Move to car talk if appropriate.

I got a Certified letter from the police department last week. They said "the following vehicle is currently being held at the auto pound" (Car being the old car I sold before I got my current car) and "our records indicate that you may have an interest in the above listed vehicle."

Ok? So I call up the pound and before I say anything after "i got a letter from you guys and it said to call you..." the guy asks "are you still the owner of the car?" I say no, obviously, I have signed bill of sale (transferred over the title) and plate destruction form from the DMV and offer to fax/mail it to him. So the guy says ok we believe you, we don't need any paper work and if you get another letter just ignore it, you won't be liable for tickets/storage fees. He said they sent the letter to "anyone and everyone that's had contact with the car, for their own (meaning, NYPD) records."

So I'm like ok, thanks, and got his name.

Then my dad followed up with the precinct on the letter because he was worried that the cops spent the money for a certified mail (saying they had to have a good reason to do that) and he talked to the police officer and she said that I have to fax stuff to the DMV in albany to get my name cleared as the owner, EVEN THOUGH I DON'T OWN THE CAR ANYMORE.

So I called the place I sold it (scrap metal) and they are all like oh we dunno what happened.

BULL^%%$ SHIT. You idiots fixed up the car, put a new engine in it, sold it to some illegal, who drove it around without registering it properly, it died again, and they left it there on the street and I get stuck dealing with the BS aftermath because the cops traced it back to me via the VIN #.

Anyone else had to deal with something like this?? I talked to two NYC officers and they said as long as I have a bill of sale I'm golden, but now I gotta deal with this BS and get my name off the DMV records because people don't follow proper procedures for registering cars.

So frustrating.

 

the way i would see it, you no longer have any responsibility and do not need to do anything.

 

Happened to me. We donated my grandmothers 1975 chevy to one of those tax incentive companies, forgot who. Two years later, got a letter from the city of Philadelphia that the car was found abandoned, and she owed money for tickets, impound, etc. We faxed them all the paperwork showing it was donated, they cleared us.

Fast forward two years -- got the same letter again. Same hassle again. Supposedly it's cleared up now, but I fully expect to see another letter at some point in the future.

Major pain in the ass. Sorry I have no advice, except keep those records that show you sold it, and be prepared to fax them over if this pops up again.

 

Yea I gota fax paperwork over so I don't get hit with the ticket/impound fees. Can't just ignore it.

 

what kind of car was it?

 

an old buick.

 

I would fax them the letter, and then fax them a bill saying how much your time is worth and the cost to get the fax line, etc.

Take a picture of your middle finger and fax THAT to them if they don't pay. Submit their fax number to multiple agencies asking for free information on timeshares.

 

This kind of stuff happens ALL the time. Be thankful they sent you a letter and didn't just pull your licence then give you a ticket for not having your licence. Your tax dollars hard at work.

 

+1

 

Move. Then they can't find you.


/Thread

 

eh, forget about it, you have all the docs you need if it ever becomes a problem.

 

I disagree, if you don't get it taken care of, it could wind up being a HUGE hassle some day.

"Mr. Rounder, please step out of the car. It says here that your licence has been suspended for failure to pay impound fees."

 

I would call again and talk to someone who really knows what is going on.

 

+1000. Everyone saying to ignore it is not realizing the possible issues that this can cause. Yeah he did nothing wrong, but saying "the cops charged me with murder, but I didn't do it so who cares" isn't really a great idea either.

Obviously that's an exaggeration but the point is the same.

 

 

best advice ever!!