Looking out for each other
09-17-2007, 08:38 PM
#43
Instructor
Member Since: Oct 2006
Location: Sugarland, Houston Texas
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Houston, Texas Area
I'm in for the Houston area. Though I'd be more specific to covering the Southwest parts including Missouri City, Richmond, Katy, Rosenburg, etc.
10-04-2007, 12:04 PM
#47
Racer
Thread Starter
10-06-2007, 07:46 AM
#49
Intermediate
Member Since: May 2007
Location: Menasha WI
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Watching Out for One and Other
I have a story to share with you. I am very embarrassed to tell it but if I can get my message out there maybe this won't happen to someone else.
I have read all of your warnings about eBay but unfortunately I joined the forum after this happened to me. I bid on a Corvette on eBay and I ended up winning the Vette. I was happy to finally own my first Corvette and I was looking forward to restoring the car. After winning I paid via Paypal but for some reason the seller told me it took longer to get the money than I was told. Then I had to arrange to go and get the Vette so that took another week to arrange. I asked the seller to send me the title before I came for the car (mistake) and he told me he mailed it out right after I asked him. The time came to go and get the car and I went and met the guy at night, in a different state, and with the excitement of driving the Corvette home. He met me on time but quickly said "here are the keys I have to go to work" and almost ran. I got in the car, started it and began my trip home. He said the car would make it back with out a problem, but about an hour into my trip both belts broke and it quickly over heated. It was now 3:00am and I was still 21/2 hours from home. I called a tow truck and had them tow me back, and I also let them keep the car to go over it and replace the belts.
When I went to pick the car up the head mechanic said he needed to talk to me. I was happy to listen to his advice but what he told me made me almost sick. He said there was a different engine in the car than the guy (seller) told me, he said the pulleys were at an angle which he said they couldn't fix, and he also said he could not find the VIN but he was not familiar with Corvette VIN tags so I did not think much of that. About 2 weeks after I got home I received the title from the seller and again I wanted to be sick. On the eBay listing it said clear title, never in a wreck, no flood damage, etc. I looked the title over and to my shock the title said "Salvaged". I immediately emailed the seller and he would not reply. I emailed eBay to see what to do and they took a week to get back to me but told me to file a complaint through eBay’s complaint system.
I filed a complaint that same day and I received a response telling me too much time had passed to get any money returned. Then to make things worse the body man doing my restore said he needed to talk to me. I went to talk with him and he said "I have some bad news, I have looked and looked, and even did more research in case I was wrong, but I checked your car from top to bottom and there is no VIN tag. I was pissed and crushed all at once. My nightmare just kept getting worse.
I again contacted eBay and they sent me an email saying that they stopped his account (to sell) but that was all they were allowed to tell me.
I called the police in the city he claimed to be from but they couldn't find him, and told me my case will not be a priority unless something else happens. I now just feel helpless and embarrassed.
I now have a Corvette that has a salvaged title and no clue why or what happened to the car, a car with a different engine that they say can't be fixed, and no VIN number on the car making it I would guess impossible to sell. I needed to tell this story so it doesn't happen to any one else. I am sorry it took so long for me to tell it but like I said I am very embarrassed.
After all that has happened I still have "Corvette Fever" and my Corvette gets painted Monday. I do not know if I can drive it on the street yet but I will talk with my local Police Dept. to find out. Otherwise I will have a nice ornament for my driveway. Like I said, I have the fever now and when I save enough money again I will definitely buy another Corvette. I learned a valuable lesson the hard way, but I will not let his dishonesty ruin my new passion.
Thank for reading...
Jeff (zenvette)
P.S. I would greatly appreciate any comments or feedback regarding this "scam" as I now call it.
I have read all of your warnings about eBay but unfortunately I joined the forum after this happened to me. I bid on a Corvette on eBay and I ended up winning the Vette. I was happy to finally own my first Corvette and I was looking forward to restoring the car. After winning I paid via Paypal but for some reason the seller told me it took longer to get the money than I was told. Then I had to arrange to go and get the Vette so that took another week to arrange. I asked the seller to send me the title before I came for the car (mistake) and he told me he mailed it out right after I asked him. The time came to go and get the car and I went and met the guy at night, in a different state, and with the excitement of driving the Corvette home. He met me on time but quickly said "here are the keys I have to go to work" and almost ran. I got in the car, started it and began my trip home. He said the car would make it back with out a problem, but about an hour into my trip both belts broke and it quickly over heated. It was now 3:00am and I was still 21/2 hours from home. I called a tow truck and had them tow me back, and I also let them keep the car to go over it and replace the belts.
When I went to pick the car up the head mechanic said he needed to talk to me. I was happy to listen to his advice but what he told me made me almost sick. He said there was a different engine in the car than the guy (seller) told me, he said the pulleys were at an angle which he said they couldn't fix, and he also said he could not find the VIN but he was not familiar with Corvette VIN tags so I did not think much of that. About 2 weeks after I got home I received the title from the seller and again I wanted to be sick. On the eBay listing it said clear title, never in a wreck, no flood damage, etc. I looked the title over and to my shock the title said "Salvaged". I immediately emailed the seller and he would not reply. I emailed eBay to see what to do and they took a week to get back to me but told me to file a complaint through eBay’s complaint system.
I filed a complaint that same day and I received a response telling me too much time had passed to get any money returned. Then to make things worse the body man doing my restore said he needed to talk to me. I went to talk with him and he said "I have some bad news, I have looked and looked, and even did more research in case I was wrong, but I checked your car from top to bottom and there is no VIN tag. I was pissed and crushed all at once. My nightmare just kept getting worse.
I again contacted eBay and they sent me an email saying that they stopped his account (to sell) but that was all they were allowed to tell me.
I called the police in the city he claimed to be from but they couldn't find him, and told me my case will not be a priority unless something else happens. I now just feel helpless and embarrassed.
I now have a Corvette that has a salvaged title and no clue why or what happened to the car, a car with a different engine that they say can't be fixed, and no VIN number on the car making it I would guess impossible to sell. I needed to tell this story so it doesn't happen to any one else. I am sorry it took so long for me to tell it but like I said I am very embarrassed.
After all that has happened I still have "Corvette Fever" and my Corvette gets painted Monday. I do not know if I can drive it on the street yet but I will talk with my local Police Dept. to find out. Otherwise I will have a nice ornament for my driveway. Like I said, I have the fever now and when I save enough money again I will definitely buy another Corvette. I learned a valuable lesson the hard way, but I will not let his dishonesty ruin my new passion.
Thank for reading...
Jeff (zenvette)
P.S. I would greatly appreciate any comments or feedback regarding this "scam" as I now call it.
10-27-2007, 03:19 PM
#55
Melting Slicks
Member Since: Sep 2007
Location: Tucson AZ
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Zenvette, thanks for sharing your story. I'm absolutely positive that has happened to all of us at some degree at some or another. You can have your local DMV office come out to inspect your car and assign a VIN to it. My sone did this for a 69 VW Fastback he bought as an abandoned vehicle, it was left at the mechanics shop for 10 years or so. He got a clean title, from AZ and wound up selling the car after he was done building it. Hope that gives you just a glimmer of hope. Tank
12-26-2007, 01:40 PM
#59
Racer
Member Since: Mar 2004
Location: Jupiter fla
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Florida-West Palm beach area
I'm a 1972 C 3 owner..........
FLORIDA - WEST PALM BEACH
I'll do 30 miles south to Boca
and 30 miles North to Stuart
Count me in
Dave
FLORIDA - WEST PALM BEACH
I'll do 30 miles south to Boca
and 30 miles North to Stuart
Count me in
Dave
Last edited by A72COUPEDT; 12-26-2007 at 01:41 PM. Reason: addition
