HELP! need advice for car deal gone bad, for WA state

[RANDY P]

Help-

a friend of mine purchased a vehicle for her kid (without driving it first - DOH!) and it turns out it has a blown head gasket. Vehicle is registered / titled in WA state.

It's a situation where the actual registered owner of the vehicle isn't present - the person my friend has been dealing with is the brother of the seller

Facts -

-1989 - Acura

-Title was signed 9/6/2005 by registered owner- spot where buyer of vehicle is supposed to sign left blank. my buddy found the car and wrote a check on 9/15

-bill of sale written by this person claiming to be seller's brother, he signed a handwritten bill of sale for $2K for this car.

NOTE the signer of the bill of sale not same as registered seller on title.

- Car hasn't been registered since 2003,

-check for $2k was made to the seller's agent, not the seller on title.

- car failed WA emissions, and smokes like a chimney.

Obviously, my friend doesn't want this car. Shame on her for not driving it or getting it checked first - but the seller isn't willing to repay anything.

I advised her (my friend) to go to the DOL and report the guy as a curbstoner and to call the person on title and tell her what happened. - Definitely don't try to transfer it into her name.

Any advice appreciated.

rjp

[Steve Carlton]

In CA, the seller is responsible that the vehicle will pass the emissions test. I'd check with the WA DOL to see if there's a similar "out."

[RickM]

This guy is likely flipping the car illegally. It's real easy to blame someone else when a deal goes south.

[Eric Coffey]

I'd post the qusetion on the Seattle Craigslist legal forum as well:

http://forums.seattle.craigslist.org/?forumID=73&all=N

[RANDY P]

All excellent suggestions, thanks all.

Bummer, she's a single mom and it's her kid's 1st car. I feel bad enough to pay for it myself.

[ubiquity0]

Send the seller the photo on your avatar with a note saying you'd like to meet him to talk this through.

[RANDY P]

Originally posted by ubiquity0
Send the seller the photo on your avatar with a note saying you'd like to meet him to talk this through.

Naaw, I save that for the craigslist personals - and Pelican

[HardDrive]

Perhaps the guy just need the 'proper' motivation to return the $$$.

You have contact info on the guy?