An option:

Call, and tell the receptionist you need to talk with the manager (call him by name if you know it). If she gives you hell, say you've called a few times before and already talked with him and he's aware of the situation. Don't waste your time with her, don't get rude, just be persistent and say you've talked with him before and need to speak with him again.

Tell them you're going to file a complaint with the BBB, and tell them you've already contacted the local news station and they're interested in the story (it's great if you have one of those local "believe it or not!" or "you won't believe this!" type guys). Offer to pay $150 to get your car back, or you'll be using the other options and consider small claims court.

Giving them an either / or might be your best bet. Lay your cards down, tell them what you're willing to do, and offer $100 or $150 for your car back.

 

Thanks for all the input guys!

I am going to take your advice Majik, today after work I'm going to give them a call back and tell him that I plan to file with BBB and I'll bluff (assuming that what you meant) that I have contacted our local "gotcha" guy, saying he's taking my story. Pretty much I'll just let him know that its a needless mess and offer to pay $150 for towing and filing and say we both walk away satiated. Basically letting him know that I know even if it goes to court I'll have to pay for towing, but that it would cost him for legal fees and what else have you. Basically that its in our best interest to take care of this today.

The more I thought about, settling in small claims is a pretty big battle and I really don't need to spend that kind of time. I'm picking up a 2nd job soon and the last thing I need is a court order mandating I pay $1200 to this jerk on top of our other bills. Plus at that they'll probably put me on "nonreporting" probation again to ensure that I pay and that could hose my chances at getting the other job or remaining employed. This problem needs to get rectified before I go out of town this weekend.






Actually that's not a bad idea. If he persists on the title issue I'll be damn sure to write up a bill of sale and charge him what ever the remainder of the cost is. (EG: the bill is 1200 and I pay 200, he's stuck a grand for the auto.) The documentation will cover MY ass legally, and the cost will hose him on the 15th next year.

 

So in case anyone was curious how this turned out:

After several failed attempts to contact the manager, yesterday I managed to finally get him on the phone. It turns out that "business proposals" are not the receptionists' forte. (Hehe) I started off by apologizing [didn't mean it] to him for the way I acted last time we spoke, which he had forgotten and judging by his lack of response I can only assume happens pretty frequently. Based on this mellowing him, and my quick goat-thinking, I explained to him that I was aware that I was on the hook for the towing fees etc, but that due to recent economic down turn I had lost my overtime at work, and that my wife and I are a newly married couple, I am the only one employed making a poor wage, and we are having to spend my entire income subsequent this issue just to clean up and pay my traffic ticket, ext, snif sniff, boo-hoo, so on and so fourth. I offer him "all the money we have" which is "the best I can do." [insert more sniffing, maybe a tear drop or two. OH don't forget the wicked grin] I tell him that I am offered the "last of our savings" and cash in hand so there's no checks to mess with (that and id cut into the $1700+ we've stashed in checking); telling him that rather than alternatives I just pay "what we can" for services rendered and we could just put it all behind us. He then asked me to hold to "see what he can do," I'm sure this was only so he could do a victory dance and make me think it took a farts worth of thought. He came back groaning slightly and asked how soon we could pay. [More sob stories just to drive the point home] I told him Friday because the wife is in school and we only have 1 car left. He agree, of course, and it's all fixed now. Friday we're going up there to give him the cash.



Pretty pathetic but he'll feel the ass when we roll up in a red sports car.
It's just too bad the Porsche is still out of commission. nana.gif




I had intended to play hard ball, but the sob stories were working and this guy may just be even more stubborn than I..... maybe.

 

what's the dollar value you are paying?

 

Well, so much for my new years resolution of proof reading.


He's settling for $150