State Police coming tomorrow to take my car.

Theft, under most state laws, requires intent. Since you had no reason to believe that the car was stolen, you're certainly not committing theft. I don't think that the 'intent' is required for Receiving Stolen Property, but you should definitely talk to a lawyer. You did buy this with a bill of sale, at least, right?

 

Maybe your being overhauled

 

if i dont have a title first thing i do is put a lien on it that way if there is a owner claiming it i have a lien...to cover my ass...

 

i think Chip Foose is goin to overhaul your ass. well atleast we would all like to think that. sorry for the loss, good luck.

 

I'd do the same thing.. That way no body is hurt too badly and you guys remain friends. Bu I WOULD yank every part, nut and bolt you've legitimately added to the Buick. The actual owner bears fault by leaving the it at the shop for 6 (?) years. In Ohio, a shop owner would've put a mechanic's lean on that car years ago, but perhaps your state's circumstances are different.

Jan

 

I dont think they can do that. In cali if that person doesnt get their car after a certain ammount of time they give up the right to ownership. The reason being is because let say someone needed to get their car worked on but couldnt come up with the money and just decided to leave it there that shop. The shop would have so many people doing that crap and not have enough room for all the cars so there is a law stating that will give up their car after a certain amount of time. I would call a lawer to find out yoru states laws im sure that they cant just do that. The only part that gets you in trouble is buying it without a title?? good luck man

 

Obviously your first mistake was buying a car without title. But, you had a 50-50 chance of it being legit, and getting a title. The second mistake, and the bigger of the two, was putting time/money/parts in the thing before trying to get a title. I'm not trying to rub salt in your wounds, but that part was dumb. Sometimes i end up with a car without title, but it's my mission to get one before doing ANYTHING!

 

So, I appreciate the info and suggestions. As for a lawyer, I only paid $600 for the car, plus a couple hundred that I am going to lose on the parts/work into it. How much better off would I actually be getting a lawyer and dragging it out and possibly still losing the car and having that bill on top of everything.

I called the number that the officer had called from and it took me to the detective bureau at the Flint MSP post. His name was one of the available extensions. It is 1:30am and I hit the 0 and got a woman on the phone who was more than happy to verify it was the MSP and that the trooper would be in at 9am.

I realize that fighting this thing could work out in my favor... but my luck says otherwise. I can't risk it over a car that I may end up around a grand in the hole on. I have a wife and 3 kids plus my business to worry about. If I was still a kid it would be different... but unfortunately circumstances dictate that I take it in the ass this time around.

I definitely plan to take pictures of the vehicle as it sits now, I already have a video clip from my phone of me looking it over before buying it as well as some still pics from my digital camera the day after it showed up. I also have a lot of posts and PMs on this board inquiring about trim and stuff that go into much detail as to what shape the vehicle was in when I got it.

At this point if I lose the car, some money, and some time but keep my record clean and my family from any undue stress than I consider myself coming out on top. I just know better for the next time around.

So, with all of that being said... anyone know any sweet deals for cheap cars in the michigan area?

 

Give it a couple months and you'll probably find your Buick abandoned at some other shop in town!

 

Sorry man, it's weird though. Three years ago I found out a friend of mine had a 69 Camaro that had been parked in one of his barns by a neighbor in 1986. The guy moved and my buddy hadn't heard from him for eleven years. I stopped by the Michigan State Police post and asked who legally owned the car? The trooper told me that my friend now owned the car and if he wanted to sell it they would just have to come out and check the VIN and make sure it wasn't stolen.

 

that sucks man, but like you said, the 1000 you have into isnt worth going crazy getting a lawyer and missing work going to court and shit

 

put a mechanical lein on it then the owner has to pay you back for the car. sounds like he skipped paying for it at the shop then called the fuzz and now he gets his car back ???? i would do something ............................................. just dont let it go fight for it ...............

 

I agree. Split the loss with the seller, and be glad it only cost you $500. Next time, get a title. I hate to hear these kind of stories, but that's the way it goes sometimes.

 

I also agree with splitting the loss 50/50 from the guy that sold it to you. I would also go to the upolstery shop owner and explain to him that by not following the rules you are out $500.00 because of him, I probably would guilt him to make up for it in labor for your next ride. get back as much as you can. my .02

 

Sounds to me a godd ass whoppin is in order.

 

I would say this is another Pie In The Sky Barrett Jackson fallout case, after all the original owner knows this car is worth thousands cause he saw a car just like that one on TV and it went for 1.5 million, well that one was 10 older and a convert, but shit that means my $600. car is worth that too, what a jackass, $600 Buick WTF this guy should be happy someone is actually doing something with it finnaly, I hope the owner slips and bust his ass on ice today

 

I've bought an abandoned car from a shop before. I called the DMV before laying out any money first. They will run a check on the VIN to see if it's reported stolen, and in some cases will give you contact info for the owner. Well, they did 20 years ago, probably not now.

Well, the car wasn't stolen, and I was given the contact info (not over the phone, had to show up in person for that) to contact the original owner. I was told to send the letter registered mail (return receipt would be good today). If no response after a "reasonable amount of time" (2-3 weeks) the state would issue me a "conditional" title. Same if the letter was returned as undeliverable or refused -- in this case it was undeliverable. So instead of using it as a parts car, I fixed it. It had been abandoned for a year at the tow company. The company provided me with a letter stating they were selling due to the owner not claiming it, and provided a dated copy of the tow bill. This was in South Carolina over 20 years ago, so may not apply now anywhere. But if you can find the upholstery company and provide documentation that the car was abandoned, and that they tried to contact the owner for payment, you might get some money back. The upholstery company might have to file some paperwork though, so it depends on how helpful they would be, and how much of any recovered funds they would be willing to split with you. Might be worth offering to pay the legal filing fee and their time to go to small claims court to sue for the storage fees and original bill. Six years of storage fees would add up to a lot! I don't think I'd take it any further than that because of the reasons you gave -- stress on family, business, etc. But won't hurt to ask if the upholstery company can be located and has a record of the original work. They may not be willing to do anything of course -- especially if they can get in trouble for not filling paperwork to sell it, and/or don't have a written record of attempting to contact the owner first (a returned letter is proof enough).

 

6 years !?!?!?!?! after a few years the shops onwer should/could of went to DMV and put a lein on the car. the proper paper work would of come in and it would then be legally his to do what he wanted.

 

I saw an article in a magazine about a 69 vette that was loaded on a container ship headed for overseas - somehow the vin # came up as stolen from 20 years prior - they found the guy and he got his car back.

I would at the very minimum get half the money back from the seller that offered your money back. That's being slightly fair - 100% fair is take his offer. He offered. He can go the other way in the line.

 

You're lucky, I went to jail. I bought an MGA from a guy in California, and it had a title. I checked it out and numbers matched etc. I figured it was ok. Well, I went down to register it and transfer the title. They took my money, gave me my papers and when I got home a detective was waiting for me and arrested me. It turned out the guy I bought it from had stolen it from some kid, forged the signatures etcetc. He was long gone, I was out $1000 and spent a couple days courtesy of the county in jail. I ended up getting cleared, but the cops were dicks, it cost me money, and it was the last straw in my marriage. I figured it was worth it to get rid of my wife, but I miss the car.

 

fixed...too many people are sue happy these days I think...soon as lawyers/cops or doctors get involved in most anything...things go bad...

 

Wanted to add my .02 as I am involved being that I bought the car from an older gentlemen who had it sitting in his fron tyard for sale for a few months after having bought it from the upholstry shop guy. Trust me, I flipped the fuck out when the MSP called me and said we have a "big f-ing mess" to deal with. I bought the car stuidly with out a title, I have done that before, I never would have suspected that the shop did not go through due process of abandoned car/ mech. lien. at any rate, I have seen the posts, the opinions etc..... I am good friends with bastadical, even if I wasnt I would still give him back the original amount he gave to me for the car, that is the integritable thing to do. Now the guy I bought it from may receive at the very least a mean fuckin ass rippin at his house fo rthis seeing as he was friends with the upholstry guy. oh yeah, the upholstry guy is probably going to be charged with what is known as Larceny through conversion for having sold the car with out going through due process.

 

Damn Jeremy, that does definately suck!

But, like you said, it could have been alot worse.
I agree with you in the fact that it isnt worth the time and money to get a lawyer involved. -Joe

BTW- Just to let everyone know, I will defend Joe (sephgato), I am certain that he had no bad intentions, he is a stand up guy.

 

You are a stand up person Sephgato - Its a shame bastadical on
his first deal, yet by you doing whats right lets him know the caliber of people that are here on the H.A,M.B. - And I belive you will still find him a deal let us know ! - lb+1

 

I am sure we will get him something in time fo rhim to make billetproof. This sucks also in that I have a fear of buying a car now that doesnt have a title....regardless, it seems to have turned out "best case scenario"

 

you dont even have to be a shop owner to put a lien on it

 

Bad thing is a bill of sale does you no good if the person that writes it wasn't the last registered owner according to the tag agency in my city. I was looking at a bill of sale purchase and asked them if they could give me the name of the listed owner to verify and they told me that was classified info that I couldn't have. So I guess you go take your chances and hope everything works out right.

 

don't just let em take it...go down swinging...it bites to put that much work into something and then have to let it go...last in line is always first to f***ed

 

So here's a question, I just bought a car from a guy in Los Angeles and he sent the car, but no title. I have been on him and he claims to have ordered a dupe title. As of today, it's been three and a half months. Anyone living in the LA area that wants to pay my friend a visit?

 

I'm sure you wouldn't buy a property without receiving a deed- except for the amount of $ involved, why is buying a vehicle any different? That's why state's issue titles for vehicles-to keep exactly this kind of thing from happening- and yes, the shop owner DID commit a crime...