DUDE, thought you blocked me and i'd slip that in
Actually Im early, Q1 cant get here soon enough but the more I get serious about a race project the more my partner waffles and lament about his love for his Camaro and all the BASS tournaments he likes to do.
It has nice options (id rather white for graphics application) for a wanna be SPECer, I swear if he backs out on our 996 plans im gonna get an '09+ w/ Di & PDK and make him write it down as my new "work truck."
If you like it I love it.


edit:Had to ad some emojis for doc

 

Awesome!

 

Doh! Got PSM and TC mixed up. Great find!

 

Can't wait to see her doc. Unfortunately I'm working weekends this month so it might be awhile before I'm able to come to the 928 breakfast. Two LSD 996s together wont be a common sight!

 

Nice ride dude!

 

It's like the gods of ownership have conspired against me. There's some giant cosmic screw sitting over my head rotating, and getting lower, and lower all the time.

Summary: I do NOT have the car, may not be getting the car, and I am very unhappy.

Longer story:
Guy arrives with car at my house, I told him I would pick up but he has a ride, and will be going nearby after delivery. OK fine, no prob. It's being sold by a small used car dealer, and he has a license to sell cars in TX. Car looks great, everything on the car is in order, all the stuff is there and the following discussion takes place;

"Nice, let me verify the VIN and I'll get you the money."
"Here's your bill of sale, and the temp tags."
"OK, that's fine, but I need to verify the VIN to the title, so I need to check the title and the sellers signature on it."
"Well, when you buy from a dealer, you don't get the title, it goes direct to the state, and they issue you a new one."
"I know, I want to see the CURRENT title, and check that there are no issues with the VIN and the seller has signed it, and he doesn't have a lien."
"There's no lien, it's paid off."
"Where is the title?"
"We are going to get the title, but right now we don't have it."
"What is the name of the seller you are representing?"
"John Smith*." (*pseudonym)
"OK, I know a guy, I'll just go call the DMV and make sure that the name John Smith is on the title to this VIN."
"Well, the name on the VIN will be the previous owner who sold it to John Smith."
"I see, what name is that?"
"I don't have it handy, but we will get you a bonded title, and everything will be fine." (at the mention of 'bonded title' I knew it was a lost cause, I wasn't getting a car)
"Why do you need a bonded title, if you have the title with the sellers signature on it."
"Well, John can't find the title right now, so we'll get a bonded title, and then send it to the DMV, and they will issue you a new one."
"Right, so you applied for the bond, and you should have the bond receipt and the bond holders info, I would like to see the bond info."
"We haven't applied for the bonded title yet, we are still looking for the old title to John Smith."
"So, you want me to pay you for a car for which you have no title, and for which the seller has had no title issued in his name, and you are the dealer representing the actual seller who is John. Is that the way we have it?"
"You don't need to worry, I do this all the time, and I assure you the title bond will be no problem, you'll own the car, and you can drive it until Jan on the temp tags until your registration is complete, and then your new title will come in the mail."
"Yes, I know how bonded titles work, and you haven't even applied for the bond yet, and had the title research done. If there is a lien on the car, or if the prev owner has a title hold on it you will never, ever get a bond for this car. You know that, and you came out here to try to sell a car you don't have legal authority to sell from the current owner. That's against the law, and also a violation of your dealers license." (he didn't like that I knew the law, and the dealer responsibility for his license to sell)
"I promise it's no problem, and I'll have the bonded title in a few days."
"The last bonded title I did took 6 weeks. Call me when you have the clear title, and I"ll hold the check for you, or you can leave the car, and come back and get the check when the title arrives." (he left with the car)

I guess I'm not mad. I'll die someday, and having died I can say I 'owned' and 'drove' a 911 at least for a few minutes. Back to shopping.

 

To bad but at least you dodged a bullet. Lots of shady stuff at small car lots. 1/2 way through your story i was affraid it was going to be a salvage title. I would guess it has on of those title loans out on it. Does a carfax show that? I bet there is a way to screw that seller if you wanted, maybe even get a recovery reward.
The way i understand it a registered "dealer" cant get a bonded title, title application must be in same name as bond so only an individual, they have several other ways to get a clear title even if it has a negative "brand" on it.
Any bonded title you have to sweat for several years hoping a claim isnt made. I think thats why TX wants a 1 1/2 times value bond so the claimant or surety holder will take the $$$ instead of the actual car back. If I understand the process correctly.

 

Bummer Doc.....

Why do you like the four spoke steering wheel better than the three spoke? I can't say I like them at all.

 

Because everyone else likes 3 spoke. Same reason I don't want a black or silver car.

 

Bummer doc. That sucks

By the way, you aren't the only one that likes the 4 spoke

 

Sounds shady, if it's a dealer they should have title in possession.

 

The four-spoke wheel is a crappy driver's wheel. One more spoke to get in the way if you shuffle, and no thumb hangers so you can center the wheel without looking at it. I also prefer the horn actuation with the 3-spoke. I detest the 4-spoke wheel. The 4-spoke IS much more reminiscent of the air-cooled interiors, but that is not a plus IMO. The older 911 interiors remind me of a 1970's Cessna 172 - beige and ugly.

I suppose everything could have been totally legit with the car - but man, that's a whole lot of "trust me" to ask of a total stranger. I don't think I know ANYONE I trust enough to believe that the title is just going to magically arrive.

Bummer that you're not in the car, but paying for a car that might not actually wind up being yours would be worse...

 

That's ok cause I detest the 3 spoke until this latest generation in the 918/991.2/958.2/Macan so we cancel each other out I have no issues shuffling or anything else. My only complaint after owning a BMW is that the 996's doesn't feel substantial and the god awful ugly *** 3 spoke doesn't help that

As a point of fact, the 4 spoke is a 993 part, so it's not 'reminiscent', it 'is' (not that I care).

 

Just got a text, still no luck finding the title so they are going to get the bond on Monday. I advised I would go to the bond office and DMV with him Monday

 

http://cf067b.medialib.glogster.com/...sign-1-png.png

The three-spoke with the raised stitching on the airbag is heinously ugly. The three-spoke without said stitching sure as f**k looks better than the giant plastic 4-spoke with the Porsche emblem embossed in black plastic. Hell, Neons had better steering wheels than the plastic 4-spokes in the 996.

The 4-spoke wheel looks like it belongs on a Disney Autopia car, not a $90K "luxury" sports car.

But like you, I don't really have a strong opinion either way...