McConaughey
Enthusiast
- Joined
- Mar 19, 2014
- Posts
- 5
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Before I get into the gory details, I want to put it out there that I have owned several vipers over the last decade. All have been 2nd and 3rd gens. All 3rd gens happened to be FE cars (#013, #169, and #02x). I am extremely familiar with most aspects of the cars and their build quality.
I recently decided to purchase another while the weather here in Texas is nice. After two months of looking, I found one for sale in Shreveport, La at a very reasonable price ($52,700). I contacted the seller who ended up being a dealer specializing in classic cars and old hot rods. The information I was given about the car was as follows: One owner, garage kept, NEVER DAMAGED, no rock chips, no modifications, 5,700 miles. I asked him four times about paintwork or accident history. All four times he responded with "Never even had a touch up spot! I would bet my dealership and $10,000 that this car is flawless or your money back!" I pulled a carfax, and it mirrored everything he had said (One owner, no reported accidents, and not much else). After explaining that I would not be bringing $50,000+ cash to a stranger and I wouldn't be sending him a money gram for a $500 deposit, he agreed to accept a wire transfer for a $500 deposit on the car and after getting said funds he would email me a receipt stating that if the car was not as described I would get my funds returned. I never got that email. He didn't even respond saying he got the funds. This was Friday afternoon.
On the next Monday, I paid a person I trust to drive the 3 hours with me to come inspect the car and help me drive it back to Dallas. Within seconds of us getting there he started alerting me to red flags left and right (the dealer walked away when he heard my name being called to come look at the passenger door). There was what appeared to be a dime sized burn through the clear under the passenger mirror. We then noticed a tape line the length of the door, the clear coat was completely color sanded on the top of the fenders to the point where a buffer couldn't polish it again, the exhaust cover was not aligned properly, and other minor flaws in the paint. Granted, on a less expensive car these things would probably have gone unnoticed. I then looked down at the seam where the exhaust cover and the rear quarter panel met and noticed BAD orange peel on the cover, but glossy smooth paint on the quarter panel (VERY OBVIOUS). The final straw was under the hood. There we found a rust spot on the radiator support and a notch cut out. I was ignorant to why this would have happened, but my friend called the dealer over and told him I wouldn't be purchasing the car because it had a frame straightener on it at some point. The radiator support had been cut and welded back, and every bolt on the passenger side had been turned/chewed. The dealer argued that they are hand built, and they all look like this. I calmly explained this wasn't true and that if he hadn't seen several of them in the past, he might not have known. His response was that we were right and that he had "never inspected any car like we did, because it looks good and nobody really cares" "it is good paintwork". He then showed me a copy of an auction receipt from the owner who left it on consignment! So this ends up not being his car, ends up being a multiple owner car, and has paint repair... The owner bought the car at a Florida auction and it has a California title. NONE of this showed up on carfax.
At this point I simply asked for my deposit to be refunded so I could go on my way. The dealer responded saying that he had signed a contract with the owner to give him half of any deposit and he would talk to him and try to wire the refund the next day. I didn't believe him, but I was very frustrated and didn't want to get in a shouting match with this person. Boy, I wish I had. For two days he would not return phone calls or text messages. I did some digging and found the real owners phone number and promptly contacted him. He angrily stated he ever signed any contract, never was paid a dime, and had no idea the car had been damaged (still swears it hasn't, because he would have known when he bought it), and the dealer better give me my money back instantly. He went as far as saying he would go kick the guys butt for using him as a pawn in his lies. After this conversation I got a text from the dealer upset at me for contacting the owner and to be patient and I'll get the money back. After no response to my texts for several days, he texted that he was on the way to his bank at 4:15 on Friday afternoon. I thanked him for making it right. At 10:00 that night he texted saying he forgot, but would go on Monday. By Wed of the next week, still no money or contact. I told him via text get it to me now or I will get it in person. He responded saying it was only $500 and I needed to calm down, because he didn't have to give me or anybody else ****. That was a week ago tomorrow. Needless to say I am pissed.
It is $500, and I could care less about a law suit. I would like any possible advice on pursuing this criminally. I have read that theft of $500 or more is a felony in Louisiana, but what about wire fraud? Would I get better results by showing up to the local police department in person, or would a call suffice? I want to do whatever I can to avoid law enforcement pawning it off as a civil matter. After doing some extensive research, this is not the first time this person has done this sort of thing. Always the same $500 amount!
Thanks in advance guys! I really hope I'm the only one here that he has gotten with this.
I recently decided to purchase another while the weather here in Texas is nice. After two months of looking, I found one for sale in Shreveport, La at a very reasonable price ($52,700). I contacted the seller who ended up being a dealer specializing in classic cars and old hot rods. The information I was given about the car was as follows: One owner, garage kept, NEVER DAMAGED, no rock chips, no modifications, 5,700 miles. I asked him four times about paintwork or accident history. All four times he responded with "Never even had a touch up spot! I would bet my dealership and $10,000 that this car is flawless or your money back!" I pulled a carfax, and it mirrored everything he had said (One owner, no reported accidents, and not much else). After explaining that I would not be bringing $50,000+ cash to a stranger and I wouldn't be sending him a money gram for a $500 deposit, he agreed to accept a wire transfer for a $500 deposit on the car and after getting said funds he would email me a receipt stating that if the car was not as described I would get my funds returned. I never got that email. He didn't even respond saying he got the funds. This was Friday afternoon.
On the next Monday, I paid a person I trust to drive the 3 hours with me to come inspect the car and help me drive it back to Dallas. Within seconds of us getting there he started alerting me to red flags left and right (the dealer walked away when he heard my name being called to come look at the passenger door). There was what appeared to be a dime sized burn through the clear under the passenger mirror. We then noticed a tape line the length of the door, the clear coat was completely color sanded on the top of the fenders to the point where a buffer couldn't polish it again, the exhaust cover was not aligned properly, and other minor flaws in the paint. Granted, on a less expensive car these things would probably have gone unnoticed. I then looked down at the seam where the exhaust cover and the rear quarter panel met and noticed BAD orange peel on the cover, but glossy smooth paint on the quarter panel (VERY OBVIOUS). The final straw was under the hood. There we found a rust spot on the radiator support and a notch cut out. I was ignorant to why this would have happened, but my friend called the dealer over and told him I wouldn't be purchasing the car because it had a frame straightener on it at some point. The radiator support had been cut and welded back, and every bolt on the passenger side had been turned/chewed. The dealer argued that they are hand built, and they all look like this. I calmly explained this wasn't true and that if he hadn't seen several of them in the past, he might not have known. His response was that we were right and that he had "never inspected any car like we did, because it looks good and nobody really cares" "it is good paintwork". He then showed me a copy of an auction receipt from the owner who left it on consignment! So this ends up not being his car, ends up being a multiple owner car, and has paint repair... The owner bought the car at a Florida auction and it has a California title. NONE of this showed up on carfax.
At this point I simply asked for my deposit to be refunded so I could go on my way. The dealer responded saying that he had signed a contract with the owner to give him half of any deposit and he would talk to him and try to wire the refund the next day. I didn't believe him, but I was very frustrated and didn't want to get in a shouting match with this person. Boy, I wish I had. For two days he would not return phone calls or text messages. I did some digging and found the real owners phone number and promptly contacted him. He angrily stated he ever signed any contract, never was paid a dime, and had no idea the car had been damaged (still swears it hasn't, because he would have known when he bought it), and the dealer better give me my money back instantly. He went as far as saying he would go kick the guys butt for using him as a pawn in his lies. After this conversation I got a text from the dealer upset at me for contacting the owner and to be patient and I'll get the money back. After no response to my texts for several days, he texted that he was on the way to his bank at 4:15 on Friday afternoon. I thanked him for making it right. At 10:00 that night he texted saying he forgot, but would go on Monday. By Wed of the next week, still no money or contact. I told him via text get it to me now or I will get it in person. He responded saying it was only $500 and I needed to calm down, because he didn't have to give me or anybody else ****. That was a week ago tomorrow. Needless to say I am pissed.
It is $500, and I could care less about a law suit. I would like any possible advice on pursuing this criminally. I have read that theft of $500 or more is a felony in Louisiana, but what about wire fraud? Would I get better results by showing up to the local police department in person, or would a call suffice? I want to do whatever I can to avoid law enforcement pawning it off as a civil matter. After doing some extensive research, this is not the first time this person has done this sort of thing. Always the same $500 amount!
Thanks in advance guys! I really hope I'm the only one here that he has gotten with this.
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