TheSamba.com :: View topic - Grr! Beware, anyone that buys "project" cars

Wed Jun 25, 2008 10:50 pm

:-({|= ](*,) :snipersmile:
OK, HAS THIS EVER HAPPEND TO YOU??
I bought a 1960 bug, with semaphores at pomona swap meet in 2006. actually, it was the last one of the year, like begining decemberANYWAYS, this guy had this car for sale for 2,000 bucks, but it was more than i had at that time. this was as i was going into the show. when i came by again to leave, i told the guy i would give him 1,000. he replyed, "gimmie 1500 and its yours". i told him i had 800 on me right now, so we made a deal to pay the 800 now, and he would give me the title, write up an agreement, and traded phone numbers, and so done deal. couple weeks later called him up, told him i have the rest. an hour later the car was delivered to my house. no problem, right? well, first of all, this guy had the title, and the numbers were matching, so i was like cool. ANYHOW, this morning, my world was severely rocked when my wife came into the room and said "someone is banging on the front door" so i ran to see whats going on. i looked out the window, and the yard was full of los angeles county sheriffs officers, in full armor ready to smash my front door in!!!!!!!! well, all i was thinking was "all this for a traffic ticket"?? but, no. AS IT TURNS OUT, the car that i have "owned" for the past year and a half, spent countless thousands and dollars on, was somehow not what it appeared to be. yes, the guy that i had bought it from DID have the title, and the FIRST thing i did when i got it was register and insure it. so usually, you would think that youre "good-to-go". NOT! so, this morning i wake up to the cops at my house to serve a search warrant for a stolen car!! and believe me when i say that these guys dont mess around..... but, fortunately i had all my documents, pictures, reciepts and no prior criminal history. from what i was told, this idiot who owned the car, ("idiot" is what the cop called the owner) this guy for whatever reason left the car at some shop, for like years... SUPOSEDLY, with the title in the car or with the car. and didnt pay any attention or realize that the car was gone. ive had it for a year and a half. and whomever he left the car with forged his signature. and i was the sucker that bought it. PEOPLE, WHENEVER POSSIBLE, GET AS MUCH INFORMATION FROM WHO YOU BUY CARS FROM. ASK TO SEE ID, GET ADDRESSES , KEEP PHONE NUMBERS, ANYTHING. because take it from me, getting handcuffed, stuffed in the back of a copcar, (in my boxers no doubt) AND watching them load your baby on a flatbed is the CRAPPYEST WAY TO NOT ONLY START THE DAY WITH,,, BUT START THE SUMMER WITH TOO.

Wed Jun 25, 2008 10:54 pm

Yep, buyer beware. Sounds like you got screwed. Document everything and it'll be a little easier.

Wed Jun 25, 2008 11:22 pm

Wow, sorry to hear that! So what is going to happen now?

Wed Jun 25, 2008 11:53 pm

thanks.. whats going to happen now?? good question. prolly sit here on the samba to look for another bug!!!!!!!

Thu Jun 26, 2008 2:07 am

that's F-d up! you should get ahold of the original owner and work out some kind of agreement...i mean, you both got duped, but it looks like you're the one more at a loss since you put all that blood sweat and tears into the thing for a year and a half, and the PO just let it sit and let it get taken from under his nose!

Thu Jun 26, 2008 3:14 am

Asking $2000, Paid $800? Sound too good to be true? This happened to me when I bought a 57 Chevy from a guy. He had the title etc. in his possession. 8 months later I found out the Chevy was stolen and sold to me. Sure glad I had all of my receipts! Police located the seller, arrested him, and I was paid back for all of my $$$ spent on the vehicle through the California Victims Restitution Fund. If they can find the seller and you have receipts you should be just fine. Why they hauled you off is beyond me. None of this was your fault. Go back to the swap meet when it is around again. Your seller will be there.

Thu Jun 26, 2008 4:46 am

unless they could prove it was a forgery i would think it'd be your word against his. just say he sold you the car and now thats its nice he is trying to scam it back. after a year and a half? if it wasn't reported stolen and you've had a clear title for that whole time i don't see this happening.

Thu Jun 26, 2008 5:40 am

Got a lawyer yet? Sounds like you may need one.

Thu Jun 26, 2008 5:45 am

therealonevwnut wrote: :-({|= ](*,) :snipersmile:
OK, HAS THIS EVER HAPPEND TO YOU??
I bought a 1960 bug, with semaphores at pomona swap meet in 2006. actually, it was the last one of the year, like begining decemberANYWAYS, this guy had this car for sale for 2,000 bucks, but it was more than i had at that time. this was as i was going into the show. when i came by again to leave, i told the guy i would give him 1,000. he replyed, "gimmie 1500 and its yours". i told him i had 800 on me right now, so we made a deal to pay the 800 now, and he would give me the title, write up an agreement, and traded phone numbers, and so done deal. couple weeks later called him up, told him i have the rest. an hour later the car was delivered to my house. no problem, right? well, first of all, this guy had the title, and the numbers were matching, so i was like cool. ANYHOW, this morning, my world was severely rocked when my wife came into the room and said "someone is banging on the front door" so i ran to see whats going on. i looked out the window, and the yard was full of los angeles county sheriffs officers, in full armor ready to smash my front door in!!!!!!!! well, all i was thinking was "all this for a traffic ticket"?? but, no. AS IT TURNS OUT, the car that i have "owned" for the past year and a half, spent countless thousands and dollars on, was somehow not what it appeared to be. yes, the guy that i had bought it from DID have the title, and the FIRST thing i did when i got it was register and insure it. so usually, you would think that youre "good-to-go". NOT! so, this morning i wake up to the cops at my house to serve a search warrant for a stolen car!! and believe me when i say that these guys dont mess around..... but, fortunately i had all my documents, pictures, reciepts and no prior criminal history. from what i was told, this idiot who owned the car, ("idiot" is what the cop called the owner) this guy for whatever reason left the car at some shop, for like years... SUPOSEDLY, with the title in the car or with the car. and didnt pay any attention or realize that the car was gone. ive had it for a year and a half. and whomever he left the car with forged his signature. and i was the sucker that bought it. PEOPLE, WHENEVER POSSIBLE, GET AS MUCH INFORMATION FROM WHO YOU BUY CARS FROM. ASK TO SEE ID, GET ADDRESSES , KEEP PHONE NUMBERS, ANYTHING. because take it from me, getting handcuffed, stuffed in the back of a copcar, (in my boxers no doubt) AND watching them load your baby on a flatbed is the CRAPPYEST WAY TO NOT ONLY START THE DAY WITH,,, BUT START THE SUMMER WITH TOO.
thats actually irrelevant but they love to try and use it

Thu Jun 26, 2008 5:52 am

Mr. Loaf wrote: Asking $2000, Paid $800?

He paid $1500. The $800 was just a down payment
.

It seems that there should be some recourse for unjust enrichment against the original owner if you put a lot of work and documentable money into the car. I dont believe his car was "stolen" either. I'm sure there are laws on the books about "abandonment" - especially if it's at a mechanic's shop for years. How can you register a car that's been reported stolen, anyway?? It's likely because he didnt pay his mechanic's bill and just said to hell with the car. Now, after all this time, he gets his car back free and clear with all your hard work and nothing for you? I dont think so [-X . Unjust enrichment.... that's all I can say :?

Thu Jun 26, 2008 6:28 am

You could have been set-up. Figured selling it at a VW show it would be bought by somebody that would fix it up as opposed to the 'dreamers' in the general public that might buy it from the classifieds. Wait awhile and then claim it was stolen, get it back better than it was. My question, how did the owner find you?

Thu Jun 26, 2008 7:30 am

Ashton Kutcher didn't run out?

Thu Jun 26, 2008 7:37 am

runamoc wrote: You could have been set-up. Figured selling it at a VW show it would be bought by somebody that would fix it up as opposed to the 'dreamers' in the general public that might buy it from the classifieds. Wait awhile and then claim it was stolen, get it back better than it was. My question, how did the owner find you? yeah really, if the story were true that means I could let someone sell my car for me and then claim it was stolen and get it back plus keep all the cash... :idea:

Thu Jun 26, 2008 7:50 am

OK PEOPLE. i gotta say i really appreciate the input. and also, i have to say AMEN to; mrx, mrloaf, 90volts, drscope, jmsmilin,67fldeluxe,and runamoc!! and most importantly to THEBUCKET!!!! DUDE,,, i totally was hoping either him or chip foose (overhaulin) would appear..but not this time... also, i was not taken to jail,, only detained.. and now that i have a better perspective now, i will seek legal counsel. thanks 'yall

Thu Jun 26, 2008 8:23 am

smells like BS to me. how would the guy who sold you the car have the title if the owner is not involved in this? who keeps the title in the car or takes it to the repair shop? really seems fishy to me.

Thu Jun 26, 2008 9:33 am

Wow............. I wish you the best of luck and hope something can be worked out. This scares me since I recently bought a car with a shady paper trail, the guy I got it from, never put it in his name. There was NO title in the CA records, no paper title, I only got a bill of sale, I have registered the car and that seemed ok.

Thu Jun 26, 2008 10:23 am

cutter57,,, YOU MAY BE ON TO SOMETHING.... cause this chit dont add up..

Thu Jun 26, 2008 11:33 am

When you transfer a title, don't you need to have it notarized? At least here in NC you do... The seller and buyer both sign the title in front of a notary, who verifies that both parties are who they say they are.

Thu Jun 26, 2008 12:26 pm

if you have a legal valid issued title on the car and you let them take it away forgive me for saying so but you are a fool. possession is 9/10ths of the law as they say. if it was a "shop person" that sold you the car he probably had legal rights to it if it was abandoned there. either way if the guy never reported the car gone and you've had a clear title on the car for over a year tuff luck to him. i'd be out there getting MY car back if i were you. and if not i'd be looking for either fair market value for the car or the amount of money invested whichever is the greater sum. i can't even believe they took the car. you sure they were even REAL cops, theives are getting craftier hahahha...ken....

Thu Jun 26, 2008 12:32 pm

DUDE,,, THE FRONT OF MY HOUSE LOOKED LIKE THEY WERE FILMING AN ISSUE OF COPS...... HELL YEAH THEY WERE THE REAL DEAL... and to the comment of being a "fool",,,, >>>when cops come to your house ready to serve a search warrant,,, = compliance. a fool=non-compliance. so, given the fact that i am not in jail makes me think i am not such the fool... but the fact of the matter is i posted my situation so that i would be able to get the ideas and gain a better perspective on things. i AM seeking legal counsel, and i am not going out like a chump. thank you for your input..