jjw152

Hi
I'd really like some advice as to what to do about this situation.
Last July my wife and I bought a car from a car sales business near where we were living at the time in PA. We got the temporary registration paper that goes on the back of your car (the 90 day one) and drove off happy with our new purchase. However 90 days later the dealer still hadn't filed the correct paperwork to the Department of Transport and we didn't have a title or registration. We called the guy numerous times, he kept telling us there was nothing to worry about that the paperwork had gotten mixed up and he would give us another temporary registration. We were rather annoyed at the guy for being so ineffiecient but went over and got another temp registration. Since then we have been calling the guy to ask him how the paperwork is going. Getting hold of him has become nearly impossible, the phone just answers with a fax machine noise, his cell phone is constantly switched off with no answer machine activated and on the times when someone has picked up the phone its been this elderly guy who works doing oil changes all day every day and he is about 90 years old and hard of hearing and just shouts "Theres no-one here!"
We've arranged to meet with the guy before now, for example at 2pm and at 3pm we're still sitting in the car park waiting for him to turn up.
Just after Christmas we moved about 3 1/2 hours drive away as I'm going back to college so unfortunately its difficult for me to drive up there and stake the place out until I see the guy.
Our second temporary registration runs out tomorrow. A week ago we sent him an angry letter asking him to get the situation sorted, but still no word.
I called the Department of Transport yesterday to see if any paperwork had been filed or was in processing but was told no, it wasn't, no record of our car was in their system at all.
What can I do? I'm a full-time student and my wife is the UKC and has just gotten her EAD so doesn't have a job yet, we're struggling to find rent money let alone money for a lawyer. Anyone else been in this situation?
Any advice at all would be really appreciated.
Thanks
Jay.

rogerpenycate

The best thing may be to contact your local
'Better Business Bureau'
I'm sure they'd help you with this guy.
Good luck

jjw152

Many thanks Roger have just filed a complaint with them.

fatbrit

Possibly! But have a quick read here. The BBB are not really all they're made out to be.

fatbrit

www.carfax.com

NC Penguin

Maybe your local newspaper or local TV station would be interested in this story. Where I live (Durham, NC), there's a reporter who covers consumer stories like yours.

Was seriously thinking of reporting my former landlord last year to one of the local TV stations. Wasn't necessary in the end.




NC Penguin

CaliforniaBride

This isn't good news. Your biggest problem is that the State Dept of Transportation doesn't have any record of the car. It probably came in from somewhere else and was just given a temp paper plate by your dealer. If you can locate the VIN (vehicle identification number) which is stamped in several locations in the car, the easiest to find is upper left corner of the dashboard), the local police (in the city where the car was purchased) may be able to help. They should be able to trace the car to the last state it was registered in and the former owner. They'll want to see a bill of sale if you have one. This sounds like a fraud case, both criminal and civil, so good luck.

Also, check the business license department of the city the shop is in. That might have the owner's home address and phone number.

You can check the county fictitious business name filings. Which will tell you maybe a home address and phone number.

If you have his name do an internet search for him. if you can locate the guy, he'll probably come through for you.

(Hubby helped on this one).

CaliforniaBride

.....If the car is stolen the police will take the car from you and return it to the person it was stolen from, but you're will most likely go to jail.

If he pleads 'civil compromise' that is he agrees to make everyone whole (you get your money back) the prosecutor might let the guy of the criminal prosecution in exchange.

fatbrit

I think this is probably where it's heading, too.

If so, open a file now and document, document, document all the way.

jjw152

Thank you guys for all your help. I've filed a complaint with the Better Business Bureau about an hour ago, I hope it was the right thing to do. I'm thinking about calling the police and asking for their advice, think thats a good idea?

Lion in Winter

Let's see what the results are. But if it's reported stolen I expect you'll have to report it to the police so as to cover yourselves. Which I suppose means no car for you, unfortunately.

fatbrit

Know your enemy! Is the guy a mamber of any professional associations. If so, find their web pages and file complaint. Is the guy subject to federal/state/county/town licensure. If so, ditto.

cabritpop

If you paid the amount in full for the vehicle (not financed) then you should have received the title immediately just like if it were a private sale.

Tami2

Hi Jay,
I think I may have been in contact with your wife a couple of months ago. I live in State College, too, with my kids. The eldest goes to Penn State. I've had a little contact with the local police and I have to say they've always been extremely nice and helpful. I think, if it was me, I'd go straight to them and get their opinion about how to handle it. They may even be able to send an officer from the town the guy lives in to give him a talking to. Good Luck, Tami

Englishmum

Oooooh!

I think you should send a PM to the other Brit who posts here called TR Pardoe (pity he seems to have missed reading your post as he was online about half an hour ago!).

Underneath his posts it says he is the 'Commercial Account Manager' for Sam Galloway Ford (car dealership).

I'm sure he'll have something to say about your problem.

It does sound like you've been stiffed.

Hope you manage to sort it out and manage to keep your car....