(Not sure if this counts as a sales post) Just a couple weeks ago in the streets of Chicago I bought a Rav4 with “94,000” Miles on it, I bought for $12,000 with cash, I drove it home, title in hand, not thinking much of it, After a week or two I soon realized the car was running horribly. I ran Carfax and it turns out the odometer was rolled back by over 130,000 miles.
I checked the title and it’s not the same name as the person who had the car listed. Going to be contacting the police tomorrow to see what happens. CarFax is reporting the car had 4 different owners so it can’t be that hard tracking the guy down right?
Just wondering what are my chances of getting in a courtroom with this guy? Moneys a bit tight and I can’t sell this car with the current odometer because it’s illegal.
Getting the guy in court? Zero. You couldn’t sell it right now PERIOD because you don’t have title. The real risk you have is that the car was stolen and the guy who sold it to you was “washing the title” (or sometimes “floating”).
Police will run a report on the VIN and see what they come up with. I don’t see many ways this works out favorably for you, unfortunately. If the name on the title is legit, that’s the owner, and your best hope is he never actually transferred title to the “other guy,” but then may realize he has you over a barrel to sign over the title.
Like I said, no great outcomes here. Stinks, don’t mean to dump on the situation, but it just isn’t good.