Don't let this happen to you.
04-10-2012, 06:25 PM
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Don't let this happen to you.
Since the dust has finally settled, I thought that I would post some details of a reccent boat purchase that almost left me out of a boat and a lot of $$. I'm not going to mention any names since the seller finally made good on the deal and I highly doubt he will be selling anymore boats in the future.
Back in late January I found a boat in FL and contacted the seller on a Thursday aside from being a little over salesmanish on the phone I decided I wanted to make the trip to see this thing in person. Friday night the wife and I hopped in the truck and drove straight through from Ohio to Tampa. We spent all day going through the boat with a fine tooth comb and the seller and I struck a deal late in the day, I paid, he wrote a bill of sale and we were off to find a hotel for the night being utterly exhausted after not much sleep in the past 36 hrs. Halfway home the next day it dawned on me (OH FUK, I FORGOT THE TITLES. I wasn't overly worried the seller told me on the phone two days earlier he had clear titles to everything. I send the guy a text asking about the titles and he responds with "yes I have them, I'll mail them".
So we get back to OH and I start buying all kinds of parts and goodies for the boat along with a new triaxle aluminum trailer. So a few weeks go by and no titles show up, we call the guy and get a story about how he is working in another state and will mail them when he gets home next week. Fast foreward another two weeks, still no titles, we call again and get the same story. A week later I call the DNR of the state (not FL) that the boat was registered in to find out if the seller even had a title. Turns out the bank siezed the title along with the rest of his floorplan about a week before we bought the boat. We call the bank and they knew nothing of the sale. I call the seller and inform him that I've talked to his bank and if he wants to stay out of prison he better fuking pay them. I get the same story "next week when I get home from traveling" About a week later I get a call from the seller screaming at me becase I told the bank the full price paid (some of it was in cash and the rest cashiers check). He proceeds to make up this huge story about how the bank is trying to take any and everything they can ge from him to pay for the rest of the floorplan that he defaulted on. Several more weeks go by with this fuktard saying that he will pay next week. Finally last week leave him a voicemail saying that if I dont have the F'ing titles by Friday he is going to prison for a long time. Meanwhile his bank is calling and starting to hint with questions about the boats current location.....The bank called yesterday and told me the guy finally came through with the $$ and that they are mailing the titles.
I've purchased well over two dozzen titled vehicles and watercraft over the years and NEVER, EVER!! had a problem getting a title. Lesson learned, no title, or no trip to the bank to get the title= NO DEAL! Hopefully by posting this story, somebody someday will avoid the nail biting prediciment that I have been involved with for the past several months.
And before some smart azz asks, NO, I didn't buy the boat from Bill Hionas.
Back in late January I found a boat in FL and contacted the seller on a Thursday aside from being a little over salesmanish on the phone I decided I wanted to make the trip to see this thing in person. Friday night the wife and I hopped in the truck and drove straight through from Ohio to Tampa. We spent all day going through the boat with a fine tooth comb and the seller and I struck a deal late in the day, I paid, he wrote a bill of sale and we were off to find a hotel for the night being utterly exhausted after not much sleep in the past 36 hrs. Halfway home the next day it dawned on me (OH FUK, I FORGOT THE TITLES. I wasn't overly worried the seller told me on the phone two days earlier he had clear titles to everything. I send the guy a text asking about the titles and he responds with "yes I have them, I'll mail them".
So we get back to OH and I start buying all kinds of parts and goodies for the boat along with a new triaxle aluminum trailer. So a few weeks go by and no titles show up, we call the guy and get a story about how he is working in another state and will mail them when he gets home next week. Fast foreward another two weeks, still no titles, we call again and get the same story. A week later I call the DNR of the state (not FL) that the boat was registered in to find out if the seller even had a title. Turns out the bank siezed the title along with the rest of his floorplan about a week before we bought the boat. We call the bank and they knew nothing of the sale. I call the seller and inform him that I've talked to his bank and if he wants to stay out of prison he better fuking pay them. I get the same story "next week when I get home from traveling" About a week later I get a call from the seller screaming at me becase I told the bank the full price paid (some of it was in cash and the rest cashiers check). He proceeds to make up this huge story about how the bank is trying to take any and everything they can ge from him to pay for the rest of the floorplan that he defaulted on. Several more weeks go by with this fuktard saying that he will pay next week. Finally last week leave him a voicemail saying that if I dont have the F'ing titles by Friday he is going to prison for a long time. Meanwhile his bank is calling and starting to hint with questions about the boats current location.....The bank called yesterday and told me the guy finally came through with the $$ and that they are mailing the titles.
I've purchased well over two dozzen titled vehicles and watercraft over the years and NEVER, EVER!! had a problem getting a title. Lesson learned, no title, or no trip to the bank to get the title= NO DEAL! Hopefully by posting this story, somebody someday will avoid the nail biting prediciment that I have been involved with for the past several months.
And before some smart azz asks, NO, I didn't buy the boat from Bill Hionas.
04-10-2012, 06:33 PM
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Wow, can't believe that this happened in the marine industry, and Florida no less. Really post his name and type of boat. By not telling his name you cast suspicion and all boat dealers. Including the two or three that are honest.
Glad it worked out for you.
Glad it worked out for you.
04-10-2012, 06:42 PM
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Tim, he wasn't even a boat dealer, just some small time RV dealer who relocated to FL, and supposedly took the boat in on trade for a camper. I've since found out that his RV dealership has tanked and the bank now has everything.
04-10-2012, 07:04 PM
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That is funny! And here I thought this thread was going to be about buying a new Pantera and paying up front. 
04-10-2012, 07:12 PM
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Since the dust has finally settled, I thought that I would post some details of a reccent boat purchase that almost left me out of a boat and a lot of $$. I'm not going to mention any names since the seller finally made good on the deal and I highly doubt he will be selling anymore boats in the future.
Back in late January I found a boat in FL and contacted the seller on a Thursday aside from being a little over salesmanish on the phone I decided I wanted to make the trip to see this thing in person. Friday night the wife and I hopped in the truck and drove straight through from Ohio to Tampa. We spent all day going through the boat with a fine tooth comb and the seller and I struck a deal late in the day, I paid, he wrote a bill of sale and we were off to find a hotel for the night being utterly exhausted after not much sleep in the past 36 hrs. Halfway home the next day it dawned on me (OH FUK, I FORGOT THE TITLES. I wasn't overly worried the seller told me on the phone two days earlier he had clear titles to everything. I send the guy a text asking about the titles and he responds with "yes I have them, I'll mail them".
So we get back to OH and I start buying all kinds of parts and goodies for the boat along with a new triaxle aluminum trailer. So a few weeks go by and no titles show up, we call the guy and get a story about how he is working in another state and will mail them when he gets home next week. Fast foreward another two weeks, still no titles, we call again and get the same story. A week later I call the DNR of the state (not FL) that the boat was registered in to find out if the seller even had a title. Turns out the bank siezed the title along with the rest of his floorplan about a week before we bought the boat. We call the bank and they knew nothing of the sale. I call the seller and inform him that I've talked to his bank and if he wants to stay out of prison he better fuking pay them. I get the same story "next week when I get home from traveling" About a week later I get a call from the seller screaming at me becase I told the bank the full price paid (some of it was in cash and the rest cashiers check). He proceeds to make up this huge story about how the bank is trying to take any and everything they can ge from him to pay for the rest of the floorplan that he defaulted on. Several more weeks go by with this fuktard saying that he will pay next week. Finally last week leave him a voicemail saying that if I dont have the F'ing titles by Friday he is going to prison for a long time. Meanwhile his bank is calling and starting to hint with questions about the boats current location.....The bank called yesterday and told me the guy finally came through with the $$ and that they are mailing the titles.
I've purchased well over two dozzen titled vehicles and watercraft over the years and NEVER, EVER!! had a problem getting a title. Lesson learned, no title, or no trip to the bank to get the title= NO DEAL! Hopefully by posting this story, somebody someday will avoid the nail biting prediciment that I have been involved with for the past several months.
And before some smart azz asks, NO, I didn't buy the boat from Bill Hionas.
Back in late January I found a boat in FL and contacted the seller on a Thursday aside from being a little over salesmanish on the phone I decided I wanted to make the trip to see this thing in person. Friday night the wife and I hopped in the truck and drove straight through from Ohio to Tampa. We spent all day going through the boat with a fine tooth comb and the seller and I struck a deal late in the day, I paid, he wrote a bill of sale and we were off to find a hotel for the night being utterly exhausted after not much sleep in the past 36 hrs. Halfway home the next day it dawned on me (OH FUK, I FORGOT THE TITLES. I wasn't overly worried the seller told me on the phone two days earlier he had clear titles to everything. I send the guy a text asking about the titles and he responds with "yes I have them, I'll mail them".
So we get back to OH and I start buying all kinds of parts and goodies for the boat along with a new triaxle aluminum trailer. So a few weeks go by and no titles show up, we call the guy and get a story about how he is working in another state and will mail them when he gets home next week. Fast foreward another two weeks, still no titles, we call again and get the same story. A week later I call the DNR of the state (not FL) that the boat was registered in to find out if the seller even had a title. Turns out the bank siezed the title along with the rest of his floorplan about a week before we bought the boat. We call the bank and they knew nothing of the sale. I call the seller and inform him that I've talked to his bank and if he wants to stay out of prison he better fuking pay them. I get the same story "next week when I get home from traveling" About a week later I get a call from the seller screaming at me becase I told the bank the full price paid (some of it was in cash and the rest cashiers check). He proceeds to make up this huge story about how the bank is trying to take any and everything they can ge from him to pay for the rest of the floorplan that he defaulted on. Several more weeks go by with this fuktard saying that he will pay next week. Finally last week leave him a voicemail saying that if I dont have the F'ing titles by Friday he is going to prison for a long time. Meanwhile his bank is calling and starting to hint with questions about the boats current location.....The bank called yesterday and told me the guy finally came through with the $$ and that they are mailing the titles.
I've purchased well over two dozzen titled vehicles and watercraft over the years and NEVER, EVER!! had a problem getting a title. Lesson learned, no title, or no trip to the bank to get the title= NO DEAL! Hopefully by posting this story, somebody someday will avoid the nail biting prediciment that I have been involved with for the past several months.
And before some smart azz asks, NO, I didn't buy the boat from Bill Hionas.
04-10-2012, 07:16 PM
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04-10-2012, 07:52 PM
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Who cares about the deadbeat seller. I'd post his name and business so if anyone ever googles his name later on, this will come up. You got your boat and title, screw him. He had no problem screwing you
Glad it worked out for you!
Glad it worked out for you!
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Some people are like Slinkies - Not really good for anything, but they
bring a smile to your face when pushed down the stairs.
Some people are like Slinkies - Not really good for anything, but they
bring a smile to your face when pushed down the stairs.
