"I'm a fucking idiot, what do I do now?", he said to his wife.

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Onoes

Trakanon Raider
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So, I made pretty much every fucking mistake possible with this, and now that I'm feeling totally and thoroughly fucked, what do I do?

My car is a giant piece of crap. I am not rich, so I deal with giant piece of crap. I also work 60 miles from home, so I don't really want to buy a new car that is dead by the time I have it paid off. Now, I knew this day was coming, and I started saving money. I saved and saved, and saved some more, I manage to save up almost 10,000 dollars, which is huge for me. I've never had more than a few hundred dollars at a time. It's finally time that I have to get a new car, the old one is just on its last legs.

I first go to dealerships. I am hoping to get a car for cash, I am sorely disappointed by prices. I can afford plenty of cars with 120,000+ miles on them, but none with fewer. I don't want a truck or suv or anything fancy, just a working car in good shape with low miles.

I next turn to craigslist. I make a dozen or so calls over a week, and in every case its either a salvage title, or some other crazy shit they neglected to mention. Finally I find a car in Vegas, which is just over an hour away from me. It's a 2009 Ford Focus SE, with 65k miles for 9,000. I check bluebook and its like 9,200. I call two people I know with a 2008 and a 2010 ford focus and they both love the car. I text the owner and she assures me the car is immaculate. I offer 8,100, 10% less than they are asking. She says they will take 8,300 if its cash. I tell her I'm on my way.

Here is where I become very stupid.

I ask to meet me at a bank, because I don't want to get shot. She agree's. I bring my wife, a friend, and my two kids. When I arrive in Vegas I text her, and she asks if we can meet her in a parking lot near house, assuring me its a nice area and everything. I say sure and show up there. I text and let her know. She says she is on her way. Two sketchy dudes show up in her car and pop the hood, saying she is on her way. First thing I notice is a large crack in the window. Annoying but, not the end of the world. I open the door and it reeks of smoke, in addition to the carpet being a little torn up, but otherwise, its fine. Not immaculate, but I understood I'm trying to budget shop, so there it is.

My friend watches my kids while my wife and I test drive it. It runs fine. I show back up and she is there, I say I will take it. She informs me that there is one small issue. She needed some money and had to put a lien on the car, which is why she had us meet her there, because we were parked in front of the lien place (TitleMax). Again, I am dumb and say ok. We go in and she tells the guy working there what is going on. He informs us that while he has requested the title from the DMV, its not there yet. He assures me that he can overnight it to me as soon as it arrives though. I express my concern she could just call in and say "Ohh scratch that, just give it to me when it shows up." He again assures me that can not happen, he's a witness to the transaction, and the manager, and yeah, no worries. So I agree, he takes all my info down, she takes the money and counts it on the table, paying him. They give me the keys and ask if I can mail the plates back to them. I say yes, get their address, and head home.

I have the car checked out Monday and it has issues with its airbag systems, all the computers need to be replaced, and it will cost $3,297 (This is from the Ford Dealership, I would guess I could find that cheaper). Annoying, but my own fault and not really relevant to the rest of the story.

So, last wed she texts me and asks for her plates. I tell her that I was planning on sending the plates when I got the title. She send a big long "You better send the plates or I will report it stolen." string of texts. This seems crazy to me out of the blue, but I respond with "How about this, could you email me a bill of sale at yadayada and that way I just have something from you saying I own the car, and I will mail your plates back to you." She refuses and says I can have a bill of sale after she gets her plates. At this point I'm feeling pretty uncomfortable so I call my brother in law, who is a detective, explain the whole situation, and and advice. He tells me to just cut off communication with her, either I get the title and can send her the plates if I feel like it (I would, I'm not a dick), or she reports it stolen, and the texts I have show she is lying and she gets in trouble.

So, nothing happens for a few days, and then on Tuesday of this week she sends a text saying "I'm reporting the car stolen today". I ignore it, but call the TitleMax place anyway, explain what is going on, and have the manager email me a little testimony thing , just so I had something with the texts in case the police did show up. This morning, she sent me a text cussing me out and saying she would find me and there would be hell to pay. I ignored it. An hour later I get a text from another number, explaining that this is the boyfriend, and they have been super nice about the whole thing, but I was really in for some shit if he is not holding those plates tomorrow. I sent him a string of texts explaining that I will be sending the plates the second I get the title, but her constant threats made me call the police asking what I should do, and they informed me that I should just ignore her. So again, sorry, you will have the plates the second I have the title.

Then I get a call from the manager of TitleMax around noon. The title came in, but she is telling him not to send it. He told her he had to and she hung up on him. A bit later his boss called him to say he was not to send me the title. He asks if I can call her and figure this out because he is worried he is going to lose his job now, and wants nothing to do with any of this.

I call her and the boyfriend answers. He screams and yells at me, won't let me talk at all (I'm 100% calm and collected), and finally yells that if he doesn't have a conformation number in his hand that the plates have been shipped by 3pm today, he is reporting it stolen. He then hangs up.

I call TitleMax back and the guy there tells me I should call Vegas PD and tell them I've been the victim of fraud.

I call, explain the situation, and they transfer me to the fraud detective. I get a machine, I leave a message.

She just called me back. I explain the situation. She tells me that I can call a civil attorney, but its really not fraud. I ask how its not fraud, and she says because I have no proof I bought the car. I tell her I have witnesses, plus the receipt for paying it out of lien, plus all the texts where she very clearly says she sold me the car. The officer tells me none of that is evidence, sure, they may look at it in civil court, but its not criminal. I'm pretty much dumbfounded. She then tells me that if she reports it stolen, I may very well be charged with that, if they find I have the car. I again say "Even with the texts and everything?" and she says "Yeah, you have to be prepared to face charges if they pursue that, but I bhet they won't.". I say, "Ok, so the police can do nothing here?" and she says "Nope, its not our problem, you can either go talk to a civil attorney, or you can give her back her car and just write the $8,300 off as a loss, I'm not givging you advice, I can't do that, but those are your options.".

So. yeah. I'm feeling pretty god damned fucked right now.

And yes, I understand that there were like 20 red flags that should have made me go "fuuuuuuuck this", but since I have no way to go back in time and kick myself in the ass, I'm trying to figure out how to deal with the situation.

Man it's been a terrible day.
 

Tarrant

<Prior Amod>
15,516
8,969
Use your remaining $1,700 and hire a hit man imo.

I think you'd win if it went to civil court but I don't know why you wouldn't have had a bill of sale wrote on site when you got the car. Without a title the police will in fact probably charge you if they come looking for you.

I dunno man, there are much more educated arm chair lawyers on here then me when it comes to these things.
 

OneofOne

Silver Baronet of the Realm
6,548
7,897
Wow Arizona small claims court cap is $2500, that is sucky.

Wish I had some awesome advice man. The only thing I can think of would end with you in jail. Hopefully someone here much smarter can come up with something.
 

Onoes

Trakanon Raider
1,400
1,030
I should have had a Bill of Sale, for sure. I was in a hurry and excited, and just didn't think it through. I should have walked away when I saw the cracked window, or any of the other dozen times I went "RED FLAG!".

I did just call the TitleMax guy again, and he is going to write up a detailed list of events, sign it and fax it to me, as well as have the other employee do the same. He also said that the offices are recorded if I do go the civil court route. They would have video of us coming in together, me handing her a stack of money, and her counting it all on the desk. She organized everything in stacks of 1,000 and everything, then paid the man and handed me the receipt.

Man, I am reaaaaaaallly not looking forward to all this.
 

Caliel

Bronze Knight of the Realm
186
0
I'm pretty sure filing a false police report is a crime. So she could go to jail for telling the police that the car is stolen. Maybe remind her of that. Or I could be wrong. I am not a lawyer.
 

BoldW

Molten Core Raider
2,081
25
Never give that sum of money to anyone without a bill of sale, that much I know. It's been my experience that the texts and threatening calls mean they're not willing to get law enforcement involved. Hopefully one of the legal types will chime in, but I would probably take the offensive an have a lawyer draft a letter of your own demanding the title and bill of sale before further action is taken and have it delivered certified. Might be the most cost effective first step and might do the trick. GL.
 

Tarrant

<Prior Amod>
15,516
8,969
That video will be your bread and butter.

It's just dealing with possibly being arrested in the mean time that will be the killer thing to deal with.
 

Big Phoenix

Pronouns: zie/zhem/zer
<Gold Donor>
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You took your wifeandyour kids with you to meet her initially? Lol bro you seriously lacking in the personal awareness department.
 

Itlan

Blackwing Lair Raider
4,994
744
Yep, you're a fucking idiot.

Also, what dealership are you going to where you can't get a car with 60k miles for less than 10,000? Are you kidding me?

You should've just financed a fucking civic or any bullshit sedan and paid the $100 a month or whatever retardedly low price it is.
 

Famm

Ahn'Qiraj Raider
11,041
794
WTF man, I mean, first of all you have never bought a used car before face to face? I understand plenty of people haven't, but wow. I struggle now to remember the first time I bought a car from a classified and how I knew to have bill of sale, title in hand and signed over at DMV when money changes hands, ETC. I think probably the first time the seller sort of walked me through it indirectly once we agreed on price.

Not having possession of the title wasn't a deal breaker for handing over that much hard earned cash even without all the problems leading up? And why are you buying a used car without the inspection FIRST? I'd have been afraid to go that far by the sound of this car, but even when one is seemingly in good repair I'll do an inspection before any other step because paying for that is still cheaper than the $3k they quoted you to get it straightened out. If the owner won't let me get the car somewhere for inspection first, then fuck them its over.

I can imagine how you must feel, but I have to ask. If this was the first time you've done this, did you not think at some point to google up info on how to go about doing it? Maybe its me, but these days I'm researching anything I'm getting ready to do like a motherfucker, whether its as small as cooking something or as big as buying a car.

Sorry no idea on the legal thing. Sounds like a scam, I wonder what would have happened if you hadn't just handed them a stack of cash. Maybe it only turned into a scam once you were gone and they realized what just happened. By the sound of the title bullshit though I doubt it. Where these fine folks of white trailer dwelling stock or some urban immigrant and/or hip-hoppery flavor?

EDIT: Read more detail about video and shit, if scammers, they are fucktarded but that's not unimaginable either.
 

Gavinmad

Mr. Poopybutthole
42,271
50,241
Track the chick down and beat her fucking ass. I'm not kidding. Beat her so savagely she requires a long expensive stay in the hospital. Beat that stupid cunt ragged.

*edit*

Also, you're an idiot. But I'm serious, beat that broad's ass til she can't remember her fucking name without stuttering.
 

Famm

Ahn'Qiraj Raider
11,041
794
You took your wifeandyour kids with you to meet her initially? Lol bro you seriously lacking in the personal awareness department.
Honestly, I don't consider it that big of a deal. You have to bringsomeonewith you and it sounded like he was at least trying to stick with populated/decent areas. Buying shit off classifieds isn't some severe risk of fucking rape and murder usually.

Yep, you're a fucking idiot.

Also, what dealership are you going to where you can't get a car with 60k miles for less than 10,000? Are you kidding me?

You should've just financed a fucking civic or any bullshit sedan and paid the $100 a month or whatever retardedly low price it is.
Yeah, pretty much. I mean WTF man? If nothing else go for a certified used car from a dealership, put the 10Kdown, and then have a low ass payment. Even with a five year loan, if your life improves or you come into some money you can pay it off. Is your credit totally ruined or something?

Also how in the hell could you not find something decent for $9,000?
Also this again. It might be the most confounding part of the story. Nine grand and you're like, wellpanic mode, this cracked window cigarette mobile is probably the best I'm going to get, CAN'T WALK AWAY FROM THIS ONE!

Do you live in the middle of nowhere? Usually CL has tons of autos of all types and prices at any given time that aren't an hour away. I guess you're an hour from work too so you might be in bumblefuckery southwest.
 

Big Phoenix

Pronouns: zie/zhem/zer
<Gold Donor>
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Sounds like he lives in Kingman, which is almost the middle of nowhere. But he was willing to go to Vegas so I dont see how he didnt have tons of options.
 

BrutulTM

Good, bad, I'm the guy with the gun.
<Silver Donator>
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Get a lawyer man. It will cost money but they will know what to do if they're not an idiot. Forget what the cop told you. She just wants to get you off the phone so she doesn't have to do more paperwork.
 
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