Community Forums

mel s · 08-03-2015, 08:43 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by MarkusW

So I just found out that the person I was making payments to doesn't even have the title for my RV! I was told that it just needed a replacement title because of the owner before the people I bought it from lost it. They were going to go ahead and do that for me but then THEY found out the guy that they bought it from sold from under someone's nose and had no legal claim to the RV.
I found this out because I was trying to sell it so i can move up north with my family and the guy that was interested in buying it from me had a cash offer with him in his hands.
I've put my heart sweat and blood into getting this fixed up and getting everything running again. If you remember my earlier posts from the past month or 2, the most difficulty I had was getting the wiring fixed and working. Now, I have a new roof, both of the original roof top a/c units work AND blow ice cold air, the generator runs, all of the AC outlets work. It's as if it was brand new all over again for the first time. I mean the interior and exterior needs some work. It's not pretty to look at on either side of that spectrum but everything that came with the RV originally is functional again! I was sooooo happy that all my hard work paid off.
But now this, a single person in the state of Missouri managed to not only screw me and my family over, he screwed over the people we bought it from. We're going to be getting our money back plus the expenses that I put into getting it fixed.... EVENTUALLY..... But when? I don't know. They sold it because they needed the money and now don't have it to pay us back with. The guy that sold it to the couple we bought it from, apparently sold it from under a business that's no longer in that state and has moved to a different state and had no legal ownership of the RV.
The couple we bought it from wants us to wait for their lawsuit. But the thing about that is, they'll recover their money after the lawsuit. So I asked to just drop it off and give us our money back and let them deal with it because I have no legal standing with the guy they bought it from. It isn't my problem and I don't want it to be my problem any longer. I just want to get our money back and move up north because I can't deal with the state of Florida any longer. It's awful down here. It's nice to visit and vacation but not to live here. This states economic system is designed to bleed everyone dry, long before they kick the bucket. And the laws down here are just as bad. I don't do anything wrong or illegal, to my knowledge, but I feel like I'm walking on egg shells here. There is a law for everything and a law made to, ("prevent, for your safety") breaking the law prior to the one that succeeds it. I'm just tired of it. I live in America, damnit and I am a natural born American I would like to live like one, in the "land of the free" (what a joke that's become!) I'm free to breath, eat and talk and that's probably about it, now these days.
I'm taking this whole issue to a personal level because I love my RV and working on it. It gives me something to do in my free time, and I have a lot of it lol. It's not just the financial expenses either.
I usually don't buy any vehicles without a title anyways but I figured what do I need it for RIGHT NOW if it's parked and I'm still working on it and since I was making payments on it on top of that.
Lesson learned from this burn that's for sure. Next time I'll demand a title up front like I normally do.
I'm going to miss this RV. :(

MarkusW
That is a sad story, but I'm sure the rightful owner will appreciate all the work you have done when he gets his RV back.
Mel
'96 Safari

MarkusW · 08-03-2015, 08:51 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by DMTTRANSPORT

Yeah, get a Lawyer involved, spend more money and still not have your Motor
home, you made a mistake, move on.

That's what I intend to do. Get my money back and then deliver the RV to them and let it be their problem then move on.

I'm not even going to try to find a lawyer. As far as I'm concerned, lesson learned and I'm over it. I still have possession of it in the mean time.

DMTTRANSPORT · 08-03-2015, 09:11 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by MarkusW

That's what I intend to do. Get my money back and then deliver the RV to them and let it be their problem then move on.

I'm not even going to try to find a lawyer. As far as I'm concerned, lesson learned and I'm over it. I still have possession of it in the mean time.

JMonroe · 08-03-2015, 09:28 AM

So sad to see these stories, but others can learn from it.

One: No title, no money changes hands, especially in a private sale.

Two: A VIN check, while maybe not showing it as stolen, would have shown there was a different name on the title, other than the person you were buying it from.

Lastly, I'd not be surprised if the court doesn't order you to give the motorhome back to the real owner regardless of anything you have invested in it, although the fact that it apparently was never reported as stolen (as evidenced by the fact that a temporary registration was issued based on a bill of sale) muddy's those waters significantly.

I wish you the best of luck in your attempt to recover your expenses.

TurtleKent · 08-03-2015, 09:31 AM

Right now all you have is possession of a stolen vehicle. I would be talking to the DMV and the sheriff today, both of which are free to you! The original sell has no money, so you are never going to get your money back. But you can protect yourself from further aggravation and legal action against yourself by filing with the sheriff and DMV.

alpha99 · 08-03-2015, 09:42 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by MarkusW

I asked to see the title when I first paid for it. Under the stack of 900 dollars was a vehicle title. I assumed it was for the RV, considering the fact that was what was being negotiated about at the time.

You only paid $900?

File a police report and chock this one up to experience, then, IMO.

Cheers!

slowmachine · 08-03-2015, 09:44 AM

A missing title does not have to mean that the vehicle is stolen.

I have seen many vehicles sold without a title. Some people are willing to pay and take possession without it, then work to get a title later. In some states (I believe that Maine is one) you can pay a fee for title search and subsequent title in your name if ownership is uncontested. Last I heard, it cost around $300. There are other reasons for not having a title. In my current home state, New Hampshire, titles are not issued for vehicles more than 15 model-years old. Ownership is conveyed with a bill of sale, and registration is proof of ownership for subsequent sales.

Mike
2000 Holiday Rambler Endeavor 40PBD
Freghtliner XC, CAT 3126B

distaff · 08-03-2015, 10:01 AM

When I bought my coach I paid a little more than $900 for it (actually $149,100 more) and the sellers had bought it and never registered it, so they had the certificate of origin, but no registration. They were avoiding the sales tax in Florida and the highway taxes in their home state.

I hired a lawyer to research the sellers, and write a contract of purchase and sale. Cost me $1,200 but it revealed the sellers had significant assets, no outstanding legal actions or convictions, and we made the deal.

I have to say that $900 is not chicken feed, and for some it is quite a lot of money, but I might have been a bit more careless with a transaction of that value.

Shame about the loss of your time and effort. If it was only $900, you might offer the holder of the title a few bucks to make it all go away.

John USA · 08-03-2015, 10:41 AM

I am, by no measurable means, considered wealthy, and would have a deep consideration of $900.00...

That being said...I would almost be tempted to drive it to Wal-Mart, put the keys on the seat with a little note that says "Good luck!"....

Wash my hands of the whole affair.

Theberrys · 08-03-2015, 10:52 AM

The few times I have bought from a private party the transaction, money exchange, is done at the DMV during the transfer. If they won't agree to that it raises a RED FLAG and it's a no deal.
Sorry for your trouble and sleepless nights.
Jump right back on the horse keeping in mind the lessons learned.
Dick

LSC9901 · 08-03-2015, 11:41 AM

I know that in VT once a vehicle has a salvage title, it remains with it forever. I'd be careful about that move since if you do become the owner you would have automatically reduced the value of it.

Just food for thought.

I'd be going the lawyer route. This all sounds to far off center to be taking anyone's word for anything.

MarkusW · 08-03-2015, 01:41 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by alpha99

You only paid $900?

File a police report and chock this one up to experience, then, IMO.

Cheers!

No, I have close to 2 grand tied up into this if not more.

alpha99 · 08-03-2015, 02:03 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by MarkusW

No, I have close to 2 grand tied up into this if not more.

You'll run up $2,000 in attorney fees in no time. Sounds like small claims court venue is appropriate, assuming the party has ability to pay. Else just chock it up to experience.

Good Luck!

MarkusW · 08-03-2015, 06:20 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by alpha99

You'll run up $2,000 in attorney fees in no time. Sounds like small claims court venue is appropriate, assuming the party has ability to pay. Else just chock it up to experience.

Good Luck!

Yeah I think that's going to be the way to go. The guy I bought it from was asking 1,700 for it and I've put in a ton of work. The 900 was just the initial payment.

I was talking to his wife and she seems to want to be reasonable about the situation. But I just got done talking to him and he doesn't want to pay me at all it seems. So I told him I'll just gut it out then and sell the parts or if you're not going to pay me I'll get my own lawyer. Those are my 2 options. Hopefully he will come up with the money without me having to sue or gut this out. I can sell the 454 engine with 31,000 miles in it for double what I paid for this whole thing. So if I have to go that route that's what I'll do and then use that money to move like originally planned.