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One take away... if you can’t get your car back from a licensed shop start the legal proceedings promptly. I know in FL the majority of applicable law goes against the shops and favor the consumer. Hindsight is always clear but I wonder how so many people put up with being denied access to their cars for so long. I wish all of the victims luck and success in their recovery.
This cannot be emphasized enough. Sitting on your hands is never a good option, and the longer you wait to exercise your rights, the more expensive it becomes to do so, with a decreasing liklihood of eventual success.
One take away... if you can’t get your car back from a licensed shop start the legal proceedings promptly. I know in FL the majority of applicable law goes against the shops and favor the consumer. Hindsight is always clear but I wonder how so many people put up with being denied access to their cars for so long. I wish all of the victims luck and success in their recovery.
Originally Posted by linderpat
This cannot be emphasized enough. Sitting on your hands is never a good option, and the longer you wait to exercise your rights, the more expensive it becomes to do so, with a decreasing liklihood of eventual success.
That's a good point which made me wonder about something I never thought of before. Can individuals hire a repo man? Seems that would be a more effective way to get your rightfully owned car back.
There was a thread in this last summer, including in the discussion the statement from Rich VM that he's a specialty shop and therefore had no need to register/license as an automotive repair facility. He received follow-up advice in that thread that he chose not to follow. With that in mind, there will be no such thing as a "mechanics lien" on any of the cars. It's just the landlord trying to recover his missing rent payments. As far as the "missing cars", it sounds like he 'relocated' many of those during his own frequent relocations. They may be in a barn or storage somewhere. If you have title to a missing car, perhaps the first thing to do is report it stolen so you'll be notified the next time he's evicted somewhere. That's the same first step in getting any insurance settlement.
It's becoming a bit of a trend here, finding that hobby-business auto repair shops are not properly licensed and insured/bonded to work on your cars. Sometimes it seems like a too-good-to-be-true find when that hobby-business offers very low prices. It very well might be!
That's a good point which made me wonder about something I never thought of before. Can individuals hire a repo man? Seems that would be a more effective way to get your rightfully owned car back.
There was a thread in this last summer, including in the discussion the statement from Rich VM that he's a specialty shop and therefore had no need to register/license as an automotive repair facility....
Is this a real thing in GA? Sounds more like BEE-ESS. Is this what got him banned?
I guess once the legal filings become public the wave of victims can speak out here. Should it be referred to as the "me too" movement?
I guess I am the sucker of the group but I have never had any issues with RichVM. I know many/most of the local posters, some I know through Rich and his many gatherings, some through SITM.
It seems like whenever these type of posts come up I feel the need to point out my experiences to balance out the bad.
Rich has gone out of his way to help me on several occasions and I have no reason to think he would not do it again if the circumstances arose.
Not trying to change minds,
just another data point.
Things were always a bit weird. I never thought it would turn out like this. I have a mechanics lien on one car. But I don’t think it’s part of the auction. After my attorney went through all my paperwork and records, got copies of all my photos, etc, owed me just under 4 grand in labor pay. And about 5 bounced paychecks in a frame on my wall as a constant reminder to never work FOR anyone ever again.
But in the end I suppose this explains why he never 10-99 me and I had to file as an independent contractor. At the time he owned the car the lien is placed on. But I’ve gotten a bit of info that he sold it after my wreck took me out of that shop. So the it could get even murkier. Ga Dept of labor involved and all. Sheesh.
Edit: the REAL pisser is I was on my way to the shop for a promised “paycheck” when I was creamed by a car much bigger than mine. My wreck happened ON THE WAY THERE.....Still
never even got that money either.
Last edited by StrayCat; 02-28-2021 at 03:21 AM.
Reason: Additional comment
02-27-2021, 11:23 AM
