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Mon Jan 23, 2012 6:30 pm

Repost? All hope isn't lost for stolen VWs.
http://latimesblogs.latimes.com/lanow/2012/01/burb...o-pay.html

Mon Jan 23, 2012 6:40 pm

wow!!

Mon Jan 23, 2012 7:25 pm

Wow, the real owner scored one there.
The report says he was pissed about having to pay $800 recover his stolen car based on repairs that the person who possessed the stolen car put into it.
Well how much money would you put into your bug over 20 years to keep it going? After 20 years I would have wrote that off 19 years ago.
I'd be thrilled to pay the $800 and get my car back that had thousands invested in it to keep it going. Yea, yea lose of use, nope you did not have it to use in this case.
Anyway cool story, glad the car survived the theft and was not parted out for scraps or parts.

Mon Jan 23, 2012 9:07 pm

mr patterson is a prick.thats why i get sick to my stomach sometimes. pay the f&cken cash and be done with it.

Tue Jan 24, 2012 7:57 am

You know, anytime we buy an old car from a stranger, we really don't know what it's history is.

And this just goes to show you never know what be coming down the road in the future.

In a round about way, this should be a lesson to EVERY person on these boards who gets involved with a car with no title or bad paper work!

And you need to keep good records of who you bought the car from. Name, phone number, address. Anything that may help you find that person 10 years from now.

This kind of story is NOT uncommon! It reminds me of another story that was on these boards a while ago where a guy had his bug for several years. He had spent much time and money on it. Then one night the Sheriff's office sent the swa team to knock his front door in and take him away.

That was because a previous owner wanted the car back and it got reported as stolen.

Lots of folks use a title service or go through Vermont for a title, but do you really know who the legal owner is? Just because you get paperwork that way doesn't mean the car will be legally yours a few years from now.

Tue Jan 24, 2012 9:00 am

That sucks about the title since he probably never knew the title didn't match the actual car but it reminds me of the various people on here who have posted "I fully restored this car and now I can't get it titled, help!".

Always get any title issues cleared up before you spend any money and always check the title against any car you are buying, if only to make sure there are no typos on anything.

I've had a couple VWs that either had the wrong year, had the engine # as the VIN # on the title, or had a typo in the VIN.

Tue Jan 24, 2012 12:07 pm

What cracks me up is the original owner's complaint about paying 800 for the car. Money says he had theft on it originally and was payed by the insurance company. If he didn't, it wasn't worth much then. He should pay 2000 for that car.
I feel sorry for the fellow who lost the car. Hope he doesn't sour on VWs from that.

Tue Jan 24, 2012 12:33 pm

mgamike wrote: What cracks me up is the original owner's complaint about paying 800 for the car. Money says he had theft on it originally and was payed by the insurance company. If he didn't, it wasn't worth much then. He should pay 2000 for that car.
I feel sorry for the fellow who lost the car. Hope he doesn't sour on VWs from that.

Yea, 20 years ago we weren't required to have insurance in CA. With the value of a bug being around it's lowest circa 1990, I doubt they even had liability at the time. But who knows...

I would be very disappointed if I was the owner who realized the non-matching numbers. He claims $5000 was put into the car since he had it, but only had receipts for $800 according to the story. :?: Hmmm... Either way, imagine dropping all the money into a car then having to give it away for a fraction of what you put into it? I would be crushed if that happened to mine...

Tue Jan 24, 2012 5:50 pm

When they bring the check in to pay for the car I'd hand them a bill for all the years of storage and follow up with a lien when they laugh it off and not pay.

Wed Jan 25, 2012 4:14 am

I am glad they found there car

but I think given the situation unless I had great sentimental value in the car I would have offered the guy who did the right thing an opportunity to buy the car back or work out some kind of deal

this is why every time I look into buying an older vehicle I have the numbers run first before I put any money down

Wed Jan 25, 2012 8:26 am

my59 wrote: When they bring the check in to pay for the car I'd hand them a bill for all the years of storage and follow up with a lien when they laugh it off and not pay.

Ha-ha, you don't have any lien rights if the owner didn't authorize you to work on his car and I don't think your rights last that long anyways. I would counter-sue for vandalizing my all-original car with new paint and aftermarket parts!

Wed Jan 25, 2012 10:31 am

if he wanted to be a dick he could return just the pan

Wed Jan 25, 2012 11:06 am

sub-hatchtim wrote: if he wanted to be a dick he could return just the pan

I agree.

Wed Jan 25, 2012 11:15 am

DougD wrote: my59 wrote: When they bring the check in to pay for the car I'd hand them a bill for all the years of storage and follow up with a lien when they laugh it off and not pay.

Ha-ha, you don't have any lien rights if the owner didn't authorize you to work on his car and I don't think your rights last that long anyways. I would counter-sue for vandalizing my all-original car with new paint and aftermarket parts!

What about tow yards? Can't they get a lien for cars they tow if they are not paid?

Just curious what the difference is here, from a legal perspective, of course.

Wed Jan 25, 2012 11:59 am

EverettB wrote: DougD wrote: my59 wrote: When they bring the check in to pay for the car I'd hand them a bill for all the years of storage and follow up with a lien when they laugh it off and not pay.

Ha-ha, you don't have any lien rights if the owner didn't authorize you to work on his car and I don't think your rights last that long anyways. I would counter-sue for vandalizing my all-original car with new paint and aftermarket parts!

What about tow yards? Can't they get a lien for cars they tow if they are not paid?

Just curious what the difference is here, from a legal perspective, of course.
Tow companies don't do liens(at least in WA). I know the owner of a large towing company in my area and any cars that sit in their lot for a certain period of time(unpaid) go to auction. The proceeds cover the towing/storage cost and the rest is sent in to the state. I believe most towing companies work this way. For the most part with liens you have a certain time period before your lien rights expire. In WA its 90 days.

Wed Jan 25, 2012 12:28 pm

In CA. all tow yards do liens, as do mechanics. If you drop a car for work/ estimate, and decline the work but leave your car, daily storage is charged. After 30 days, a lien is filed, and unless you pay, they take legal title and sell your car. Same with tow yards.

Wed Jan 25, 2012 1:53 pm

Dave24 wrote: In CA. all tow yards do liens, as do mechanics. If you drop a car for work/ estimate, and decline the work but leave your car, daily storage is charged. After 30 days, a lien is filed, and unless you pay, they take legal title and sell your car. Same with tow yards.

same in az

Wed Jan 25, 2012 2:57 pm

Dave24 wrote: In CA. all tow yards do liens, as do mechanics. If you drop a car for work/ estimate, and decline the work but leave your car, daily storage is charged. After 30 days, a lien is filed, and unless you pay, they take legal title and sell your car. Same with tow yards. Pretty close. In Cali after 5 days the lien is filed and subsequently a new title issued after the lien process is completed. Their is a short lien (30 day process) for basic cars and expensive old cars that no one from the state looks at the cars actual value. Then their is a long lien for newer and pricier cars (90+ days process). Once the lien process is completed, generally privately owned police impounds have to auction out the cars and keep their portion on fees owed and hand the rest $ to the state. Private impounds which is what I used to own can do whatever they want with a car once the lien process is completed and a new title is issued. Its an ugly, ugly business but somebody has to do it...

See what I see. Stolen 63 never claimed...

Wed Jan 25, 2012 3:01 pm

sub-hatchtim wrote: Dave24 wrote: In CA. all tow yards do liens, as do mechanics. If you drop a car for work/ estimate, and decline the work but leave your car, daily storage is charged. After 30 days, a lien is filed, and unless you pay, they take legal title and sell your car. Same with tow yards.

same in az Very similar except for the Ransom Law...

Thu Jan 26, 2012 7:46 am

They both got screwed but the guy who lost the car it's his fault he should have checked the vin. It's good the car went back to the original owner.