Sold a Lowrance 6" colour sounder / GPS on Trademe a month ago for $1350, guy paid and never heard anything else until a week ago. The unit was working perfectlywhen sold on all functions. He says the transducer is faulty and didnt do any depth readings and it worked when he tried it on a mates boat with the same unit and TD/x, but GPS worked fine.

Now in the space of a week he has sent to ENL (without my knowledge) and says they say the motherboard is crook and unrepairable! I had no idea he had sent it to them, now he wants a full refund plus "expenses"!

What is his recourse on this? I have offered him a refund of half the cost ($675) of what he paid and that is it as a good will gesture as it's just a my word against his scenario. I don't have to offer any refund at all is my understanding but he still wants the full amount refunded! For some reason he thinks I was selling as a business but it was simply a private sale.

Don't forget from your side he could have dropped it or his install could have caused a voltage spike etc - all beyond your control. As you say it was working sweet when you removed it.
Sounds to me like you've been very reasonable.

Buyer beware I would think. If it was working properly when it left your hands then I would retract any offer of compensation. Did you courier it to him?... that could be the cause right there. Otherwise he probably rooted it trying to install himself.

No one likes to buy a dud, however your offer of 1/2 refund seems fair and I would snap that up.

would think so long as your Trade me site is private and not a company site ,buyer beware

Appreciate the replies, all good stuff, no I stated in the auction it was in full working condition and it was, I had had it out on the water prior, no issues at all. He says he can provide proof of being looked at by ENL but I have not sighted as yet. As my email address says "marine-trader@_ _ _ _ _.com" he thinks I'm a business and should be liable, I am not.

I understand his frustration but as mentioned he could have dropped it, put 24v through it, walked around for a week with it in his undies.... I just don't know... and agree contact 4 weeks after sale is quite a while.

What gets me is he said the TD/x was stuffed, but everything else worked when he tried it on a mates TD/x and cradle which was the same unit, GPS, temp, mapping etc. worked but a week later he says the motherboard is stuffed, makes no sense to me? Either way I'll wait to see what he says but agree, I think it's more than generous to offer 1/2 the cost as I certainly do not have to. Will let everyone know the outcome as I imagine situations like this arise quite often with marine electronics.

You went a long way to make good in my opinion. When you buy something unsighted on t.m you take what you get. If paying good coin for something then get proof it works before forking out. I'm in no way saying it didnt work, and think something probably something happened during installation. Keep your coin, the offer was made and if the tables were turned what do you think would happen?

Ask him to return it BEFORE YOU REFUND ANYTHING  so you can get it checked out yourself - that way you can find out whats wrong (if anything) and a possible cause (most good electronics repairers can give you a pretty good idea on what would cause any fault found)                           

Refund or return based on your findings.

Perhaps refer him to this thread so he can see what the majority of people think is fair and reasonable......

Maybe he had one already and it was stuffed.  He keeps your good one and sends you his.  Mind you if that was the case I'd say he would have jumpd at the half refund.