privatr party car sale

[nicole_garcia559]

Jurisdiction

California

I sold my car to a guy 3 months ago. He didnt finish paying me but i still signed the title away because he said he need more time for the rest of the money. I thought that i could trust him and didnt mind helping him out since we did business at his house. He hasn't paid me so now i filed a claim in court for what he owes me. I recently found out now that the car i sold him is now being sold by someone else. I checked with dmv and i am still the registeres owner. Can the first buyer sell a car he never transferred? Is there anything i can do to get the car back in court?

 

[army judge]

I sold my car to a guy 3 months ago. He didnt finish paying me but i still signed the title away because he said he need more time for the rest of the money. I thought that i could trust him and didnt mind helping him out since we did business at his house. He hasn't paid me so now i filed a claim in court for what he owes me. I recently found out now that the car i sold him is now being sold by someone else. I checked with dmv and i am still the registeres owner. Can the first buyer sell a car he never transferred? Is there anything i can do to get the car back in court?

You have a mess, a big nasty, mess.

I suggest you start by contacting DMV IN PERSON.

You are at great risk, financially.

Never TRUST anyone but yourself, going forward.

If you sell anything, get ALL of the money in CASH, before you release the item to the buyer.

You didn't sell a car.

The con-artist scammed a car out of your control.

You answered your own question, YES, the scammer has apparently sold HIS car.

Yes, HIS car.

By signing the title over to him, he owned the car.

However, you may still be the legal owner, because the scammer didn't execute the transfer correctly and scammed some other sucker.

If the car hits a baby, her pregnant mother pushing the baby down the street, driven by a a critter on a five day meth induced state of delirium; you'll be at great financial risk.

See if DMV can assist you in getting the car out of your name, and into the name of SCAMMER NUMBER 1.

Forget what is owed, just get the damn thing out of your name and your life.

 

[Highwayman]

You shouldn't be in the auto finance business. If someone can't hand over the purchase price in full then you don't sign over the title, period.

California is a screwy state - you didn't take off and turn in your plates when you handed over the keys???

 

[nicole_garcia559]

You have a mess, a big nasty, mess.

I suggest you start by contacting DMV IN PERSON.

You are at great risk, financially.

Never TRUST anyone but yourself, going forward.

If you sell anything, get ALL of the money in CASH, before you release the item to the buyer.

You didn't sell a car.

The con-artist scammed a car out of your control.

You answered your own question, YES, the scammer has apparently sold HIS car.

Yes, HIS car.

By signing the title over to him, he owned the car.

However, you may still be the legal owner, because the scammer didn't execute the transfer correctly and scammed some other sucker.

If the car hits a baby, her pregnant mother pushing the baby down the street, driven by a a critter on a five day meth induced state of delirium; you'll be at great financial risk.

See if DMV can assist you in getting the car out of your name, and into the name of SCAMMER NUMBER 1.

Forget what is owed, just get the damn thing out of your name and your life.

Yes i totally understand about being financially responsible but isnt that what the release of liability is for? Dmv told me by turning that in i was no longer responsible for what could happen with that vehicle. Good thing is that the car doesnt run at all. What can you advise me as far as going to court against the first person i sold the car too. I have proof of him owing the money in writing. I know ill definitely need that in court.

 

[army judge]

Yes i totally understand about being financially responsible but isnt that what the release of liability is for? Dmv told me by turning that in i was no longer responsible for what could happen with that vehicle. Good thing is that the car doesnt run at all. What can you advise me as far as going to court against the first person i sold the car too. I have proof of him owing the money in writing. I know ill definitely need that in court.

I gave you advice about how to proceed in my original post.

Forget the money.
Even if you won a judgment, you'd never collect a dollar of it from a scammer.
For all you know, you might not even know who you REALLY thought bought or scammed the car.

Your biggest problem is making sure ALL of your potential exposure is removed.

As suggested visit DMV in person Monday, and make sure you get the DMV requirements corrected.