yarikoptic Posted November 25, 2006 Share Posted November 25, 2006 Hi Guys, I got a new subi from a tiny dealer who got her from an auction. Previous owner though left quite a few notes about themselves -- insurance cards, credit application to home depot, etc, so I have their address. I am thinking dropping him a snale mail asking if they had any issues with the car -- it better to know than to wait for a surprise. Did anyone do something like that or may be it is a slipper road in some aspect of the law? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Manarius Posted November 25, 2006 Share Posted November 25, 2006 Hi Guys, I got a new subi from a tiny dealer who got her from an auction. Previous owner though left quite a few notes about themselves -- insurance cards, credit application to home depot, etc, so I have their address. I am thinking dropping him a snale mail asking if they had any issues with the car -- it better to know than to wait for a surprise. Did anyone do something like that or may be it is a slipper road in some aspect of the law? I personally wouldn't do that just because I wouldn't want to get myself into trouble (I don't know what trouble it could get me into, but I wouldn't want to find out either). Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BruceyWV Posted November 25, 2006 Share Posted November 25, 2006 Calling up the original owner is part of buying a used car. They're the only ones that know what really happened with the car. I've done it on every used car I've bought. (Which happens to be all of them) Hint: Little old ladys are the best. Its as close as you can come to having a mint condition car. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ranger83 Posted November 25, 2006 Share Posted November 25, 2006 I do so whenever possible. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mellow65 Posted November 25, 2006 Share Posted November 25, 2006 never hurts to ask Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ryry46d9 Posted November 25, 2006 Share Posted November 25, 2006 i have thought about it in the pasted but never have i have never heard any one getting in trobele over it btw i wouldn't track down any owners of vechiales you bought from the police actions they might not be to happy that you just got thier ride (just a thought) good luck in your hunt ryry Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
subie94 Posted November 25, 2006 Share Posted November 25, 2006 Hint: Little old ladys are the best. Its as close as you can come to having a mint condition car. i know..the 94 justy i got of this kid(which owned it for a month) for $175. was originaly owned by a little old lady and it's only probs was small rust at bottom of fenders.and she only had 74,000 miles on her. ---------------------------------------------------------------------- yarikoptic-i'd write them 1st,leave your # and if they want to talk,they can call.if someone called me about a car i owned,i'd gladly chat away.(but some might get freaked..) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
porcupine73 Posted November 25, 2006 Share Posted November 25, 2006 If you really want to talk to them maybe you could put a few $ in McD's gift certificates or something in there, or hey how about a Home Depot gift certificate. The information you get could be worth the much. Maybe you could offer to send back their left behind materials too...or maybe not! Or maybe you could send them a Christmas card thanking them for taking such good care of the vehicle. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BruceyWV Posted November 25, 2006 Share Posted November 25, 2006 Are you guys serious? Its required that the dealer tells you who the previous owner is if you ask. Which basically means calling them up and chatting with them for 5 minutes to make sure they didnt turn in the car because it kept idling rough, or stalled all the time when it was cold out. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
idosubaru Posted November 25, 2006 Share Posted November 25, 2006 just look the name up and call them. don't bother with mail and waiting and wondering. most people will gladly talk for 3 minutes about the vehicle, if not then so what, they're the freaks not you! ultimate white pages, i use it all the time to look people up. it gives addresses to so if you have that you can verify for sure the person you need to contact if it gives multiple people with the same name. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ranger83 Posted November 25, 2006 Share Posted November 25, 2006 Are you guys serious?Its required that the dealer tells you who the previous owner is if you ask. Which basically means calling them up and chatting with them for 5 minutes to make sure they didnt turn in the car because it kept idling rough, or stalled all the time when it was cold out. I told the dealer I was going home to call the previous owner and they cut the price $1,500 on the spot.... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
porcupine73 Posted November 25, 2006 Share Posted November 25, 2006 Really, the dealer is required to tell you who is the P.O.? That's pretty cool I didn't know that. Is that like at the Federal level? What if the dealer buys the vehicle at auction, I mean do they know who the P.O. is? I'll have to try that trick on the next Suby purchase, but man if these two I have keep working so well with so few issues that will be a few years! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mikeshoup Posted November 25, 2006 Share Posted November 25, 2006 Even if the dealer isn't required, usually the PO's name will be on the title (note: not the original owner, just the previous). At least in Colorado, the dealer doesn't have to get a new title when its signed over to them. I purchased a Toyota at a dealer where the title that had 5 dealer signings on it, and the front had the PO's name and number. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
yarikoptic Posted November 26, 2006 Author Share Posted November 26, 2006 Thanks everyone! Indeed, cristmas card would be a nice appendum if I didn't find their phone #. I will let you guys know how it went! Thanks once again Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
brus brother Posted November 26, 2006 Share Posted November 26, 2006 Great, and if by chance the former owner is Ebineezer Scrooge, a pantheistic agnostic or Islamic fundamentalist... you're toast! Indeed, cristmas card would be a nice appendum Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
yarikoptic Posted November 26, 2006 Author Share Posted November 26, 2006 Heh heh... the phone # I found among the papers is "no longer in service", intellius says that he is of 86 years old, so I am afraid I simply can be too late. There is also a 2nd person listed on the insurance - probably wife... Now I am wondering either I should simply send a mail or pay 20$ to intellius to provide details it has - it might have newer phone #, or might not. In the light of http://www.ultimatesubaru.org/forum/showthread.php?t=67869 I am not sure what I should do... heh heh... There is also a phone # of their insurance agent but I doubt he would do anything for me -- like calling the guys and asking them to call me back... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
zyewdall Posted November 27, 2006 Share Posted November 27, 2006 Even if the dealer isn't required, usually the PO's name will be on the title (note: not the original owner, just the previous). At least in Colorado, the dealer doesn't have to get a new title when its signed over to them. I purchased a Toyota at a dealer where the title that had 5 dealer signings on it, and the front had the PO's name and number. Five times huh. I tried to buy a truck once here that the dealers had transferred one too many times before selling to a private party, and basically voided the title... so the owner could not get a title in his name, so he couldn't sell it to me. I've had people contact me for cars that I used to own -- one that I had sold for parts (bought it for parts also), and saw driving around about a year later, and got a call from the guy asking if I'd changed the oil pump. I was pretty happy to hear it was still on the road. Z Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sweet82 Posted November 27, 2006 Share Posted November 27, 2006 The only down side is if it was a Drug seized vehicle? That could explain why there was so much personal crap in the car? I wouldn't want a Drug dealer to know I was the new owner of his car, .....that he may still have keys to? That would also explain why it was at an auction? Damn 86 year old Drug Dealers anyway... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
idosubaru Posted November 27, 2006 Share Posted November 27, 2006 did you try ultimate white pages? http://www.theultimates.com/white/ or any other directories? don't know if i'd pay that $20 unless i knew someone that successfully used that site before. sounds like you'll pay the fee and get useless information, or info you can get somewhere else for free. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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