Nevada blues (long)

[<miles2go@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxx>]

While on a business trip in October I picked up my wife's 525iT. It was at a
dealer located at Las Vegas's international airport. One of those rental
names we know that also sell cars that have been traded in on fleet sale
vehicles. This car had come in on trade.
I looked the car over and was pleasantly surprised at its condition. When I
went to the lot I was expecting a piece of junk as I've found in the past
when lured to such places with deceptive ads. However, this ad said "37K
miles, Mint condition". I couldn't stay away.
The car wasn't "mint" but it did meet my high standards so I drove it. The
only real problem I could find at that time was a shimmy around 65mph that
would go away at faster speeds. I already wanted the car and played this
discovery up big time. I suspected a bent wheel or something else that I was
willing to deal with but didn't let on. I made my offer a full 2K under what
I though it was worth and 3K less than they were asking. They tried the
normal salesman routine but in short order I got the car for that price. I
called my banker and had money wired directly into their account. They took
down the address I wanted the title sent to and I was out of there. I had
the wheels balanced and in fact the beautiful 17" BBS were causing the
shimmy. I only had so much time so express ordered winter wheels and tires
for my drive home to come within days.
Now back in Utah, two months past buying the car, we still cannot register
it. Turns out that the dealer never had the title! I'd never expect that to
be the case because I believed selling a car without the title would be
illegal and a situation a franchised or sales chain would want to avoid.
Certainly they couldn't expect things to go well for them if I decide to
force them to take this car back or worse. They gave me a bill of sale, I
have records of the money being accepted and deposited in their account,
Nevada's title offices will have records to back me up and they are a
National chain with a chain of command that I can make my case to.
While it seems that they are now very concerned with this issue and making
it right (they can clearly see where its going?), they will be more
concerned after I talk to Nevada's Department of Consumer Affairs on Monday.
I've bought something like 40 used cars in my life and have never seen such
a thing from a high visibility car lot. Just goes to show that even when you
do everything you should,  including a carfax search (which I did before
even going to the lot), you can still be surprised by the stupidity of
others. Does everything in Las Vegas have to be a gamble? :)
The next month should be interesting.

Cheers,

Ron
00 BMW R1100S, sport tourer
BMW 525iT, sport wagon with an uncertain future
98 Toyota Tacoma SR5
89 5spd Volvo wagon, 215K and still going strong

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