Be careful who you deal with

Greg Smith · July 21, 2015, 01:16:19 PM

Be careful who you deal with. Even some bus nuts can be crooks. I bought a bay car from a person on this board last year. Since then, my wife got ill, had to quit her job, money got tight. We are now on the comeback and I inquired about the car. I was told the car was given away and I will not get my $1000 back. I am sitting here with the title, receipts, and all e-mail correspondence with the person. I guess a lawsuit is next. Any suggestions? We live approximately 1200 miles apart.

Greg Smith · July 21, 2015, 01:26:44 PM

I guess "lawsuit" is the wrong terminology. What it will be is "criminal charges" for fraud.

Jon · July 21, 2015, 01:36:29 PM

Except for your personal satisfaction it is likely to end up costing you more than you will ever recover.

If you are a nasty person and can prove what you say post the person's name and try to shame him. Other than that lick your wounds and walk away. It was a $1000 education.

I'll bet all of us have been taken advantage of at one time or another and unless we want to lower ourselves to the same level as those who mess with us we are just better to chalk it up to experience and move on.

kyle4501 · July 21, 2015, 02:04:04 PM

Best you can do is post facts, wouldn't want to give them the chance to get you for slander. . . .
Letting others know so as to help them avoid the same mistake is often the best you can do after something like this happens.

There are always 2 sides to the story - sometimes the other side sounds differently to others than you expect.

As for me, I've spent lots more to learn less, so you have company in that area. . . . .

BTW,
wayne medlin in Tx is a slick talker - my advice in dealing with him is to make sure the payment clears before you send him anything.

Good luck

edvanland · July 21, 2015, 02:15:33 PM

Since you have the title and all the paperwork, why not call the police and report it stolen and name the man who cheated you as the suspected thief.
Worth a try. When I was building my Quonset hut in Colorado the first crook I hired to put in a garage door ripped me off to the tune of $1200 dollars and after talking to a lawyer he told me you can sue and win but it will cost you more than the loss and then no guarantee of getting the money.
What happened to a man's word is his bond. I know mine still is.
ED

daddyoften · July 21, 2015, 02:24:00 PM

Correct me if I'm wrong but if any vehicle is left unattended long enough it becomes property of the property owner? ? ? I'm by no means taking any sides! I'm just trying to understand this better
Eric

Sent from my Droid phone

bevans6 · July 21, 2015, 02:35:59 PM

If the $1,000 was a deposit, you're not entitled to get a deposit back if you don't go through with the purchase. If it was full payment and title was transfered, you have a leg to stand on. What is a bay car, anyway? There is more to this story, I just know it!

Brian

Lin · July 21, 2015, 03:01:22 PM

$1000. sounds like a small claims court jurisdiction if you wanted to pursue that. Sounds like it would be a real nuisance though. Who are we talking about here?

Greg Smith · July 21, 2015, 03:07:47 PM

The car was paid in full $1000. I will not name the person until he has a chance to respond. The car was a 1969 Honda that was shortened to fit in the bay of the bus. I'm not mad about not getting the car, I just want my money back.

Darkspeed · July 21, 2015, 03:27:41 PM

If you have the title in your name does it not become stolen property?

Hobie · July 21, 2015, 04:52:51 PM

I would call the District Attorney in the city where you purchased the car. A lot will probably depend on what was agreed upon and documented in the emails. I wouldn't post any more details until you speak with an attorney.

Geoff · July 21, 2015, 05:19:57 PM

So, you bought something a long time ago and didn't pick it up.

--Geoff

gumpy · July 21, 2015, 07:01:58 PM

I wasn't going to wade into this one, but I've reached the age where I often think, "Oh, what the hell. Let's see what happens."

You made a deal. You paid for the goods. You probably indicated you would pick up said goods by a certain time. Life happened while you were busy making plans
and you were not able to keep your promise. Meanwhile this fellow had a car sitting in his way, one which I gather he didn't want in his way any longer because he
sold it to you with the understanding you were going to come get it and get said car out of his way. A year went by (or at least a significant portion of a year).

I don't need to see or hear the rest of the story. Basically, you owed the previous owner of the car storage fees, and he collected on it. It is his right to dispose of the
property which you abandoned, and which you forfeited due to non-payment of said storage fees, any way he chooses. He doesn't owe you a cent.

Suck it up, cupcake. Sometimes you gotta just tuck the tail between your legs and walk away.

And, honestly, I don't think public disparaging a fellow busnut over your screwup would be a wise call.

Hobie · July 21, 2015, 07:59:14 PM

Only if in the emails, were the terns and 'storage fees' agreed upon. You can't unilaterally assign a fee and have it binding. I don't disagree with your premise, but the devil will be in the email details.

for all we know, he tried to collect the car multiple times and the owner was never there.... the plot thickens

Not to have fun at your expense, but to illustrate a point.

eagle19952 · July 21, 2015, 08:02:12 PM

Really ? if you bought it from me... it would still be sitting there waiting on you.
I agree it ain't worth an attorney.
The way I see it a man's word is his word. PERIOD.
But some get a kick out of kicking a man when he's down.
How much room can a sawed up Honda take.
Was there an agreement to dispose of the car...a time limit...

A fellow busnut...wouldn't do a thing like that.
A jerk would.

Let's see how many ignores I get for this post.