :(
 
Evolution1980 said:
OK...first let's state the obvious...we AGREE that the ebay is a scam, that's what this post is about. So this isn't meant to flame you. (Anyways, Callaway's are your area of knowledge, not mine. However, digital manipulation and photography are some of my strengths.)

I respectifully have to disagree with you that the pics are one and the same.
Thank you. Class dismissed. ;LOL

The obvious would be, I never said they were the same pictures, just the same car.;shrug

The BBK Throttle body plate is a part not installed by Callaway, and as Von Ha mentions, neither was the blue paint pen accents under the hood...

Looking at the center console, the correct throtle body ID plate is affixed to the ashtray door lid - again, Not a Callaway procedure.

Again, I believe it is the same car - I know the car was advertised on at least 3 different sites about 4-6 months ago, including e-bay and the Callaway Cars website when they had cars for sale, the pictures resembled the ones in the current e-bay ad.
The dealership ad recently popped up and I imagine they have the car currently in their inventory, as it was the top of the list of cars shown...

I hope this helps :w
 
All's well that ends well...

I hope no one is losing their sense of humor over all of this. :L
I'm not so proud that I can't admit when I am wrong (I was) and got offtrack on the original purpose of this thread. I read 89x2's post, got looking at the pics, then in my head went off on the tangent I proceeded to write about.
However, if I was trying to save any last shred of selfworth here :)L) I would make the point that I did concur at the end to the possibility of it being the same car.
:beer

SurfnSun, yes, I don't know much about Callaways, but was I really that far off on the build methods and processes used for/during production???

90Callaway, Next time I'll request the admins move any 'scam' messages to the CAC Off Road Lounge where 'wasting bandwidth' seems to be the status quo. :L Let's not forget though that non-registered users come to the CAC for all types of info, from the basic to the advanced. I'm sure in the time you've been around the CAC (since Feb '02), you've seen plenty of duplicate postings and repeated questions.

....peace...
 
EricVonHa said:
No prob bro. Drinks on Callaway guys at Carlisle if you can make it. :)
Thanks, Eric. If I'm there, which I may just be, I'll take ya up on that and fill you in on some recent Blender Wars history...
:drink :bar :beer :m
 
looks like it resurfaced

The scam is back... http://cgi.ebay.com/ebaymotors/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&rd=1&item=2486175049&category=6168


Item location: Travis Air Force Base, CA

Buy it now - $13,000 :eek
*89x2* said:
I am thinking this is a scam... :( stolen e bay ID??:confused

*******************************************************
http://cgi.ebay.com/ebaymotors/ws/e...2&category=6168


Starting bid: US $100.00

Get low monthly payments
Time left: 2 days 20 hours
3-day listing
Ends Jul-14-04 03:43:33 PDT
Add to Calendar
Start time: Jul-11-04 03:43:33 PDT
History: 0 bids
Price: US $12,000.00


Note: This listing is restricted to pre-approved bidders or buyers only.


Email the seller to be placed on the pre-approved bidder/buyer list.

[font=Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif]Vehicle Description [/font]
2001 Chevrolet Corvette C-5 Convertible finished in Quicksilver Metallic with Custom re-upholstered Black seats with contrast stitching. This very special one-owner IMMACULATE vehicle has been driven just 1,534 miles since new and looks as though it has never left the showroom. This custom-built C-5 will make a great summer driver. Some of the custom upgrades include HRE polished 18" aluminum wheels with OE tire monitoring system, Callaway performance package (headers, crossover pipe, exhaust, intake, throttle body, and customer programmed computer), slotted front and rear rotors with high-performance brake pads and lines, Hotchkiss front and rear anti-sway bat kit,...




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