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Sold car this weekend - buyer says it's on fire
Topic Started: Jan 9 2012, 04:54 PM (1,882 Views)
BillHoo
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So, I finally got a boyer for my dad's (who is now deceased) 1992 Ford Crown Victoria with 139,000 miles and a NJ inspections sticker that expired Oct 2011.

I sold the car for $600. the buyer drove it around the block and looked under the hood for 1 minute and said they would like to buy it. I disclosed that the right front tire has a slow leak. They didn't care. They paid cash. I gave them the title and signed with information on cost of sale and odometer reading. did not write up a bill of sale.

That was Saturday.

Today, Monday, I get a call from the buyer - She says the car caught on fire and that a mechanic told her the drive chain is bad and the rear axle caught on fire. She had to pull her son out of the burning car and he's now suffering from smoke inhalation.

Scammers?

I told her I'm shocked to hear about it. Don't know what to say and she hung up.

My brother should be turning in the plates today since DMV was closed this weekend.

Am I liable?
Edited by BillHoo, Jan 9 2012, 04:56 PM.
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Horn


No. u had no idea of those problems (if they are even true)....that seems far fetched especially the smoke inhilation. It is there responsibility to check over the car before they drive it. As long as you didnt mislead them then you are fine.

Wait a drive chain? In the rearend?....the rear diff is made of gears. That makes no sense...

Now if they are telling the truth it does suck for them big time...but it is an old car. When you buy a used.car you take that risk
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BillHoo
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My brother, the cop is now getting all paranoid that they will go after my mother's estate since her address is on the title. He says he didn't get a chance to turn in the plates so the car is still registered to my deceased father.

Personally, if they are scammers trying to take me to court, then "Why are they driving in a car without insurance, that doesn't belong to them, that has an expired inspection sticker?" These are questions that will be posed before a judge, even in small claims.

If they are legit and turned in the title to the dmv, and registered the car and put legitimate plates on it and got insurance for the car, I see no problem. Insurance should cover them. If they take me to small claims, I can say they did an inspection and were satisfied and bought the car with title and verbal agreement as is.

If they did none of the legal things and the car really did catch on fire. I think it's all on them now.

Personally, I think she just left the parking brake on. She says the car caught on fire after driving 2 miles to drop her son off at school.
Edited by BillHoo, Jan 9 2012, 05:27 PM.
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bogs
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Duct tape heals all wounds

Unless otherwise specified in your state, all car sales are as is /where is, even on a professional car lot. Once the bill of sale is signed, it is hers, not your families, and all liability on your families part ends.
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BillHoo
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Does it matter that they have the title and I do not have a bill of sale. I didn't even get their names.
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Horn


No. ur fine. Ive never seen a rearend catch on fire from normal use
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billy508
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billy508

I am sure you will but next time complete a bill of sale. I have two stories to tell about not getting a Bill of sale but they are not relevant right now. You will be ok but a Bill of sale is a good thing to have. :banana :banana :banana
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BillHoo
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My brother had been texting me with a flurry of paranoid rants. He's now more relaxed.

I asked him, as a cop, if he were in Newark, NJ and encountered a woman with a burning car, no valid insurance, no registeration, plates that they had put on from another car, and a failed inspection sticker going to October 2011, what would you do?
Edited by BillHoo, Jan 9 2012, 05:59 PM.
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billy508
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billy508

Send him a coupon for some donuts. Posted Image :banana :banana :banana
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vr4


Buyer beware. Youll be fine.


The "drive chain" is the timing chain.
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BillHoo
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Now, my brother tells me he saw the rear differential was leaking.

But it is suspicious that it would catch fire from driving 2 miles in cold weather.

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68custom


if they left the E brake on for awhile and it te diff was leaking maybe would cause a fire (maybe). still doubt that you would be accountable, probably just smoked the rear brakes and was pissed so she vented to you. you know how bad smoking brake linings smell!
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Horn


vr4
Jan 9 2012, 06:15 PM
Buyer beware. Youll be fine.


The "drive chain" is the timing chain.
Thats what I was thinking but supposedly the rearend caught fire....i just thought the lady was trying to say the timing chain caused the rearend to light up...which doesnt happen. Lol
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Horn


Anyways billhoo you are fine. Dont lose any sleep over it
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Shinrin
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Grab a car from someone. Drive it around. Decide you don't like it or need the money for something else. Claim it had some horrible problem, claim there is some sort of injury from it. The seller will be worried and nervous about being sued, and is likely to offer to take it back and give a refund.

You now have had a rental car for free for a few days. Totally trashed the car. Potentially did illegal activities using the car. Never turned in the title or registered it. Give it back to the previous owner and you wash your hands of it.

If she did actually have a problem, I'm sure it's her fault. Car's don't just spontaneously catch fire. You have to be doing something to it. Worst case scenario she ragged out the car for a few days, joy riding, maybe even committing crimes with it, and is now trying to wash her hands of the car. Best case scenario she is an idiot and floored it with her brake set, and is now trying to guilt trip/threaten you to take it back and give her money back.

Personally I'd call the registration office and check and see if they retitled it or if it's still under your name. If it is still in your name, I'd try and get hold of someone, the registration office, dmv, police, whomever, to explain that it's sold and no longer in your possession.
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