So, I bought a car on eBay, and everything was going fine. I paid for the car, had the car shipped to me, and it took the person picking up the car longer than expected because the weather was bad.
the seller (who is a shop owner, and was selling the car on consignment for someone else) originally said he would send the title to me, but never did. the guy seemed trustworthy, and him being a shop owner, I believed it when he said he would hide the title in the trunk. well I got the car, as the car is fine, but there is no title.
I emailed him, and now he wants $200 for storage because the driver who was picking up the car took so long (about 2 weeks longer than I originally planned) and won’t give me the title until I pay.
we never discussed or agreed upon this, and now I don’t have a title to the car.
I paid for the car with a 300 deposit with paypal and paid the rest in postal money orders.
the problem is that this guy is in New Jersey, and I can’t just go down there…
so far, I have
Filed a complaint with paypal, ebay, and the BBB in his area…
so what else can I do?
Mind you, the car is a 1960 Ford Thunderbird, and I know I can get a regs here with a VIN rubbing and all that crap, but I want the title, as promised.
It depends on the state if its a titled vehicle. NYS titles started in 73, other states are earlier. You need to find out who is at fault-seller?, shipper? etc… and contact them. In the mean time talk to the guy see if he’ll sellte on the 100 if not send the 200.
It must be that in jersey, titles are issued to vehicles 1960 or newer.
I was in communication with the guy- I let him know that they shipper was going to take some time, and he said no problem… esp since the car was paid for…He never mentioned anything about storage fees, and I talked to him at least a dozen times on the phone, even after the car was on it’s way here. He even agreed to put the title in the trunk, the day before the car was actually picked up.
believe me, it’s not the $200…had he mentioned there would be storage fees, I would have to buck up, or I would have found a shipper that would have been quicker (but more $$)
I’ll probably just do the VIN rubbing, but I just hate getting it up the ass like this. I can also get a Michigan title without a problem, but I’d like to ideally get the orig title.
It depends on the state if its a titled vehicle. NYS titles started in 73, other states are earlier. You need to find out who is at fault-seller?, shipper? etc… and contact them. In the mean time talk to the guy see if he’ll sellte on the 100 if not send the 200.
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your pretty much stuck with the 200 bucks because it was there for 2 weeks, thats not unusual. try to negotiate it down, otherwise pay it or you’ll never get a title
I didn’t think you can just charge a storage fee w/o prior agreement. If storage fees were mentioned in the auction (fairly common with dealers/shops), yes, but if there was no mention of it anywhere, no. If they can charge $200, why not $1000? Sounds like he’s giving you the royal screw, but there is probably not too many cost-effective ways to deal with it.
I guess the question is how much did the shipper charge the guy when the car wasn’t picked up on the date promised.
But basically, he’s got you by the balls. It’s $200. Any legal methods of fighting it are going to cost more than $200.
I wouldn’t be surprised if the shipper charged the guy close to $200 for storing something the size of a car 2 weeks.
As for, “it’s not fair” as airhead posted… fair went out the window when you broke the terms of the original agreement. Maybe he wasn’t real specific about it having to be picked up on a certain date, but a date was established and you missed it by a full two weeks.
Honestly, it’s $200. I think I’d just pay it and move on and take away from the experience that next time I’ll pick the item up the day it arrives because storage fees are a waste of money.
