Question for the crowd

[nmoncrief]

First of all, hello! I've been trolling this forum for around a year now only posting a few times and I promise to do more in the future. I've held off from posting this for a few reasons but now I think I need some advice from you guys.

I've had an issue for a while and I was hoping that maybe someone would have some advice for me. I'm on the fence as to what I should do about my problem and honestly, I don't really want to do it. Let me explain:

I bought my coach last year around the end of June or beginning of July (a few days off either one) on eBay. I saw it and I instantly knew that I wanted this particular one for a few reasons, mostly because it was described as being in running condition and secondly because I have a thing for suicide doors. After purchasing the car I had a few issues with someone who was recommended by the original owner to do the initial body work for me and make it presentable. The gentleman promised to do a lot and delivered absolutely nothing and left me holding the bag for half of the services. Lesson learned.

The real issue that I have is that after dealing with the gentleman, who for all accounts robbed me, I decided to bring my coach home to Florida (from California). It was put on a trailer and delivered to a friends house who I had asked as a favor to help me out with the resto and bringing it back to life.

When it arrived it was absolutely NOT in the condition that it was described to be in on eBay. I have the pictures that were on eBay as well as pictures taken the day after it arrived in Florida and it was obvious to me that the damage that was NOT in the eBay advert was done way before the car was ever put up for sale. (And let me be clear, it isn't a scratch or a dent... the entire rear passenger landau is gone) Lesson learned again, never buy a car I haven't laid eyes on. I decided to eat it and continue on because I loved the car. It was still what I wanted and even though it was going to cost another couple grand more to repair the roof I considered it worth it to restore a fine automobile.

Now, here I sit nearly mid May of the following year. I have a car, but what don't I have? The title. I have begged for the title from the person I bought the car from in earnest since January but in reality before then. I've been promised that it will be found and sent to me which leads me to believe it was never registered in the persons name I bought it from. The problem with that is that he just can't ask for a new one from the state, he has to find the original. I send emails and they get answered with the usual "Yes, you're right. I'm going to send you the title" but it's getting old.

Honestly, I love the car. My problem is that I just want this problem to go away. I can't very well knock on this persons door and demand a title because I'm the whole country away from this person. I don't want to sue because I want the car. I'm really torn because now I've invested probably about a grand in the car so far assuming the title was on the way but has never arrived. I literally cannot do anything with a title as in the great state of Florida a bill of sale means nothing.

What should I do? What would you guys do? Do I have another option besides small claims court? Any ideas would be greatly appreciated.
So, what do I do? What would you guys do in my situation? I'm stuck with a car I'm out around $6,000 for and I have nothing to

[LMS]

There are companies that can get you a new title for older cars.

Look here....

http://www.broadwaytitle.com/

[pyro]

was he the ass in Cali who was suppost to put the roof on? I never saw a dime back from him either. I get 63 Cads in evry now & then. I'll get a title and save it.

[Hearse_Guy]

took me a year going thru the state to get the title no one had it i had to pay out my ass just for the title what year may i ask

[nmoncrief]

@LMS: Just by reading page three of their form I don't have half of the things they have to have. I'll call them to see if there is anything that can be done, but I doubt they'll be able to help. I have all of the previous owners emails back and forth. I also have a copy of the postal money orders I sent to him and the email confirming that he received them. THat's it. I don't have a copy of the auction or bill of sale or anything else.

@Pyro: Two different people. I just don't want to point fingers and call names in the thread, it doesn't really do any good. All I want is a solution to my problem and for my problem to go away. I'm so sick of having to deal with this shit for nearly a year. I'm either begging for my money or begging for my title and I shouldn't have to beg.

@Hearse_guy: It's a 63 S&S.

Photo's of what I saw on eBay: http://s800.photobucket.com/albums/y...r%20on%20eBay/

Photo's of what arrived: http://s800.photobucket.com/albums/y...crief/Arrival/

[hotroddwayne]

I remember this whole deal when it went down. Seems the dude got out of the hobby all together... he sold this coach & an old U.S. Navy ambulance (early '50's) back to back. If I remember right this purple one was sold to restore a black early 50's landau hearse, then when you bought it his Navy ambo appeared for sale within a week. Then the black Landau was on ebay after that.
Talk to an attorney man... initial consultation is free to plead your situation, and for a fee they'll draft a letter demanding the title & send it to the seller. If that doesn't get it resolved then hire the attorney to take it on, money well spent to get your title.

This has been happening occasionally where you read these slip-shot brokers are selling coaches & they're more than glad to take your money but never produce a title as promised, just a rusted hulk you can't do anything with because you can't title it. Also coaches have showed up online where the photos & description are hijacked, selling coaches that aren't even theirs... that has happened to two NHAA members in the past few years & us other NHAA members spotted them online so in a way you're lucky you do have a coach at least.

I had a guy try to skin me out of $1600 for machine work on one of my engines. I paid him as promised, and the engine was promised in 3 weeks. 4 months later, no engine & alot of excuses. Talked to a lawyer & he asked if the guy had any collateral worth that much... so I thought about it & did a repo on his enclosed trailer. When I had it in my possession I had the lawyer fire off a letter, hid the trailer, gave him 2 weeks to come up with $1600 cash or I was selling the trailer. No cash was produced, only attitude. So I sold his trailer. Nobody fucks me over & gets away with it.

I hope you take a stand & get what you're entitled to. Sometimes it's the principle of it all dude, don't let someone screw ya over. Usually a letter from a lawyer will take care of the problem. Keep us posted on what you do from here...

[hotroddwayne]

BTW the ebay listing # for your coach was

180372350982

so if you have to pursue it with a lawyer he can obtain the auction details through that number, if a clear title was stated in the listing anywhere you have nothing to worry about except paying the lawyer! (Ain't the internet a wonderful thing?) LOL so don't worry about not having the ebay details available now

[nmoncrief]

@HRD: You're right on the money with who this was and how it went down and that's the reason I was very hesitant to post anywhere. My goal is for this to go away and not to make him out to seem like a bad person. Deep down I honestly don't think he is, I think he fell on some hard times and had a really difficult time in his life during all of this and because I'm human and not a complete dick I let it slide as long as I have.

But now I'm beginning to get pissed off because I have had so many bad things happen in my life over the past few years I always had this dream from my childhood to hope for. Now I don't even have that. At this point in my life, when this gets resolved, I can't say for sure that I want to go through this process again.

At any rate, the lawyering up part is what I have been thinking I am going to have to do. Either way I go what's going to have to happen is going to cost me more money that I can't sue for.

More later, I have to go get going. It's time to make the dough nuts.

[hotroddwayne]

You're right on the money with who this was and how it went down and that's the reason I was very hesitant to post anywhere. My goal is for this to go away and not to make him out to seem like a bad person. Deep down I honestly don't think he is, I think he fell on some hard times and had a really difficult time in his life during all of this and because I'm human and not a complete dick I let it slide as long as I have.

But now I'm beginning to get pissed off because I have had so many bad things happen in my life over the past few years I always had this dream from my childhood to hope for. Now I don't even have that. At this point in my life, when this gets resolved, I can't say for sure that I want to go through this process again.

At any rate, the lawyering up part is what I have been thinking I am going to have to do. Either way I go what's going to have to happen is going to cost me more money that I can't sue for.

More later, I have to go get going. It's time to make the dough nuts.

I'm not bashing the guy either and seeing him online for quite some time he didn't seem to be a broker... just someone who suddenly sold off all 3 of his coaches. I was referring more towards other situations that buyers (and potential buyers) have written about. One in particular where a seller had changed his ebay listing at the final seconds of the auction stating he had no title even though the listing stated it had a clear title, knowing if that was shared earlier the auction wouldn't have went nearly so high. Winning bidder was scrambling to contest the purchase.

The fact here remains that ALOT of money changed hands in a short amount of time for THREE coaches. If someone "falls on hard times" that has NOTHING to do with you getting a title for a car you bought & paid for. What's a title cost for him to have have reprinted? $20? All he needs is the sereal # and ID to have a duplicate made. The other 2 coaches sold for a huge amount of money compared to yours because of their condition (well over 5 figures) and obviously the pix you shared of auction vs. present day... alot of time had passed between the pix. You said yourself:

When it arrived it was absolutely NOT in the condition that it was described to be in on eBay. I have the pictures that were on eBay as well as pictures taken the day after it arrived in Florida and it was obvious to me that the damage that was NOT in the eBay advert was done way before the car was ever put up for sale. (And let me be clear, it isn't a scratch or a dent... the entire rear passenger landau is gone) Lesson learned again, never buy a car I haven't laid eyes on. I decided to eat it and continue on because I loved the car.

With that being said it was a dishonest auction... you got took on a coach that was much worse than pix & description AND got no title. Obviously you're trying to be nice still yet nothing is getting done. You said " At any rate, the lawyering up part is what I have been thinking I am going to have to do. Either way I go what's going to have to happen is going to cost me more money that I can't sue for" and you're wrong there. Go get a lawyer & have a demand letter drafted & mailed, it'll cost you less than $100 and IF you have to sue after that, whoever represents you will tell you what they CAN do for you up-front based on what you present to them and if your lawyer fees can be recovered as well as the title. You see it every day when two parties are brought to court the loser pays both parties' attorney fees & court costs as part of a judgement. So if you want this resolved, get a consultation scheduled with an attorney & they'll explain your options & what they can do for you. You've tried to be nice and that obviously isn't working.

[mr x]

Man, i saw those pics, you definetly have my sympothy. I passt up on many coaches from e-bay that i wanted despritly because i was afraid of stuff like this.
Best of luck to ya

[Hearse_Guy]

man you got takin you dont know how sad i am for you i mean that whole right landau pannel looks like its gunna fall off

[BIGEVIL]

Had you acted sooner (like the day it arrived) Ebay may have helped you out. Especially if you used Paypal.

With so many members here, some one might have gone to looked at the coach for you that lived near the car. If it was in Phx, I would have done that for a member here.

[Riff Raff]

As far as the legal areas, I am not as quaified as others on here. SO I will delve into the restoration your coach will need. !st you need to decide how much you like/love this car. I can tell you to figure what you think it will cost and triple it, at least triple. The landau panel is a relatively easy fix compared to the roof. All the holes will need patched and when you try to weld the patches in, the rest of the roof will be so bad, you'll blow right through the metal. What you would need is a whole other roof. So speaking from a dollars and cents stand point, find another coach the same year and use this one for parts. Or else you'll have $20,000 more in it before you are done.
I don't want to seem harsh, but I want to be realistic so you'll understand what you are in for.

[LMS]

You could just say screw the title and just tell the cops about....




















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[tonytheskin]

just my two pennies but, the only thing in the pics I could see that was alil deceiving is the right side landau area and with rust that bad hole may have been blown apart in transit. But other than that I can't see much else that is diff between your photos and ebay photo. Either way sorry for the shitty ordeal.