I bought an old Yamaha XT350 off CL, my mom actually when to pick it up.
So when I got home and started working on it. I looked at the bill of sale the guy gave her, no VIN, so I looked at the bike and it was ground off.
So I called the cops and they came out and made a report and it was the last I heard about it.

 

Is it a salvaged title or previously stolen vehicle. If it is stolen the new owner could have put the new vin that was illegally taken off on it....or the the guy repaired it in 1991, then that is what the new title will show. Just some suggestions. Good Luck

 

Every 1991 part I have bought does not fit. when I take the old part in to match it up the part matches 84-89 parts. The sticker under the hood that had the engine family on it says 1988. door vin has been removed. front axle is from an 88. radiator is from an 88 (does not have a cap). The Vin plate that is on it is offset.

 

I called the police who told me to call CHP. CHP told me to bring the Jeep in when I have time

 

Well good luck, and by the way Welcome to CF.

 

X2, Good luck, good thinking and welcome to CF

 

X3... good luck, man!

 

Welcome, and good luck. Try small claims court against the guy that sold it.

 

Hopefully it's not stolen and you get to keep it. Good luck, big welcome.

 

well, i would've just got ahold of the guy you bought it off before you called the cops. now when you take it in to the chp, make sure you take all your belongings out before you go. they will take the jeep and you will be left without it, and out any monies you have sunk into it.

you should've just called the previous owner to see what his story was. maybe it was a retitled rebuild. and even if it is legit, it's gonna take a while for the cops to figure it out.

good luck with that.

 

I don't think this is a small claims court thing. This is criminal court. Auto theft, altering VINs, fraud, are felony crimes, not a misdemeanor like writing a NSF check. Felonies are serious - never leave your record kind of serious, keep you from getting hired at about one million different companies, keep you from getting CCW, etc., etc. Bad news all around. Even being charged with a felony stays on your federal record the rest of your life...and your kid's lives...and their kids (welcome to the police state) unless you go to court to have it expunged.

That said, the PD in your town likely does not care even a little bit about sub $1000 cars. Even so, you need to get that out of your possession ASAP and into the hands of the law.

The guy from Vegas is right. This is guns-drawn serious. Go yourself a favor and get low-profile on this Monday morning.

 

Once you have word from the CHP about the VIN etc, if they decide its "stolen" and keep it then you can file in Small Claims court to recoup your purchase price.

That said, I have to ask,

1. "How are you going to prove the seller 'knew' the title/vin was an issue?"
2. How are you going to prove they tampered with it?
3. How are you going to prove Malice in the Seller?

As you can see its not going to be easy open and shut case of fraud, its your word against his. Yes he sold it to you, but was there Malice in there, they might have bought it the same way and never had an issue with it.

Good Luck.

 

i would part it out. you could slowly get you money back that way...slowly!

 

I think that by his calling PD/CHP and ultimately relying on them to clarify the matter, so-to-speak, he demonstrates his own lack of complicity (IF it's a hot vehicle for whatever reason). Hopefull not, but should he need to... a good defense attorney could use that in court. If it was me, I'd call them just before I got on the road, give them my name, vehicle description/tag# and tell em I was on my way... just to CMA.

 

It may not be that bad.
My uncle bought a 69 Mustang 351 convertible when the Police did the title inspection it cam back as a 429 Super Cobra Jet fastback. they just issued a "body change" certificate and that was it.
Granted that was is Ohio and 20 years ago. But you never know.

Personally I wouldn't worry about it on a vehicle that old. It was probably a junkyard build or a pieced together vehicle, very common around were I live.