Sold as Celestron CG5, but what I got was not CelePosted By Mark Byland |
The ad, which has since been deleted and I am not sure why. The seller most likely knew he would receive negative feedback upon arrival.
The mount was being billed as a Celestron CG5 non-goto mount and tripod with dual axis controller. Included Polar axis scope, 2 counter weights, batteries and all. What a deal for $250. Some thing that when I saw it, I couldn't really believe what I was seeing, but the guy had his phone number listed and I called him.
The ad had a stock picture of a new Celestron CG5 mount & tripod complete with the new molded style motor covers, 2" steel leg tripod, accessory tray, with no controller pictured. No actual pictures of the mount. This should have been a red flag from the beginning but the guy sounded like he had some decent equipment so I had just assumed he was looking to unload some thing he just ddn't need.
This was perfect because I had just sent off my LXD75 to Meade to be fixed and would be without it for the next 6 weeks. This was going to be a standby and potentially upgraded to a CG5 goto. But the idea was that it was a Celestron CG5. Not a CG5 clone form China that's been going for $249 on EBay for the last 6 months.
The same hunk of junk that is currently available from a the same company operating under a few different names on EBay. I knew the second I looked at the box without even opening it that I was not looking at a Celestron CG5 mount. The outside of the box would have said some thing to the effect. That's how it is. They label the outside of their boxes for the exact type of product inside.
I called the guy immediately and I may have sounded a little hot, but at no point did I raise my voice or swear or try and sound too stressed. I was a litte upset for having just forked out $300 for some thing that wasn't even close to what i was expecting. Simply not even a Celestron Mount, which it was being sold as.
It would have almost been acceptable if it would have at least been a Celestron CG5 old style with square motor box covers. But, again, it wasn't even that.
The tripod, instead of having 2" legs, had 1.25" legs, a very thin tin-style metal spreader plate and the eyepiece tray was a stamped piece of tin as well. Nothing I even wanted to be bothered. with.
The first time I had called, like I said, I may have sounded a little hot, but I wasn't about to start flipping out over the phone. That's not how to get any where with some thing like this. I basically demanded a refund. He obliged, but I hadn't really laid out any details. We hung up the phone and I went back to looking at the mount in total disbelief.
Out of curiosity, I set it up. Just to see if going through the hassle of sending it back could at all be avoided. No go. It was just simply unacceptable. Not at all what I was expecting and left me totally short of my plans for what I thought it was.
I called him back and explained myself further, this time a little more calmed down. Again at no point, sounding haraassing or threatening in any way. I just want my money back at this point so I felt that being as nice as possible was going to be the only way that was going to happen.
I basically reasoned with him statingthat originally, on the phone, I made the PayPal payment on good faith, right then, right there. He sent it out 4-5 days later and it arrived today. The whole process has taken about 10 days from start so far. Down time I;d rather not be having. But I guess that's up to me to deal with. But it's time lost that I would not have lost if I had gone to a retailer. I signed up for AstroMart based upon wanting to see this guys ad. What a hook. What a total deal! Pay $12 to see an ad, and get a bad deal in the long run.
I don't know. I'm torn between asking for my money back from AstroMart Clissifieds and just calling this one a really bad experience and hope for the best next time.
I know this place is reputable, it must be. It has some relaly nice stuff, but I just wonder some times if it doesn't just end up with some rather questionable merchandise getting passed around catching people unaware.
I know what I wanted, I know what I thought I ordered, and what I got wasn't even close. Luckily the guy is refunding me the money.
Thanks for reading.
Mark
The mount was being billed as a Celestron CG5 non-goto mount and tripod with dual axis controller. Included Polar axis scope, 2 counter weights, batteries and all. What a deal for $250. Some thing that when I saw it, I couldn't really believe what I was seeing, but the guy had his phone number listed and I called him.
The ad had a stock picture of a new Celestron CG5 mount & tripod complete with the new molded style motor covers, 2" steel leg tripod, accessory tray, with no controller pictured. No actual pictures of the mount. This should have been a red flag from the beginning but the guy sounded like he had some decent equipment so I had just assumed he was looking to unload some thing he just ddn't need.
This was perfect because I had just sent off my LXD75 to Meade to be fixed and would be without it for the next 6 weeks. This was going to be a standby and potentially upgraded to a CG5 goto. But the idea was that it was a Celestron CG5. Not a CG5 clone form China that's been going for $249 on EBay for the last 6 months.
The same hunk of junk that is currently available from a the same company operating under a few different names on EBay. I knew the second I looked at the box without even opening it that I was not looking at a Celestron CG5 mount. The outside of the box would have said some thing to the effect. That's how it is. They label the outside of their boxes for the exact type of product inside.
I called the guy immediately and I may have sounded a little hot, but at no point did I raise my voice or swear or try and sound too stressed. I was a litte upset for having just forked out $300 for some thing that wasn't even close to what i was expecting. Simply not even a Celestron Mount, which it was being sold as.
It would have almost been acceptable if it would have at least been a Celestron CG5 old style with square motor box covers. But, again, it wasn't even that.
The tripod, instead of having 2" legs, had 1.25" legs, a very thin tin-style metal spreader plate and the eyepiece tray was a stamped piece of tin as well. Nothing I even wanted to be bothered. with.
The first time I had called, like I said, I may have sounded a little hot, but I wasn't about to start flipping out over the phone. That's not how to get any where with some thing like this. I basically demanded a refund. He obliged, but I hadn't really laid out any details. We hung up the phone and I went back to looking at the mount in total disbelief.
Out of curiosity, I set it up. Just to see if going through the hassle of sending it back could at all be avoided. No go. It was just simply unacceptable. Not at all what I was expecting and left me totally short of my plans for what I thought it was.
I called him back and explained myself further, this time a little more calmed down. Again at no point, sounding haraassing or threatening in any way. I just want my money back at this point so I felt that being as nice as possible was going to be the only way that was going to happen.
I basically reasoned with him statingthat originally, on the phone, I made the PayPal payment on good faith, right then, right there. He sent it out 4-5 days later and it arrived today. The whole process has taken about 10 days from start so far. Down time I;d rather not be having. But I guess that's up to me to deal with. But it's time lost that I would not have lost if I had gone to a retailer. I signed up for AstroMart based upon wanting to see this guys ad. What a hook. What a total deal! Pay $12 to see an ad, and get a bad deal in the long run.
I don't know. I'm torn between asking for my money back from AstroMart Clissifieds and just calling this one a really bad experience and hope for the best next time.
I know this place is reputable, it must be. It has some relaly nice stuff, but I just wonder some times if it doesn't just end up with some rather questionable merchandise getting passed around catching people unaware.
I know what I wanted, I know what I thought I ordered, and what I got wasn't even close. Luckily the guy is refunding me the money.
Thanks for reading.
Mark
