How long to wait before asking guy to pick up his car?

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Sold this nice 2008 Volvo back in August 2017 to a bidder on Ebay after the sale ended without meeting the reserve. He paid in full at the time. The sale price included me storing it 3 months until he, from Canada, bought a winter home in the Carolinas, at which point he would pick it up. After 3 months he didn't buy a house yet so we agreed on $100 a month for storage at the end of Nov. 2017 to be paid when it's finally picked up. Contacted him again Nov. 2018 and still hasn't bought a house. That's the last time I heard from him. Just wondering how long to wait before doing anything. Don't mind $100 a month just for storing something though. And it's still worth a bit more than the $2600 owed for storage so far in case I had to get an abandoned car title and sell it again.
 
Has he been paying you the storage????? Or is it just owed. In writing or verbal. To park on street you have to have it registered here, who pays for that.

Is the new owner still alive and kicking?

Rod
 
Looks like the rare Belgium made C30 hatchback based on the Focus platform. I drive one of those with a stick. Very peppy 2.5 turbo 5 cylinder and very good AC.
 
Originally Posted by ragtoplvr
Has he been paying you the storage????? Or is it just owed. In writing or verbal. To park on street you have to have it registered here, who pays for that.

Is the new owner still alive and kicking?

Rod


It's owed.
Through email.
Garaged.
Alive as of Nov. 2018 when I last contacted him.
 
You alluded to the value of the vehicle vs. the accumulated storage fees in your post. I would have my eye on that threshold, personally. Once the storage fees eat up the entire car value, I don't think any reasonable person would have an issue with the car being re-sold at that point. Perhaps a registered letter stating your intended action would be a good idea.

With that said, I know Alberta has a garagekeeper's lien act, or something to that effect, which spells out how this sort of thing is to be handled. Perhaps your jurisdiction has some similar legislation.
 
I sold a saturn once in August for $600. Guy said he'd definitely have it out of there either that evening or by October 20 when his kid came home from school. On 10/20 I got home from work and there was just a clean spot in my driveway!
 
I should have added I have a friend that owns a min storage with a lot behind it for RV, trailer, boat and vehicle storage.
He has had to file for an abandoned vehicle title on several occasions. It is usually on older pop up campers and older boats.
Start the process now.If you cant get a hold of him by phone or email, send a certified letter to his last known address he gave you.
It should be in the contract he/she is to notify you of any address changes. So you'll have proof you attempted to contact him on your side
if things go south.
 
Is this storage actually costing you money or are you profiting off the storage? If the storage is costing you money I think you need to take care of this somehow ASAP. If not, try to contact him, if not, figure out the laws to get a title for an abandoned car and getting the title.
 
So.... Contact him? Tell him he owes you the storage fees and to come pick it up within 30 days. Otherwise, file for an abandoned title and get rid of it.
 
Originally Posted by atikovi

Sold this nice 2008 Volvo back in August 2017 to a bidder on Ebay after the sale ended without meeting the reserve.


OK you stiffed eBay out of its sales commission.


Originally Posted by atikovi
After 3 months he didn't buy a house yet so we agreed on $100 a month for storage at the end of Nov. 2017 to be paid when it's finally picked up.


Since that was more than two years ago a reasonable person would assume he is not going to pick up the car. Without a written contract you cannot collect. Email chat is not a contract any more than chatting here on a forum is.

He can say he owes you nothing.

You must have shipped him the title so he owns the car.

I don't think this is an administrative title thing with the DMV you have to see a judge and get a ruling IMO.

You are not a mechanic you have no lien and no written contract. Hard to claim it is abandoned.
 
Originally Posted by Nick1994
So.... Contact him? Tell him he owes you the storage fees and to come pick it up within 30 days. Otherwise, file for an abandoned title and get rid of it.


Why? If I can keep collecting $100 a month. I would be a year or two before the value would drop below the storage payments.
 
Originally Posted by wdn
Originally Posted by atikovi

Sold this nice 2008 Volvo back in August 2017 to a bidder on Ebay after the sale ended without meeting the reserve.


OK you stiffed eBay out of its sales commission.


Originally Posted by atikovi
After 3 months he didn't buy a house yet so we agreed on $100 a month for storage at the end of Nov. 2017 to be paid when it's finally picked up.


Since that was more than two years ago a reasonable person would assume he is not going to pick up the car. Without a written contract you cannot collect. Email chat is not a contract any more than chatting here on a forum is.

He can say he owes you nothing.

You must have shipped him the title so he owns the car.

I don't think this is an administrative title thing with the DMV you have to see a judge and get a ruling IMO.

You are not a mechanic you have no lien and no written contract. Hard to claim it is abandoned.


I pay up front to list a car. Didn't stiff Ebay out of anything.
You must play a lawyer on TV?
 
I would get the advice of an attorney who knows the laws of your state, what you can do and what you can't do. Proceed as the attorney directs.
 
You think you are making 100$ a month but he hasnt paid you storage yet. Im guessing he cut his losses and wont be coming for the car or paying you. If he paid you and its up to date, id say fine..keep billing the 100$.
 
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