Any help would be great!

[jeepcutie]

Hey Everyone!  I just joined your forum hoping I could get some help and advice.  Its  been a pretty crazy week so I'll just fill everyone in on how I ended up here.

About a year ago I traded my 96 Jeep Cherokee in to The Fast Lane on Macleod Trail.  Back then I was commuting to Calgary from Edmonton every weekend so I needed something a bit smaller on gas.  Anyways, its been over a year since I traded my truck in for my Golf, last time I drove by the dealership was about 6 months ago and the Jeep was still there.

Last Friday the impound calls me and tells me I need to come pick up my jeep! What the hell!!! So I told them I sold it to the fast lane blah blah blah.... Lady on the phone said since I was the last registered owner I have every right to come get the truck.  Woot woot! free truck!  Well Saturday I went to go look at it and the poor thing was sittin on the ground no wheels, siding torn off, no tail lights.   I popped the hood and checked it out...battery was gone but the rest looked okay.  The lady at the impound said my trucks been there for almost 5 months and was involved with criminal acts!  Its been on a police seizure for 100 days and just released so that's why they called me to come pick it up. 

So after looking at it, the repairs seemed pretty minor to me.  All stuff I could fix for cheap.  I spent the weekend looking for rims and tires, got that done and sent a tow truck driver to pick it up today.  He just got here and lifted it up so we could put the tires on..... well once it was up we noticed who ever stole it from the lot did a good number on it.   They took the fuel tank and the catalytic converter, alternator and the battery, the ignition, all the light covers, back seat...just the single side is gone.  Everything that was missing was taken out neatly so I'm assuming maybe it hit a chop shop or the guy who did it was some sort of professional.

So I'm feeling a bit lost, not sure if its worth it to keep or just sell it off for the $400 I spent to get it home.  Anyone one out there have some advice? Think its worth keeping.  The body itself only has one scratch no rust.   Here's some picture of my poor jeep!

[TJ54]

I think the first thing you should do is call "the fast lane", If you signed over the vehicle to them as part of a trade I would be very careful. If they hadn't sold the jeep, it would not have been re-registared. If it was stolen from their lot there may be a stolen vehicle report on it some where. sometimes paperwork gets lost for a while or just hasn't been processed.

Two things could go wrong here if you take over the vehicle. #1 possesion of a stolen vehicle, by far the most seroius thing, #2 you spend a bunch of money on it, get it running again, then the Fast lane finds out you have it and they take it away as you have already signed it over to them.
or third and the most unlikely, you get a free vehicle.

[Waytec]

I would defiantly proceed with caution here. Maybe send the money and go talk to a lawyer. Ask mrjeep4 about what he went through.

[jeepcutie]

Well I did call the local cop shop.  They said since no one registared it its legally mine.  I asked the cop if this could come back to bite me in the arse and she said no. If they seize it they'll pay me for what I spent to get it out of the lot.  She ran the vin and nothign came up other than I was the last owner to the vehicle.  She said she saw the seizer and the trucks past history, but she said I was good to go.  I took her badge number incase, as well there is a cop that works with me at the Flames office.  He said the same as she did.  The guy at the fast lane is a very shady dude... it wouldn't surprise me if he got insurance money from it going missing. 

[jeepcutie]

I'm jsut looking for repair advice.  I've already researched the legal side of things....

[Waytec]

I think It is going to cost you several thousand to put a $3000 viecal back on the road, and pending what they did to it during the theft it may never drive right.

[dunl]

Part the sucker out or sell it whole for parts.  I'd ask the police to give you something in writing stating you are free to take the vehicle, signed by them, then go get it.

[Spinalguy]

It will cost you too much to get it right. You can buy one for less.
Part it out to recoup the $400 you spent.
You will need a  ownership from the registry as you probably gave your old one to the previous buyer.
Ethically, you may want to contact Fastway as they did pay you for a vehicle. It may have been stolen from them and they
do really own it afterall. Have them come get it for $400.

[jeepcutie]

well I think we'll part the poor thing out.  We have 2 other project cars on the go and I can't take away from the hubbies projects! as much as I'd love my truck back and running its just too much work and money! 

[yjcanibul]

errors posting - spinalguy got it - probably not what you want to hear but :

I would not put any more $ into it at this time - none , technically you dont own it, what the police said wont matter if someone shows up with a bill of sale , impound released it to you not sold it to you.

If it was stolen the police should know that, sounds like it wasnt.

Consider yet another scenario,  someone bought it (via finance) but never registered or worse

You got some options, the best one is to find the owner and give them the choice of buying it
back or giving you free/clear ownership - else some other option your comfortable with   

[Tinkerer]

I find it odd that if it had been involved in some criminal activities that the police weren't interested in finding out how it left the lot of the "dealer".  Have they been contacted to find out how it left their lot?  They might be able to provide a name.

Just be aware of some more things... if it *was* used in criminal activities and it is linked to more criminal activities, first, it could be impounded again under the proceeds of crime legislation, second, as the last RO, you could get caught in some nasty accusations, investigations etc.  Make sure you have and keep handy full documentation that it was sold to the "dealer", when you got it out of impound etc. to cover your derriere no matter what you choose to do with it.

Good luck with it and may it all work out in the end.  Aim for more than the cost of getting it out of impound.. buy some goodies for the other vehicles

[jeepcutie]

Ha you find it odd?!! Like I said in my first post it was under a 100 day seizer in the impound...then the police relesed it and the impound called me.

And there is no way that the car was leased. If you've ever leased a car you'd know they ask for insurance and registration before you take the car off the lot. 


Anyways, a guy on my on my car forum was more than helpful and has found me a good mechanic for me to take the jeep too.  I only came on here for repair advice...not legal advice. 

[Tinkerer]

Hmm... but the subject said "Any help"   Can't help you with the repair advice, we have had a TJ since '04, but are new to XJ, having just bought one ourselves.

[yjcanibul]

for parts try jeepstuff graveyard just east of city

www.jeepstuff.8m.com
(403) 681-JEEP (5337) ...

[Immortal]

Was that Colin at the FAST LANE?