Vehicle ownership issue - Please help

stevie.enright

Hi folks ,

Probably a bit of a long shot but maybe somebody reading this may have being in the same/ similar situation and would be able to provide me with a pointer on what I should do. Somebody ran into the back of my car a few weeks back and wrote it off. I bought a replacement car in a hurry. The car was cheap (under a grand) as it needed a few jobs done to it, and was out of NCT and tax, fair enough or so I thought at the time. I bought it from a friend and neighbour of the guy who was selling it as he was not at home when I went to view the car. I seen both their houses and was in the house of the man I was dealing with. Asked about log book and was told the previous owner has it and the guy who is selling it (and deals in cars to a greater or lesser extent, from his home) would get it and send it onto me.

So that much is grand. Rang the chap who I bought it off (the guy who deals in the cars, not the guy who did the transaction) about a week later to find out the status. He told me that the guy he bought it off was on holidays at the moment but he would be speaking to him in the meantime and to give him a buzz at the weekend. So did ring him again on Saturday and he said that the situation was that the previous owner had sent the log book of to Shannon and had put his name (the man who sold me the car) down as the new owner. This was a mistake he said as it should have gone into my name but was not going to cause a severe amount of trouble as he would simply change it into my name when he received the log book.

I was to ring him today and said to myself I will ring Shannon first to find out the status of the situation, which I did a few minutes ago. Was totally shocked when I rang them. Gave them the registration number of the car and they told me it had being changed over to somebodys name who lives in Wexford in the last few weeks. The man I bought it off is from Cork and so is the previous owner. I myself am from County Limerick. I gave the name of the man I bought it off (in case he had a second address in Wexford) but the girl on the line confirmed this was not the name of the person who the ownership of the car was transferred to. Girl on the line also told me there was a very quick turnaround in Shannon at the moment and today they are working on yesterdays post sort thing. She did not and would not give me the name of the person in Wexford who the veichle ownership was transferred to.

Before I ring the man who I bought car off can anybody advise how I should approach the situation. Should I threaten him with the Guards or indeed go directly to the Guards. He lives over 50 mile away from me so I cant call to his house this evening sort thing.

Appreciate any pointers given

mickdw

Why pay for a car when you had no proof at all that the guy you gave the money to actually owned it?
This sounds v dodgy. Ring the seller and tell him you are going to gardai as it looks like a fraudulent deal was done to steal money from you and possibly passed stolen goods to you.
You could have a stolen car with the reg of another innocent persons identical car stuck onto yours and so maybe 2 cars driving around with same reg.

stevie.enright

Thanks Mickdw,

Yes it does appear dodgy in hindsight. As I seen both houses and was in the house of the man I did the transaction with I thought to myself at the time fair enough I should be alright. I have checked the chassis number of the car and it does tie in with the registration number of the car.

The fact that he deals in cars to a greater or lesser extent...think that would bode well in my favour or is that only in the case of the sale of a defective vehicle?

mickdw

Did you get a receipt from a trader or was it carried out just like a private sale? With them back yard traders, you often have no comeback as they will not be keeping any records. Did you pay by cheque?
The fact that there was some other person recenty reg'd as the owner sounds very dodgy. One possibility though is that this person was a trader and it was only registered to them as stock. I never thought that this actually happened but recently I checked out a car prior to purchase on cartell.ie for a family member and the records showed 2 owner changes within the previous month totalling 3 previous owners. It then turned out that these were traders and sure enough, log book came back with just the one previous owner as declared.

ART6

stevie.enright wrote: »

Thanks Mickdw,

Yes it does appear dodgy in hindsight. As I seen both houses and was in the house of the man I did the transaction with I thought to myself at the time fair enough I should be alright. I have checked the chassis number of the car and it does tie in with the registration number of the car.

The fact that he deals in cars to a greater or lesser extent...think that would bode well in my favour or is that only in the case of the sale of a defective vehicle?

Anyone who buys from people who "deal in cars to a greater or lesser extent" has to be very wary and very knowledgible indeed. Seeing yer man's house means nothing, and unless you are a psychiatrist meeting the man means nothing either. Good chance you have lost a grand I'd say. Do you have a receipt for the money you paid?

stevie.enright

Mickdw for all intents and purposes he was a private seller, albeit one who deals in cars as he had some more for sale also. I did get a receipt on a scrap of paper but don't think this means a whole lot as, as I say it was a scrap of paper without a garage/ business name on it and it was wrote by his neighbour/ friend.

I paid in cash as oppossed to cheque.

stevie.enright

ART6 wrote: »

Anyone who buys from people who "deal in cars to a greater or lesser extent" has to be very wary and very knowledgible indeed. Seeing yer man's house means nothing, and unless you are a psychiatrist meeting the man means nothing either. Good chance you have lost a grand I'd say. Do you have a receipt for the money you paid?

ART6 I know!...hindsight is a great thing! I used my judgement, call it bad if you will and relied on good human nature at the time of sale. As per my reply to same question asked by mickdw I do have a receipt but it is only on a scrap of paper and filled out by his neighbour/ friend without a garage/ business name on it...so really and truly it is neither here nor there.