Traded for a car at a local car dealer. My trade was worth more than the car I bought. My trade was immediately sold to a different party. I purchased the car on 5/10/07 and have not yet received the title. I do have the bill of sale for my trade and the license application for my new car.

I call the dealer several times a week and leave messages. I might get to speak with him every other week, because he does not return my calls. About six weeks after the purchase I asked for my money back and he told me he did not have it. He owes the auction were he bought the car money and they are holding my title until he pays them.

It has now been three and a half months and am worried about losing my money. He is now telling me he is trying to get refinanced from his bank.

I've filed a complaint with the Mo Attorney Generals office.

What should I do? Can the auction come for the car or do I own it? What happens if he goes bankrupt? Will I be a creditor or can I force the auction to give the title to the car that I paid cash for and force them to deal with him?

Thanks in advance for any assistance.

The way I see it, you need to determine whether the title was ever trasferred to the dealer. If it wasn't then he had no right to sell it. If the title was registered in his name, but the auction house is holding it until he pays them, then it's a waiting game.

If the title was not given to the car lot, then he did not have a legal right to sell it, and the auction company and/or the seller actually still owns it.

You need to sue the car lot/dealer for the money.