QuestionStolen truck, found, towed & held for 2 1/2 months
My truck was stolen, found, towed and held for 2 1/2 months. We live in Calif. It is a 27 year-old truck and I posted the theft on www.stolencarreports.com. and filed a police report. The plates were missing. They could not find the vin # (which is on the dash of older cars). They had the vehicle on the lot for 2 1/2 months and finally had the Highway Patrol look at the engine for the vin.
I got the call today and they are charging $876 for the vehicle which is almost what it is worth. They say I have to pay 15 days of storage plus the towing. I offered the towing fee plus one day storage. No go. It is not worth $876 to me BUT they say they can take me to collections for the fees if I surrender it. And that I have to pay the $875 to give them the pink slip. So to avoid collections I have to bail out the truck anyway. Hmmm.
I am going to look at the dash for the vin, but my question is threefold: 1) Can they turn me over to collections if I give them the truck? 2) How could they get the vin off the engine since I had the engine replaced (sounds fishy to me). Can I get them for fraud on this? 3) How much does it cost the operator to put a lein on the truck and can they sell it for more than they are charging me to bail it out? In other words, What offer can I make so they break even?
AnswerWell, first of all I have to say is that California has strange laws regarding vehicle impound laws.
The Vin number is as you say, either on the dash, or door jamb on most vehicles.. But on older vehicles they can be in differant places. Its hard to remember where they all are, or to find a reference book that tells us where its located. Police departments do look for the numbers when its not readily visable, And they are very secret about where they are.
Now the towing and storage fees, are always something that everyone hates to pay. They always seem to high.
Now if it took that long to find the vin and notify you, I think they did try to follow the law abet slow.
Can you get the vin off the engine, sometimes, but usually its on the firewall ( is this a toyota or nissan ? )
Turning you over to collections, yeah they can. Laws specify that they can go for any and all fees over and above the ammount collected from the sale of the vehicle.
Giving them the truck title, should clear you, but some companys want to keep from losing money on tows. The expenses increase with time, and processes of disposing of the vehicle.
Fraud, I doubt it, but depends on how they do act and proceed.
Lien costs are differant in differant areas. And in California it also depends on the value of the vehicle. Some averages appear to be between 70 to 100 dollars.
This problem will solve itself with negotiations. Try to find a middle ground. Releasing the title to them, and then paying the whole fees does not sound right to me..
Hope that this helps.
Richard
