Used Cars, Banks, Police and the Great Domino Effect. (Long)

[Thanatos340 1]

What a freeking Mess!!

About a month ago, My Ex and I decided my daughters TR6 was not the brightest idea and that we should buy her a safer and more practical car. (This decision was made after a friend of hers was hurt pretty bad after being rear ended at a stop sign by an SUV.)

After much searching we found Lancer Rally OZ that met all of our requirements. There was a small problem (so we thought) with AC temp control knob sticking. The dealer agreed to fix that so we bought the car.

Now anyone that ever tried to get car insurance for a 16 yo can tell you basically You put both Nuts on a table and hand the insurance company a hammer. They swing VERY hard BTW. Full coverage for $5K car and they wanted $1960 every 6 months for insurance. Just basic liability was only a more reasonable $850 every 6 months. So to avoid having to finance the car (Thus requiring Full coverage insurance) I decided to write a Check out of my Home Equity Line for the car.

All is well and good at this point. The car is paid for, the dealer send the car to a nearby shop to get the AC Knob fixed. We can pick it the next day.

The next day, They say they will have to order some parts from Mitsubishi to fix the problem. No problem, I wait a couple days. Go to pick up the car, The problem is NOT fixed. The dealer is furious with the local shop (Not affiliated with the dealer) because they charged him $531 for the repair and didn’t fix it. We take the car back to the shop and they promise I can get the next day. This goes on for two more weeks, every day a different story from the Garage about how they have to order more parts but it will be fixed tomorrow. Finally after two weeks, I get fed up with this crap and tell the dealer to just give me my money back which amazingly enough, he does. He writes me a check for the full amount I originally paid.

I deposit his check into my account, Wait two days for it clear and then withdraw cash so that I can take my daughter car shopping that weekend. Always easier to negotiate when you have cash in hand.

This is where the REAL fun starts..

The next day, I get a call from the Dealer. He says my original Check from my HELOC had bounced and he had contacted the police as he is convinced that somehow I had just scammed him. There is no way my Check could have bounced (So I thought) as it was written off a $50K line of credit that I had and had been using occasionally for years.
The dealer tells me he has put a Stop Payment on his check that he had given me.

I call my Mortgage Company to see what the hell is going on. It seems my check DID bounce. The Mortgage company had done an online reappraisal of my house and devalued it over $60K because of the supposed mortgage crisis and froze my HELOC.. Of course they never told me about this.

Shortly after I find this out, the dealer calls me and says his bank told him his check (the refund on the car) had already cleared and it was to late for the stop payment.

I explain to him what happened with the mortgage company and tell him I have $5K cash on me (The money I had withdrawn from my checking account to take my daughter car shopping) and I will bring it him immediately to pick up my bad check. I do this and get receipts, signature and even insist on a picture of me giving him the money. Go by the Police dept to show them that I have picked up the check and get that mess straightened out. (They tell me that with the rash of Fake checks scams going on they are much quicker to seek arrest warrants than they used to be for these big ticket items). Anyway I get myself free and clear there and they close out the complaint.

So I finally think this mess is over.. NOT a Chance!

I head to Chicago the next week for business trip and to visit SDC for the weekend. I go to pull some cash out of my checking account. Overdrawn. WTF?? I had plenty of money in that account. It seems that the Stop Payment from the dealers check was honored so the bank took $5K out of my checking account to cover it. Now I have other checks bouncing all over town. I also discover that my Mortgage Company shows the original check I wrote for the car as cleared in my HELOC account.

So at this point, I am out of $10K, Don’t have a car for my daughter, Had a warrant out for my arrest for fraud and have checks bouncing all over town. (I had not bounced a check in over 20 years before this)

I shuffled some cash around to get the immediate problems covered. Chase (my Mortgage Company) says they will get the $5K charge removed from HELOC within the next 7 to 10 working days and the dealer says come by and he will write me a new check so hopefully all this will be fixed soon. Every day for the past 3 1/2 weeks has been nothing short of one giant cluster fuck dealing with all this crap.

The moral of this story?? I still havent quite figured out what it is.

In the mean time.. Anyone near Atlanta have a safe dependable car that a 16yo would want and will you take a check?

Sorry for the long post but I really needed to Vent.

[airtwardo 7]

The moral of this story??

Quote

TR6's RULE!

~ If you choke a Smurf, what color does it turn? ~

[iluvtofly 0]

that really sucks

[JohnRich 4]

Wow.

It would have been a lot easier just to live with a sticky AC knob.

Your story reminds me of that fable of how a battle was lost for wont of a horseshoe.

[sickandtwisted 0]

Sorry to here that, dude. I'll keep my eye out for a decent used car in the Atl area.

Skymama stalker #69!!!!

[guppie01 0]

I have a very reliable Mitsubishi Lancer, and I would be willing to take a check, however it's located in CA...

g

"Let's do something romantic this Saturday... how bout we bust out the restraints?"
Raddest Ho this side of Jersey #1 - MISS YOU
OMG, is she okay?

[turtlespeed 226]

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The moral of this story?? I still havent quite figured out what it is.

That's EASY . . . don't fuck chicks from Alabama.

I'm not usually into the whole 3-way thing, but you got me a little excited with that. - Skymama
BTR #1 / OTB^5 Official #2 / Hellfish #408 / VSCR #108/Tortuga/Orfun

[Thanatos340 1]

Turtle.. My soft-shelled boogie missing quadraped friend..

This mess has almost reached Redheaded Stripper from Alabama level of complications. (Not quite but, But close)

That was just the FIRST car we tried to buy. The second one that we wanted to buy was also amusing.
Volkswagon Golf, looked great, Drove great, Great price.

Pulled a Carfax on it.. It had been totaled. TWICE!! and had the title washed both times.

[airtwardo 7]

~This mess has almost reached Redheaded Stripper from Alabama level of complications.

Quote

Funny...looking out over the large gathered crowd of male Skydivers, I notice a huge percentage of them nodding their heads and checking their scars, in knowing and respectful agreement.

~ If you choke a Smurf, what color does it turn? ~

[AggieDave 6]

If you're going to write a bad check, make sure its a two party, out of state, temporary check. Those are much more fun.

Anyways, it sucks that all of that happened, good luck getting it all cleared up.

--"When I die, may I be surrounded by scattered chrome and burning gasoline."

[turtlespeed 226]

Quote

Turtle.. My soft-shelled boogie missing quadraped friend..

This mess has almost reached Redheaded Stripper from Alabama level of complications. (Not quite but, But close)

That was just the FIRST car we tried to buy. The second one that we wanted to buy was also amusing.
Volkswagon Golf, looked great, Drove great, Great price.

Pulled a Carfax on it.. It had been totaled. TWICE!! and had the title washed both times.

Come to Houston . . . we can put on another J and Turtle weekend . . . I think I still remember how to do that.

I'm not usually into the whole 3-way thing, but you got me a little excited with that. - Skymama
BTR #1 / OTB^5 Official #2 / Hellfish #408 / VSCR #108/Tortuga/Orfun

[Beerlight 0]

Quote

The moral of this story?? I still havent quite figured out what it is.

Don't have kids!!!! And if you do, let them pay for their own insurance and car.........like my ole man did.

Sorry for your bad luck.....

[tigra 0]

The moral of the story? Avoid Chase Bank like the plague. They aren't the only lender freezing equity lines these days, but bouncing and clearing a check at the same time? That seems pretty typical for Chase based on what I've seen over the years.

[millertime24 8]

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The moral of this story??

Quit writing fucking checks. They are a waste of time and energy. Its much more convenient and time effective to use cash, debit, or credit. Plain and simple. Also nothing bounces if you go this method (thats whats cool about overdraft protection).

Muff #5048

[marks 0]

I found one for you, but I ignored it because you said you had one.
call me, you can come look at it at any time.
2500$

[yardhippie 0]

I can get you a ride for less than 5K, but you'll need to give your girl your Honda and take what I find.

Call me if I can help!

Goddam dirty hippies piss me off! ~GFD
"What do I get for closing your rig?" ~ me
"Anything you want." ~ female skydiver
Mohoso Rodriguez #865

[CSpenceFLY 1]

I always thought you looked like a shady fucker.

[Thanatos340 1]

Anyone have any good suggestions for lowering Blood pressure? This mess is going to cause me to have a stroke if I cant find a way to get it resolved.
It just keep getting worse.

Timeline
6/26/2008 - I buy a car from a Used car dealer. Dealer agrees to fix A/C problem as part of the sale. Supposed to pick up the car the next day.

6/27/2008 - Go to pick up car. A/C Temp control not fixed. Dealer says Shop has to order parts Car will be ready in a few days. Told I could pick up car on July 2/2008.

7/2/2008 – Go to pick up car. A/C Still not fix and additional problem now present with Vent selector. Told that they would replace the entire Blend box. Pick up the car 7/08/2008.

7/8/2008 – Go to pick up car, A/C Temp control Fixed but Vent selector is not working. Told they would take it back and get it fixed. Pick up car on 7/9/2008.

7/9/2008 – Go to pick up car. Still not fixed. I ask for my money back. Dealer writes me a check for the purchase price.

7/10/2008 - I deposit Dealers check into my Checking account.

7/11/2008 - Dealers check Credited to my account. I with draw $5K cash from my bank to take my daughter shopping for a new car.

I think we are done... Noooooo. The fun is just beginning.

7/11/2008 - Get a call from dealer that says my original Check Bounced and is being returned. I call my Bank (Chase - HELOC) and discover that they have re-appraised my house and devalued it $60K and froze my Home Equity line. They say they did bounce the check and there is no way to reopen my line of credit at this time.

7/11/2008 - I call the dealer back, Explain what happened and offer to come pick up the bad check. He declines saying he had a stop Payment placed on the check he gave me. Police contacted and a complaint filed for Check Fraud.

7/12/2008 Get a call from dealer saying His check had cleared before the stop payment was placed. I tell him I have $5K cash on me and will be right there to cover the original bad check I wrote. I go to him and give him cash, Get receipts, Pictures ect..
Goto police dept and get the complaint cleared up.

7/14.2008 - Receive Letter from Chase verifying they have returned Check 113 to the Payee (The dealer) because my account was frozen.

7/17/2008 - My Checking Account is overdrawn. My Bank (Wachovia) removed $5K from my checking account because the stop payment on the dealers check was honored.

7/17/2008 - Discover that Chase (My HELOC Bank) shows MY original check as cleared on July 8th. Contact disputes dept and told 7 to 10 days to investigate.

------------Events that have happened since my first Post------------------

7/21/2008 – Go to Dealer and he writes me a NEW check for the $5K.

7/24/2008 – Go to Dealers Bank (Regents) to CASH his check (Trying to by pass my bank (Wachovia) completely in case there are any problems). Well there is a problem. Insufficient Funds in his account to cover the check. The teller tells me that there are deposits pending and to represent the tomorrow and it should be good.

7/24/2008 – Receive Letter from Chase saying the ORIGINAL Check I wrote off the HELOC was resubmitted by Regents bank on July 8th and this time they Honored it.

7/25/2008 – Call Chase and ask how the hell they can BOUNCE the check and tell me my account was frozen and then a couple days later Arbitrarily decide to HONOR that check AFTER they told me it Bounced (And STILL not notify me!!!). So the dealer NOW has the Origianal $5K I wrote the check for PLUS the $5K CASH I gave him after I was told by Chase that they Bounced the check.

7/25/2008 – Go to back to Regents Bank to try to cash Dealers Check. Still insufficient fund to cover this check.

Current status – $10K out of pocket and No car. Blood pressure is through the roof and the dealer is out of town till Monday.

Sorry.. Just had to vent one more time. If I still had hair, I would have surely pulled it out by now.

[BillyVance 34]

Damn. You must not be very fun to be with now. Just don't go postal! And lock up whatever firearms you have!

Best wishes for a satisfactory resolution to all this crap.

I only hope I can handle something like that as well as you have so far.

"Mediocre people don't like high achievers, and high achievers don't like mediocre people." - SIX TIME National Champion coach Nick Saban

[Icon134 0]

J... as others have said I hope you get this resolved... it doesn't look like you're having any fun...

If I was in the same situation all of the banks would be on very thin ice... and it would be very difficult to maintain my anger level.

Livin' on the Edge... sleeping with my rigger's wife...

[Sebazz1 2]

When shit really hits the fan and your blood pressure and temper are about to erupt, just stop, sit down, open up a cold beer and really try put it in prospective everything that has happened and know that this will work out and one day it will be a good I got fucked story to tell around the bonfire.



That's a real muther effer, but it'll work out.

[Thanatos340 1]

Yelling and screaming or losing my temper isn’t going to get this resolved. It is one GIANT mess.

It is seriously starting to effect my health as the stress level is really getting to me and I wasn’t really joking about the Blood pressure. I set a new High Score at the Pharmacy Blood pressure machine today. (Not for me.. For the Machine!!)

Sebazz.. Great advise. Only I will stick with Cold Water for now. Never been a fan of using Alcohol as a way to deal with stress. When all this finally Over you can bet your ass I will be celebrating with some Beers.

[prepheckt 0]

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When shit really hits the fan and your blood pressure and temper are about to erupt, just stop, sit down, open up a cold beer and really try put it in prospective everything that has happened and know that this will work out and one day it will be a good I got fucked story to tell around the bonfire.



That's a real muther effer, but it'll work out.

Do what any red blooded American would do. Sue everybody directly or indirectly involved. Somebody will pay you to go away.

"Dancing Argentine Tango is like doing calculus with your feet."
-9 toes

[Casie 0]

J - I really hate that you're going thru this. i do have to say - it's fantastic you have all the dates and everything written down, photos, proof, etc. it will get resolved - just will take longer than expected.

best way to get rid of the stress is to do whatever you like doing where you wont think about it.

~Porn Kitty
WARNING: Goldschlager causes extreme emotional outbursts!

[Thanatos340 1]

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Do what any red blooded American would do. Sue everybody directly or indirectly involved. Somebody will pay you to go away.

Soon as you involve lawyers in ANYTHING, the only thing you can be certain of is that EVERYONE is about to get screwed.