Serious Dilemma - Need Input from Informed Members

Joined
15 March 2006
Messages
151
Location
Los Angeles
Hi Guys,

I'm close to buying an NSX, but there are a few red flags for me. I'll try to be as detailed as possible and am looking for some serious opinions. Thank you in advance for taking the time to read and respond.

1. Found a nice looking NSX on craigslist, went to see it, made an offer. Guy seemed transparent and honest at that point, and said he was selling to buy a house. Mentioned a few things need replacing. He asked if he could have cash, I said no, the loan company will make out a check and it will prob take a few days to process depending on his bank. Makes sense.

2. Make him do a PPI today at Cerritos Acura. About $2k worth of items need replacement, again no problem. I do a carfax just to be sure, car looks pretty clean: http://www.carfax.com/viewEmailRepo...OIYDXiwSo9U9LgiP92F7cU3xPPmzKZw==&language=en

3. Got my financing secured today for the asking price, excellent credit so no sweat, everything seems all good. He asks if I can get cash instead of a check. I said I can have the loan directly deposited into my account and cut a check, but I doubt a bank will have that much physical cash available for withdrawal. I ask why he keeps insisting cash and suggest maybe a cashier's check to make him feel more secure. He says it's no big deal. Weird.

4. Went on Facebook to look the kid up since I got suspicious and he's supposedly active in the car scene. Discover he sells a lot of vehicles, and only one picture of his NSX despite all the meets he attends and the fact he claims to have owned it for two years. He just updates his FB with cars and people buy it. Semi red flag for me, he didn't disclose this. I immediately asked him about it, he said he does it to make a buck on the side. Okay no problem, but still a little off for me.

5. I just called and talked to him. Again, he's asking if I can withdraw as much as possible in cash and make the rest out in a check. Also, he drops the bomb that the title is actually in his friend's name, as well as the loan. He is waiting for the title to come through. Supposedly, he didn't have good credit so his friend signed for him, but it's his friend's name on all the legal documentation. Major red flag, and I ask him about it. He says not to worry, the title will come clean from the bank and he will sign it over to me. I asked how he has the authority to sign over something that doesn't belong to him? He says he can register the car in his name and then sign it over to me, but it will cost him registration fees and taxes that he already paid through his friend 2 years back. I call total BS and said I'm getting cold feet, things seem off.

Okay so moment of truth. His friend who legally owns the car and paid off the bank note is still in town, so he can come and sign off on the title, etc. Assuming I go through with this, is there any way to protect myself? I mean looking the other way on this kid's story, if his friend who legally owns it is there and signs off on the car, things are fine right? At this point I'm not concerned over the mechanical condition of the vehicle as it has passed PPI just fine. It's just I don't want to be buying potentially stolen property, etc. It just seems so off to me and I'm 90% calling this off. Really sucks because it's a nice car and beautiful condition, it's just who in their right mind discloses this info the day before the transaction is supposed to take place?

Thank you so much for taking the time to read. If anyone has any thoughts at all, please offer them up.
 
I'd walk away. Just my opinion. I don't like it.
 
Turbo2Go

Thanks for your input on this. Really sucks because it's silver (and your car was an inspiration) and I loved the color in person. Damn it, you're probably right. I'm really angry right now about wasting two days of my time on this.
 
Ozone,

Got it, moonwalking away as we speak. Should I do anything to give a heads up to the community? I don't want anyone to go through what I just went through. I've literally been waiting 12+ years to finally buy my dream car.
 
Be happy not angry you just saved yourself thousands. Another NSX will come along that isn't a scam.
 
California (supposing that's where you're at) has fairly stiff title regulations so it's going to be tough for him to wash the title. If you're thinking about it again, and I hope you keep this one behind you, absolutely and under no uncertain terms do not give him cash without signing the title over to you.

As others have stated, he'll take the cash and run, and you'll be left cashless and with a car that you don't own. That would be no way to own your dream car.
 
Is this the fixer upper silver in SCAL? If it is, it looks like it needs quite a bit of work. Anyway, I wouldn't be comfortable doing the deal. How can you verify that his friend is the real owner of the car?
 
JadeFox said:
who in their right mind discloses this info the day before the transaction is supposed to take place ?!

U answered ur own question right there. No one in their right mind without something very serious to hide would do this.

Stay away from this guy.
 
Is this the fixer upper silver in SCAL? If it is, it looks like it needs quite a bit of work. Anyway, I wouldn't be comfortable doing the deal. How can you verify that his friend is the real owner of the car?

Yes, it was that silver one. I didn't mind the work mentioned by the dealer because I did get the PPI, it's just the title issue was so bizarre I couldn't go through with it. There is really no way to verify. I can't tell the difference between a real title vs. a forged one, etc, so I usually do the best I can with Carfax, paper trail, PPI, etc, and trust my gut.

- - - Updated - - -

California (supposing that's where you're at) has fairly stiff title regulations so it's going to be tough for him to wash the title. If you're thinking about it again, and I hope you keep this one behind you, absolutely and under no uncertain terms do not give him cash without signing the title over to you.

As others have stated, he'll take the cash and run, and you'll be left cashless and with a car that you don't own. That would be no way to own your dream car.

Thanks Ponyboy, I completely agree. Have already told him I'm passing on it.
 
he screwed you out of the cost of a PPI though the dick.
 
he screwed you out of the cost of a PPI though the dick.

Turbo,

In the end, he agreed to help cover part of the PPI as I mentioned it was his fault the deal fell through, not mine. I don't want to badmouth the guy considering I've only given my point of view and he might have honestly had a different perspective on the whole ordeal. I was being as honest/objective as possible though.

Thanks again for your advice, NSX Prime really is such a wonderful and helpful community. I can't wait to join as an owner.
 
Why don't you get the vin number and take it to a police station suspecting a possible vehicle theft sale. Say you want to buy the car but it seems like a shady situation. If it comes out clean and he's the owner and on his name is on the title and the vins match up I don't see why you should have a problem. If it ends up being a scam then you have the cops taking out another illegal scammer. I wouldn't feel bad about it.

If its clear and the title matches the owner, the vins match up. You should be fine.

I purchased a crx with no title. The cops said it wasn't a stolen vehicle and the previous owner was contacted and said he sold the car to some young kid, the young kid lost the title, never trasfered the title under his name and 2 years later was trying to sell it to me. I contacted the DMV got an affidavit and they sent me a fresh title under my name ready to go. It was a week worth of stuff but I got the car I wanted for the price I wanted.

Vin swaps and stuff like this are pretty obvious if you do an semi detailed inspection. I once had a guy try to sell me an Rsx type s for 5.5k clean title. I ran the vin it was a base auto, vin number didnt match othe bumpers, and the engine was a newer model. That would be a DEFINITE run away scenario.

If you like the car and its a good price. I would go for it. Just do some research to cover your butt.
 
I agree with D_Prada1. However definetly get away...if the car is stolen and you purchased it suspecting it might be stolen then issues. If you just want to avoid involving the police then like everyone else said run as fast as you can, trust your instincts.
 
I just saw this post... my first thought was I would report the VIN to the police and have them verify they see no issues with the car and possibly the DMV. But I see D_Prada1 and Nukem already mentioned this....
I wouldn't do the cash... I would say if they want the cash then either have you setup an account at their bank or have them get an account where you bank and then transfer the money if they won't take a certified check (which I understand there are scammers out there on those too).
When I purchased mine, I got the bill of sale and car and he kept the title until my check cleared & then he sent me the title... BUT he worked at a Honda dealership, we did the deal there, even though it was his personal car... and most of all there weren't so many questionable items on this one.

It would be better to walk away, remain patient, and find another one, possibly nicer. It seems many times, if one door closes something better comes along.

It sounds like you've decided to pass, which appears to be a wise move.
 
Back
Top