Comanche_699

So, I bought my car from a dude locally a little over a year ago.

His story wasn't really all that, but the car was a good car, and I went for it. I didn't haggle on the price, and the car came with a nice wing. I asked about the original rear deck, and he said he had it - but that it was at his dad's house in LA. No problem, he'd grab it next time he was down there, and bring it back for me.

Meanwhile, when I bought the car it had an 11-99 plate-frame on it. He called all panicked about a week into my ownership asking for it back. I understood, and returned it to him the very next day.

Flash forward, it's been over a year of back and forth with the guy, and always some excuse about why we can't get together on getting the rear deck into my hands.

I'm going through craigslist last week, and there it is for sale on CL. (SF Bay area posting ID: 4710967390)

I can't believe it.

So I reply to the post- "Seriously?" I mean, what gives?

So then I call the guy, and he says "Oh I had some task rabbit going through stuff in the garage, and I have no idea what he was putting up on craigslist. It's totally yours. Sorry about that."

He claims to have an office like, 5 minutes from my house - so I email again, "are you going to be up this way this week? Maybe I could pick it up from you where I dropped off your 11-99 plate frame?"

Then nothing. For like another week. Finally I call him up and try to pin him down on a time to meet up. He says, "I'm pretty busy. Let's plan to meet this Friday." - a week later. - the week later comes, and I text on Friday morning, "Let me know when's a good time to meet up, I can meet any time."

He replies about 5 hours later, "Schedule got flipped, I can't make it. Maybe sometime next week?"

Now I'm reasonably pissed - so I reply to the effect - "Dude, come on. this is taking way too long, and it's unreasonable. You'd have flipped out if I took a year getting your plate frame back to you."

Radio Silence.

10 minutes ago (Sunday) he texts - "You can come to the city and pick it up on Monday or Tuesday whichever works for you."

I reply: "Either one's fine. ***."
and: "What time works for you, dolt?"

(kind of drawing heavily from The Princess Bride there)

He apparently doesn't care for the reference, and tells me to Eff Off - and that he was only getting me the decklid as a favor, and that now "The Favor" is off, and not to contact him any more.

So - my question to the RL'ers is, what would YOU do from this point?

Do I need the deck lid? No. But it is the original, and I might as well have the original parts in case one day 997.1 C2S cabs are suddenly valuable like air cooled 912's became one day.

And besides, we talked about this before I even bought the car, because I was really on the fence about the wing at the time, and my girlfriend hated the wing and insisted we switch it back to stock - so it wasn't a favor. It was part of the original deal.

No, that's not written on the bill of sale, but I do have emails to that effect going back and forth from the beginning.

Sure. I'm a big enough guy to just let it go, and trust that the world will sort him out one day - but on principle, I do feel entitled to that which is mine.


Thoughts? Opinions?



I'm interested in what you all think.

utkinpol

Unless you have a written contract or part is mentioned in tha sales agreement i see 0 reason why he would be obligated to hand over that rear deck to you.

For obsceneties and personal attacks in written you can get into court.

swordsmn

Was on your side till the insult(s)
You had the high road till then.
Perhaps you'll hold your tongue in a future transaction.
Might be a cheap lesson.

Comanche_699

Meh. That's what I figured. I was just getting bored of the high-road. Nothing ever happens up there. It wasn't yielding any results, so I figured I'd live a little, and dip down into the valley.

I was done holding my tongue with this guy. To be fair, it's been over a year of back and forth and all I was getting was "Jack and the beanstalk" stories.

I didn't really light him up. I mean, he actually was being an ***, and a dolt too. An intelligent person would just wrap up the deal and get on with their life. It made no sense to just let this go on and on, month after month from what I could tell.

Any other thoughts?

workhurts

How is a deal not a deal? You don't take a year to give someone something you said you were going to give them as part of a sale. Written contract or not.

Alex 911

Next time call him an *** after you get the part. Now, just keep on texting, calling and emailing him relentlessly until you get YOUR lid.

energetik9

I have no idea. If he told you not to contact him, the problem is that is will only go further downhill (or into the valley...) from here. Only possibly recourse if you are really that interested is to just try and be nice. Hell, if you really want it you could even offer him cash for the part (yes I know), but it all comes down to how bad you want it and what it means to you. Or, of course, you could just cut ties and move on...

Jerrsnbrg

I would keep on harassing him and show up at his place. Tell him it was part of the agreement. Hopefully he will just want to get rid of you. I agree you shouldn't have called him an *** until you got the part....the you could have told him to F off. Realistically you probably won't get the part at this point.. Do you have an attorney friend that could write a letter for you. This would make him turn over the part within 24 hrs.

Fred R. C4S

Move on. Save your time and energy for more important things. It's been said, "Don't sweat the small stuff...and it's all small stuff". It took me a few years and health issues to let this bit of wisdom settle on me. Every bit of energy spent on this is energy you could spend on something that will give you pleasure. Take you wife out to dinner in your new ride and toast the asshat that sold it to you.

secondshot

Have had the same type of thing on non-Pcar related items. I have pursued, and pursued to no avail. Sometimes it is just simply the "string-along." Principled-centered people work hard to deliver on their promises. Then there are the others...they just soak up your good energy. Its your decklid as i read it, but in the end, your quality of life is just as important. Only you know how much its worth to you. I wish you good luck...sincerely.

beden1

A case for Judge Judy. Small Claims Court could be worthwhile.

malexgcab

Pretend to buy the lid on CL and confront him once you guys meet up.

Robocop305

Yup, what he said!

david

I could help you with this...text me...

P.S. And as was mentioned, hold the tongue until the deal is done UNLESS you don't care if the person gets insulted and does what this a**hole has done.

sidwin

that's an easy one. post on craiglist and include the vin number. State that is your wing off your car and the old owner is unwilling to surrender the wing to you. Then state that you intend to file claim in small claims court and since you own the car whoever takes possession of the wing will be considered in the possession of stolen property. since the wing is worth more than 1g then the that would be considered grand theft and is a felony. You can also notify the authority of this as well. That wing has your VIN number on it and could be determined as your property. Either way it will make hard for him to sell it and the best thing he could do is toss it in the can or hand it over to you.