Reminds me of the time I bought a stolen car, unknowingly too. Took it to the MB dealer to have the radio fixed. They pulled the radio and found evidence it was at very least a theft recovery - harness all cut up. They almost called the police. DMV gave me information to indicate the car was put together from stolen car parts and involved in an insurance scam. Fortunately, I was able to find the seller, although he tried to avoid me. I was successful in using a ruse to get him to meet me and persuade him to take the car back and give me my $38K back, although that took some doing. He had a dealer license, so I turned his butt into the authorities...right after I got my money. I love LA and lived there for 5 years (in Orange County). I learned the used car market there is particularly shady and full of sharks, but not the kind of sharks we like.

 

Great to hear you got the car back!!

I read a story of a buy who had a late 60's corvette stolen about a year after he bought it....Last year (2005) it was found in a shipping container in the Long Beach Port, completely restored, getting shipped to South America or something!! The did find the original owner and he got the vette back!

 

I read the same story too. It was all over the new last christmas. The original owner never had insurance on it so the car went back to him.

 

Glad to hear it's getting resolved -- so many stolen cars never turn up again.