Well somebody touched it to the tune of $17,600. Hope they weren't screwed.

 

maybe the buyer is a millionaire

 

why would you say that? Some uneducated (about minis) person looked up the value and cut it by 25% (std for salvage rebuilds) and figured it was a descent buy...sadly I think they are wrong...

 

http://cgi.ebay.com/ebaymotors/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&ih=005&sspagename=STRK%3AME WA%3AIT&viewitem=&item=150253925826&rd=1

This time with the original wheels and going for 19k+ Wonder if the engine is back to normal!?

 

The IC still looks to be the wrong one, though it has been painted. Also Look close at the wheels these are replicas. Paint is wrong and where spokes contact lip area is wrong as well. Finally put rack on.

 

21 people bidding ???

 

I just feel bad for the person who buys this. They are probably not even getting a GP Engine in it. I asked the seller for some before pictures of the car, but he has yet to respond back with them.

 

I think it could have been a theft recovery as to salvage title. And the parts we all are noticeing are wrong were the ones stolen, wheels,IC, etc. I guess a carfax would answer the question as a fender bender wouldn't total this car.

 

I ran the carfax on it:

01/11/2008 California
Motor Vehicle Dept. TOTAL LOSS VEHICLE
Title or registration issued
to insurance company
01/11/2008 California
Motor Vehicle Dept.
Rancho Cordova, CA SALVAGE TITLE/CERTIFICATE ISSUED
NOT ACTUAL MILEAGE TITLE ISSUED

CARFAX Advisor™
A NAM title is issued when the owner discloses to a DMV mileage fraud, a broken odometer or that the actual mileage of this vehicle is unknown.

Mileage reported after this reading is potentially unreliable.

 

stupid question...

What does it mean salvage title? If a car is total loss is still safe to be back on the road ? would an insurance co. refuse to cover it?

Maybe, it is time to give this poor GP a proper burial !

 

Salvage title means either it was damaged to a point where more than 75% of the value would be needed to repair said car or theft recovery where the Ins co. has purchased the car due to length of time it was gone, normally Ins. co. will pay for the car after 30 days. The seller of this car, looking at the pictures, could be a shop that buys these salvaged title cars, repair them then flips them for a profit. This is done very frequently with California cars due to the lack of rust. Yes sometime Ins. Co. will refuse to cover the cars, others will Inspect before or just accept state inspectons.

 

Well it sold for $20k.

 

cheaper than this one # 563 for sale
http://www.autotrader.com/fyc/vdp.js...000&cardist=39

 

Atleast that ones original and not a salvage

 

Well the beauty of the Internet and NAM community, on June 30th the car is listed on the Sacramento Craig's List for $20,500. Seller does not disclose he is a dealer, does not mention repairs [as mentioned in ebay ad], that "not actual mileage" has been reported to the DMV, and that the car has a salvaged title.

Considering that the same pics on the eBay auction are being used for the Craig's ad, IMHO the eBay "winner" was a shill bidder [meaning the eBay seller bid on his own auction.]

http://sacramento.craigslist.org/car/737973313.html

 

This kind of stuff really bugs me. I am reporting this to the Attorney General's Office [Net fraud division], the Sacramento County District Attorney and eBay [albeit eBay won't do anything about it.]

At minimum this seller is a dealer pulling a bait and switch [when you call or show up they tell you that it's a salvaged title, not actual mileage and maybe disclose the repairs.]

At worst, they are committing multiple crimes. Shill bidding on eBay [that is a crime, actually], listing fraudulent ads, bait and switch, failing to disclose damage, etc. in their ads, and also as a dealer violating California DMV rules regulating dealers and auto brokers.

This is what the the license plate placard on the car leads to:

http://www.cardinaleway.com/about.htm?bhcp=1

 

Fed legislators are trying to pass a law that will standardize car title law because it varies by state. Some states, like California, call it "salvaged" while other states call it something different, for example "totaled."

The car in question here, MINI GP, appears to have been salvaged due to an auto accident. The seller misleads [and violates Craig's List posting rules] by saying that there was just a little damage that was easily repaired. Fact is, if a car was totaled, that cost as much as this MINI did, that there was some serious damage to it. In any event, a lot more damage was caused to this car than what the seller is describing.

Some states, once a car is deemed salvaged CANNOT be repaired and sold. The main concern is safety. In the Washington hearings on the legislation there was testimony of people being killed because a salvaged car, while looking OK, was internally unsafe resulting in deaths.

Some states allow salvaged or totaled cars to be repaired and put back on the road.

Some states even allow a title to be "laundered" to where it will lose its designation of being totaled or salvaged.

Some dishonest sellers launder totaled cars in states with lax laws and import the no-longer-totaled car into states such as California. That is why astute buyers in California always ask "is this a California car?" If not, the buyer won't give the car a second look out of fear that the car may have a laundered title.

Unless a seller can show clean title from another state [e.g., one owner car] most people will not look at cars with no plates, etc. If you look at a car and it does not have plates, that is a red flag that deeper inquiries are in order and most likely to steer clear of the car, regardless of the BS the seller gives you.

Most insurance companies will NOT insure a salvaged vehicle for coverage of the vehicle itself. They may insure you for liability, but the car won't be covered. There are exceptions, but they are few. Those companies may insure for the actual cash value of the salvaged vehicle.

The safest thing to do is BEFORE buying a salvaged vehicle is to simply call your insurance carrier and ask if it covers a salvaged titled car.

 

I posted a warning on Craig's List referring to this thread.

A prospective buyer e-mailed me last night and asked about the car because he was interested in it.

Here is his reply, July 6, 2008. His thanks are to NAM too, since I referred him to your posts herein.

Thanks for posting and for the info. You saved me a real headache. I went and saw the car, loved it, but thought it too good to be true.

The seller did disclose the salvage title and some minor damage photos. I didn't realize that the wheels and engine parts were not original JCW GP.

......

 

Some minor damage photos This is where I begin too have serious problems! There is no mistaking or misunderstanding there, that's pure fraud.

 

I remember this GP well. It was sold out of Long Beach. Some guy had purchased two GP's and was living up North near the Bay Area I believe. His wife crashed and totaled the car. Then if I remember correctly the car was in a second accident (Minor Damage this time) When the car was on Ebay I e-mailed the seller for pictures. He got back to me with pictures that only showed minor damage to the car. I believe this to be the second accident. I any case tis car has been chopped up plenty. Biggest mistake was not using OEM GP parts. He may have gotten away with it if he had.

 

wow lots of good post on this one.. glad created some awareness.

Thank you guys, I am sure if someone is looking for a special MINI like I was will be appreciative of this kind of info.

 

No Problem. I just don't like to see anyone taken advantage of. Hope that you find the Mini you are looking for!

 

Well he still had, and has, the salvage title problem. Can't get away with anything with that attached to the car.

Appears to be so desperate that he changed the ad for Craig's to not mention that the car has a salvaged title.

And based on your info, sounds like he is trying to defraud people now, showing pics of the minor damage and saying that was the reason for the salvage title.

I would think that both accidents would show up on CarFax, not just the one.

Also interesting, do you think he was also shill bidding in the eBay auction? Otherwise seems odd that it sold a month ago on eBay, then it appears on Craig's list three weeks later.

 

When I pulled Carfax the accidents weren't the only problem. It was said that the odometer readers were not accurate as well. This car is just a mess over all.

 

I wonder if the marriage survived or has a salvage title, too

Does anyone know the name of the guy trying to sell this "once was a GP" ?