[maxwellparsons]

I bought a car 9 days ago and I found out today the person I bought the car from lied to me. He said the car was his step fathers and even wrote me a bill of sale staing I bought this car from his step father... this was the supposed son and he was selling for his step dad. The supposed step dad was actually a guy he had bought the car from 2 weeks before me and was turning around and making a quick buck. He never had it registered in his name and said it was his step fathers.. I called the supposed step father because the car broke down and had a few questions and it turns out he is the one who sold it to the "son" two weeks prior to me buying it.

I thought the son was just helping out his step father but indeed I was caught in some BS lie. The stepfather said he just sold to this guy 2 weeks before and he had no idea this kid was going to resell it so quick...

do I have a small claims case because he represented himself to be selling it for his father but indeed it was his car and he never got it registered in his name and just handed me over the pink slip that his "step father" signed over to him? He was the seller but I thought I was technically buying it from his "step father" its not his step father and he even put on the bill of sale he sold his step father car to me for x amount blah blah blah...

can I sue for misrepresenting himself to be a third party helping his step father when indeed it was his? And to boot the car broke down 2 days later.

thanks so much

[froggy7]

Do you have the title in your name? And what impact does the fact that it's not his step-father's car have? Would you have not bought the car if he told you had just bought it from some guy? And, perhaps most importantly, did you get the car inspected by a mechanic before you bought it?

Unless you can prove somehow that you thought that the car belonging to his step-father meant it was in good condition, you are probably stuck paying the bills yourself.

[Fr_Chuck]

Was the man actually the step father ?

If so, and the title was still in the step fathers name, you indeed were getting it from him. While he should have re-titled it, I doubt this will give you a claim.

What did he say about the warranty, did he state as is? Did you have an inspection done to the car?

I don't think this will help, but small claims court is not hard to do, so you can always try.

[bushg]

What I don't understand is why was'nt the title notarized. If this man sold him the car then it should have been signed in front of the public notary with address and mileages verified. If there is a problem sounds to me like the first guy is in the wrong to begin with... for letting a car go with out the proper steps.

[Fr_Chuck]

It may depend on the state, here titles don't have to be notorised for the sale, when I sale mine, I just sign the title at home, and hand it to the buyer.