this sucks

[motorhead446]

i sold a car to a guy back in march. i only advertised in the local paper but this guy comes from a chicago suburb to buy this 88 chevy caprice. so i collect my $700, sigh the title and send him on his way. Six weeks later i get a letter from the city of chicago for a car they towed belonging to me with a stolen tag on it. Appearently he was using it as a taxi.  So we contacted the office that sent the letter and explained we sold the car. they said to fax some info to them, sigh a form stating we don't want the car and we are surrendering it for the charge. I got a letter today now saying i'm in default of my "court date" for not appearing. This is after the same office told me just to fax some info to them and it would be done. All I have is the guys first name and phone number. I've tried reverse lookup but his name and address is unlisted. My wife called him earlier today to see what the deal was and he said i guess you're SOL. So now i'm currently looking at $900 in fees plus storage accruing at $150 a day and they are talking garnishing my wages. The office said I did not follow the "proper procedure for selling a car in ILL. My wife said no shit? we live in Indiana 70 miles from chicago, why we know what your procedures are, we sold it in indiana.
This kinda crap really burns my ass, now I have to make an appointment in chicago to see a traffic court judge to try and get this mess straightened out, I am so pissed. sorry for the rant

[Tiamat]

  That really sucks

Sorry I have no advice for ya except 

[67dartgt]

My parents went through this very same thing when I was younger, but because they trust no one, they sent in the registration to the DMV when they sold it that had the info saying who they sold it to.

They still had to jump through some hoops, but the dmv had a record of it, so they ended up not having to pay anything. I'm too old now, or I was too young at the time, to remember exactly the details, but apparently you can't even trust people you are selling things too.

It's a very good idea to learn what's required to cover your ass in case the people you sell a car to never put the title in their name.

Sorry to hear about this man. That really really sux. I'd be pretty hot about it.

- Don

[GON_RACIN]

So I guess a notary public was not present to stamp the title after you signed it over, since it was an out of state buyer? 

[nothingbutdarts]

So I guess a notary public was not present to stamp the title after you signed it over, since it was an out of state buyer? 

 Here in Colorado, they quit making the title having to be notarized a number of years ago. All you have to do is sign it and hand it to the new owner.

[Jim_Lusk]

Here in California once you send in a release of liability to the state DMV you are off the hook. If you did that in YOUR state I would say that Ill has no right to go after you.

I think I would handle it this way. Call the district attorney in that county. Explain to them that you legally sold a vehicle in another state and that party brought the vehicle into their jurisdiction. Tell them that you will not be making a trip at your expense to "clear this up" because in your state it is already clear. I also don't believe that they have ANY recourse to garnish your wages in another state, but I'd check with an attorney on that one. Many areas have a group of lawyers that will see you for a nominal fee to give advice. This might be a good time.

[GTS225]

I've also been hearing horror stories along these lines, especially from Illinois.  Seems some guys are buying older cars, and getting them registered with a reciept of sale value.  At some later date, Ill DMV sends a letter stating the "book" value of that older car as $XXXX, and the new owner owes X more in taxes on the sale. What they're doing is going by a restored collectible value and trying ti bilk the new owner out of more bucks.

I'd suggest you fight it.  The car was sold legally in your state, and you have no responsibility to follow the rules of llinois, the buyer is the guy responsible for the situation.  They are just coming after you because they can find you.

Roger

[NYFDFF]

I've also been hearing horror stories along these lines, especially from Illinois.  Seems some guys are buying older cars, and getting them registered with a reciept of sale value.  At some later date, Ill DMV sends a letter stating the "book" value of that older car as $XXXX, and the new owner owes X more in taxes on the sale. What they're doing is going by a restored collectible value and trying ti bilk the new owner out of more bucks.

I'd suggest you fight it.  The car was sold legally in your state, and you have no responsibility to follow the rules of llinois, the buyer is the guy responsible for the situation.  They are just coming after you because they can find you.

Roger

I agree you are the easy guy to find for them. But you still need to get legal advice before you talk to anybody from Illinois to make sure you have your legal facts straight. Even if you are 100% in the right they still might make you jump through hoops to correct this. That's what they get paid to do   .  Good Luck

[farmington]

Whenever I have sold a car locally, I go with them right to the secretary of State (dmv) to transfer the title for just that reason.  Don't know how that would work in an out of state transaction, though.

[hemi62valiant]

That sounds like something that happened to me years ago. I sold a 76 Valiant to a guy in Washington D.C. in 1992. He kept the tag until he got home then called and said he shipped me the tag. He didnt. I eventually forgot about it. He accrued $3,000.00 in fines from illegal parking in D.C. They tracked the tag to me. I worked for the federal government. Can you figure out what happened?   I was arrested and almost lost my job...Had a heck of a time getting out of it. I ended up paying his fines plus mine........cost me almost $6,000.00 to fix it......So my recommendation is ... write the prosecutor... call the DMV...but also hire a lawyer in Illinois to take care of it.....It may burn you down the road like it did me...

[Pedalkisses]

OMG.  I've never heard of such things.  I will be aware before I sell a car for sure.  Thank you.  Sorry this has happened to you.  I'd take a day off and spend it in their court system trying to straighten it out and if you have a grounds for fraud I'd file a complaint with the police department.  I'm glad they didn't find a body in the trunk!

[motorhead446]

I have several bits of info to prove I was/did sell the car. cancelled insurance, ad in my local paper, his telephone # on a dated document from centennial. I still have my tag and registration in my possesion. Its gonna be a PITA but i'll see what happens, i'll keep you all updated.

[njsuperbees]

i had almost the same thing happen to me
except that they kept the car and never went after me.

the best thing to do in the future is when you sell any car is to have a reciept
writtin up stating the vin and the terms of the sale and names and addresses and all other pertinent info signed and dated  by both parties.
that way you have something on paper that states that you sold the car
besides the title that the buyer runs off with.

[hemi62valiant]

I also had paperwork to prove I sold the car. A bill of sale dated with his name and signature..etc..Didn't matter.The tag was registered to me and I didnt turn it in..or report it stolen.I didnt know I was supposed to....so as far as DMV was concerned, I was liable for the tag and everything affixed to it..