Help, Sold car as is and now a few days later buyer wants money back

[kdonaldson001]

What is the name of your state? Missouri

Thursday Dec 30th 2004, I sold an old car to someone (as is). When he came to buy and pickup the car we noticed that the car was missing and idling rough. I dropped the price $100 and told him i would sell it to him for $600 instead of $700. He agreed and said it didn't scare him enough not to buy it for $600. Almost two days later he calls back and says he wants to bring the car back because the missing ended up being something other than what he thought it was. I told him I sold it as is and I was not going to give him his money back. He came the next day and dropped the car off in front of my house and refuses to come and pick it up. The touchy thing is, is that he never signed the title and when he dropped the car off, he left the keys and title in it. What should I do??

 

[seniorjudge]

Have you touched the car since he brought it back?

In any event, sell the danged thing again but give this jerk his money back.

 

[kdonaldson001]

Update to sold car

I haven't touched it at all. I really didn't know what to do with it. I was afraid that if i touched it he would come back and throw a fit just to get some satisfaction. And also, he was talking about how good of a mechanic he is and that he rebuilds cars and he also said he has two other cars just like the one I sold him (same year and model). His mother called me to curse at me I guess and to tell me he wanted his $700 hundred dollars back and he only gave me $600. I'm just scared he might have swapped some parts or something, he did have for a couple of days before he brought it back.

 

[Happy Trails]

I haven't touched it at all. I really didn't know what to do with it. I was afraid that if i touched it he would come back and throw a fit just to get some satisfaction. And also, he was talking about how good of a mechanic he is and that he rebuilds cars and he also said he has two other cars just like the one I sold him (same year and model). His mother called me to curse at me I guess and to tell me he wanted his $700 hundred dollars back and he only gave me $600. I'm just scared he might have swapped some parts or something, he did have for a couple of days before he brought it back.

You have a problem. Why didn't you have him sign the title and turn it over to him on the day of the transaction?

He's going to keep calling you to ask for his money back. When he doesn't get it; he'll be on this forum asking if he can sue you in small claims court.

 

[kdonaldson001]

You have a problem. Why didn't you have him sign the title and turn it over to him on the day of the transaction?

He's going to keep calling you to ask for his money back. When he doesn't get it; he'll be on this forum asking if he can sue you in small claims court.

I have been asking myself the same question since this issue came up. because obviously if he would have signed it, I wouldn't be in this mess to begin with.

 

[dws1632]

Most states don't allow returns of things like cars, especially if you said "as-is". Notify the sale of the car to the Motor vehicles department in your state and ask them what to do if the buyer doesn't turn the title over to them with his signature. The car is his since he paid, and he could be in trouble for not reporting the sale to the state. You should find out what the laws are in your state, the motor vehicles department could probably tell you what to do/not to do.

 

[seniorjudge]

Most states don't allow returns of things like cars, especially if you said "as-is". Notify the sale of the car to the Motor vehicles department in your state and ask them what to do if the buyer doesn't turn the title over to them with his signature. The car is his since he paid, and he could be in trouble for not reporting the sale to the state. You should find out what the laws are in your state, the motor vehicles department could probably tell you what to do/not to do.

OP may be a lot smarter and braver than me, but I would not want to become involved with the Missouri Department of Revenue if I did not have to.

The obvious and easiest solution is to give the money back and start all over again, but raise the price of the car by $100 to help compensate OP.