So, I organised to buy some kites (a set of three 2007 Yarga's) from the buy and sell. Picked them up, paid cash, and rolled the kites out (but didn't inflate them).
As it turns out, they were both not as described (they're 2006's) and the bladders are riddled with holes. When I dropped the guy who sold them a line to discuss the problems, he basically said - "Take it up with your lawyer," - sadly.
So - a couple of lessons for anyone buying kites (and let me tell you, I should have known better!).
1. Inflate the damn things! Anyone who's in too much of a hurry isn't too trustworthy.
2. Get a receipt, even for a cash transaction!
3. Know how to identify what you're getting (a newb mistake, but still worth drilling home)
4. If something goes wrong, you want to contact the trader (politely) and let them know. If you can't get anywhere that way, follow up with the Office of Fair Trading in the state the deal took place (I'm in QLD, but this happened in NSW).
5. Keep immaculate records of everything that goes on.
6. I'm not going to name and shame the individual here - as tempting as that is.
Any other tips greatly appreciated!
Thats the second instance you kiters really suck
Turn to windsurfing were a much better crew
In all honesty why would you buy cheap rubbish of the for sale section.
if its for sale obviously there a reason.
i put alot of trust into my gear.I have purchaced windsurfing equiptment cheap out of the quokka (trading site)you get what you pay for.
would you buy a pcket of used frangers and place your life in the hands of them.
certain things just shouldnt be bought second hand.
Insted of thinking you are getting a bargin save your money and to a shop where you can see the goods,uphold a reputation to the consumer.
i bought a second hand sail it lasted 3 months and i put the mast through the top took us an hour and a half to swim back.
now i refuse to purchace cheap goods and maintain that it is better to pay a little extra for quality.
i found out that long term insted of buying **** from the paper i went to places like secondwind where they guys told us how it was.These shop owner dont sell **** else they wouldnt have a client base.
An expensive lesson moganj, but cheaper than a trip to the hospital.
If you'd asked for advice in the forum, the first thing anyone would have said is GET LESSONS.
Your instructor could have given you advice about appropriate kites for a beginner.
Nobody would have recommended a Yarga, which is a grunty C kite.
Better luck next time, and GET LESSONS!
I tink the latin phrase Caveat emptor applies here.
LOL
Buying second hand without inspecting and/or pumping up is a bit dull imo.
like the others said you get what you pay for mate do your homework or take someone who knows what there looking at i feel for you bro your out of pocket but
what you gonna do....
stay safe get lessons learn from your mistakes.
I think you guys are a little harsh
The seller would have to be a mongrel to sell a beginner 3 kites and not tell him they are full of holes.
That is if you got them from seabreeze buy and sell. 
althou i will never be buying kiters gear but i would like to know who this fella was .. to stop it from hapening to other people ... i hope his kite gets shreaded to pieces by crows
It gets worse, I contacted the guy saying I was interested (never got a reply) but also suggesting they were 05's not 06's or 07's (you can tell by the graphics). I was interested if they were 06's as these are the current Team edition yarga's and a great kite. As for the 05's, well???
Anyone out there got an 11 mtr 06 yarga?
following this thread with interest, cant understand the holes in kites,
What are the holy kites biggest hole causers, Barracuda in the water,
Bindyi's, three corner jacks, punture weed on land. Or microbial attack
from storage of older and uncleaned gear by bacteria. 
Just to clarify, have been grabbing lessons (still got done!) and yep, consider it an expensive lesson learned. I've now moved things on to the office of fair trading, but I'll also drop Laurie a line. Thanks for that.
I will say, on the flipside - I've had plenty of success with other buy and sells here - I've still come out ahead, in the end, which saved me enough cash to be able to afford lessons, as it happens!
Mongrel trick for sure.
There are some folks that are delusion about their 'like new' condition kites like a few i viewed some time ago that were shagged like The Canterbury Bulldogs had been thru em. This case of morgan's is pretty clearly a total tossbag taking advantage of a newby.
Kites are no diff to any other purchase morganj - sharing a common interest for a sport doesn't mean sharing a common sense of good will. Live n learn.
Buster i don't understand you laying the slippers into kiters in general, especially when a guy who has been ripped pretty calmly warns of his experience. Low act. Don't think you are making a very good case for polies being a better class of citizen ther mate. 
Quite the opposite. You are mistaken if you think all shops behave with integrity also. In hindsight some of the cr@p a shop, I went to as a newb, tried to pass off was laughable. Now that is not the general way but newbs are just easy picking for some in the retail sector too.
Pity for you morgan that they didn't work out. I basically learnt on and spent 3 yrs on 2005 Yargas. Very sweet kites. Keep at it and try to ignore some of the rabble (in all forums) on this site. The majority of SB folks are the genuine article. Be wary when there is no wind tho.
Spewin about the holes in the bladder, but you do realise that the 2006 Yarga is heaps better than the 07s. (still not the point tho)
2005 may be the best tho? Scuse the pun. Check out the latest all black team Yargas. They have the older true squared tips and look exactly like my 2005 - cept for the colour.
2007 were not popular as they tried to make them Cs/Hybrids/SLEs all in one, in a very dodgy marketing move.
The perceived perseption, verses ones expectation ,
But hey when it works out,,,, you perceive you got more for less
I KNEW there was a reason for a 5th line .........
i only hear good things about buy and sell
Cal (point taken (Monday fever )
^^^^^^^^
Can anyone translate king of the points post??
Mate, is that avatar a photo you just took? wondering if the acid is seeping through your fingers and is now tripping out your camera! [}:)]
oh, and sorry to hear about the ripoff, some people...
It' always bad value when somebody has a complaint about a transaction (whether seabreeze, or any business) in the forums, rather than contacting us first, as it always ends up a bit of a mess.
Buyer bagged, seller bagged, buy & sell bagged. Not many winners there!
About the "integrity" of the buy & sell. To think that in three years, there have only been a couple of disputes is amazing. Literally, less than 3 disputes that I know of for thousands of transactions - testament to the good nature of people involved in watersports.
I've been in contact with morganj via email, and shall help out if I can.
Personally I think Poo Rellie hit the Latin nail on the head. Buyer beware is what it translates to. Effectively that is how the law looks at personal (non registered business) sales too.
I don't expect SB to be reponsible for transaction (just like I wouldn't expect the trading post/Quokka etc to) but it is undoubtably a low act to stooge a noob. It is obviously tops that Laurie is prepared to respond to this sort of shenaningans but you have to take reposibility for your own decisions too. Not bagging you Morgan BTW.
It's not just noobs either I had a look at a "Awww I have hardly used the 11m mate - it is almost like new" kite a year or so ago and was shocked to find a salt caked (and i mean so thick it was caked on the LE) kite with a split in the LE seams that the bladder was peaking out thru. 
Obviously i didn't bother pumping the unit as it was never gonna be a sale. A noob may have gone for it though. To this day i am not sure if the seller was delusional or shonky or both.
Anyway you wouldn't buy a car (surely) without starting and/or driving so check out a kite pumped and look carefully at it ALL OVER. Listen to the valves etc etc. If the seller has some lame excuse for not being able to inflate he/she either is not keen enough to make a sale or pulling your leg.
Just like when buying dolphin fillets you have to smell them first to make sure they are ok 
