[BRIAN]

Hey guys I need some advice on a little pickle I just got myself into.

Yesterday evening I went out to Santa Fe Springs to pick up a 2JZ motor out of a 2003 IS300 with my dad, it was for sale for a couple hundred bucks. The plan was to pull out the motor in my dads 98 SC300 with over 210K miles and throw this bad boy in with under 10K miles. The transaction went by smoothly, claimed owner was very nice and answered all of my questions. Everything seemed legit at this point.

Anyways his story was that this motor was in HIS show car, a 2003 Lexus IS300. It even made it into a 2006 issue of D Sport magazine. Anyways everything was fine a dandy until 5 minutes ago when I get a call from an 808 area code.....Hawaii

This guy asks me about a 2JZ motor I had just purchased. I'm like yeah I just picked up a motor whats up?? He kindly asks me if I can check the vin on it and I asked why?? So he goes on about a legal battle hes been going through since 2003 where he had his car shipped to some shop here in Cali to get hooked up. Well the sucker gets stolen and it turned up with out a motor. So now I'm just like alright read me the vin and I'll tell you if it matches. So he reads it to me slowly and every thing he says is spot on, this motor is HOT!!!!

He's like holy shit that motor is mine, so I ask him how he got my motor. The dude had the small accent and the wasn't too clear on the phone but what I understood was he had word that some guy might have his motor and that was just sold. He got the info about my number from the dude that sold it to me yesterday but that same guy wasn't being very cooperative. I'm not sure if he was acting stupid or is stupid since yesterday he asked me how a cherry picker works

Anyways we just shelled out $400 bucks for this motor and I want to know if I can get my money back. I have not contacted the guy I bought from yet. I'm waiting to get some email from the Hawaiian dude first and I don't want to call and screw something up with my big mouth.

I have to jam to class be back on tonight

[SeanPlunk]

Originally Posted by BRIAN

Hey guys I need some advice on a little pickle I just got myself into.

Yesterday evening I went out to Santa Fe Springs to pick up a 2JZ motor out of a 2003 IS300 with my dad, it was for sale for a couple hundred bucks. The plan was to pull out the motor in my dads 98 SC300 with over 210K miles and throw this bad boy in with under 10K miles. The transaction went by smoothly, claimed owner was very nice and answered all of my questions. Everything seemed legit at this point.

Anyways his story was that this motor was in HIS show car, a 2003 Lexus IS300. It even made it into a 2006 issue of D Sport magazine. Anyways everything was fine a dandy until 5 minutes ago when I get a call from an 808 area code.....Hawaii

This guy asks me about a 2JZ motor I had just purchased. I'm like yeah I just picked up a motor whats up?? He kindly asks me if I can check the vin on it and I asked why?? So he goes on about a legal battle hes been going through since 2003 where he had his car shipped to some shop here in Cali to get hooked up. Well the sucker gets stolen and it turned up with out a motor. So now I'm just like alright read me the vin and I'll tell you if it matches. So he reads it to me slowly and every thing he says is spot on, this motor is HOT!!!!

He's like holy shit that motor is mine, so I ask him how he got my motor. The dude had the small accent and the wasn't too clear on the phone but what I understood was he had word that some guy might have his motor and that was just sold. He got the info about my number from the dude that sold it to me yesterday but that same guy wasn't being very cooperative. I'm not sure if he was acting stupid or is stupid since yesterday he asked me how a cherry picker works

Anyways we just shelled out $400 bucks for this motor and I want to know if I can get my money back. I have not contacted the guy I bought from yet. I'm waiting to get some email from the Hawaiian dude first and I don't want to call and screw something up with my big mouth.

I have to jam to class be back on tonight

I would imagine you would have to file a police report against the seller to get your money back. I believe the original owner is entitled to the engine.

Sucky situation - sorry to hear about everything

[TimAT]

I see a couple possibilities here.

1) it really is a motor from a stolen car. You did get a bill of sale from the guy you bought it from? If you did I'd think about maybe calling the local PD and explaining what's happened. Even if you didn't, it's something to think about. Cover yourself from a receiving stolen property charge.

2) the 2 guys are running a scam. One guy sells, the other guy calls and claims it's stolen and was his and either tries to get it back leaving you with no $$ and no motor, or threatens to call the PD unless you pay him for it.

I'm wondering why anyone would ship a car from Hawaii to the mainland to get it worked on. Last time I was in Hawaii there were lots of garages and dealers.

[enkeivette]

It depends on the length of time the motor was missing from the original owner and whether or not he tried to publicize the loss. You may be out of the statute of limitations, otherwise he may have a right to it and you'll have to take it up the ass.

This would be a federal court issue since he's in a different state. Whatever you do, don't just hand it over. Make him sue you for it, worst case scenario.

[Vettezuki]

Originally Posted by TimAT

I see a couple possibiliteis here.

1) it really is a motor from a stolen car. You did get a bill of sale from the guy you bought it from? If you did I'd think about maybe calling the local PD and explaining what's happened. Even if you didn't, it's something to think about. Cover yourself from a receiving stolen property charge.

2) the 2 guys are running a scam. One guy sells, the other guy calls and claims it's stolen and was his and either tries to get it back leaving you with no $$ and no motor, or threatens to call the PD unless you pay him for it.

I'm wondering why anyone would ship a car from Hawaii to the mainland to get it worked on. Last time I was in Hawaii there were lots of garages and dealers.

I hope you did get a bill of sale. When doing legal swaps in CA (refereed) they will check the bill of sale against the stolen car database.

1 - I would also assume that if it was stolen there would have to be a stolen car report filed in the state of CA (where it was stolen) by the guy who called you.

2 - If this guy is having a legal battle and it has gone to court, there must be a record of the case. Just another way to help identify the "actors".


I smell a rat. Personall I'd get the PD involved either way probably. One is you're showing good faith to comply with the law of not receiving stolen property once you became aware of the possibility. Two is to run the f&cks to ground if they're running a scam. Both 1&2 are possible, even likely. It's a stolen motor they're using to run a scam. Bet you they disappear fast if you get the cops involved.

[BADDASSC6]

Everything sound fucked up. Don't cough up the motor unless the guy can come up with a police report of the stolen property. Keep your bill of sales and go back to the seller and demand your money back. But whatever you do don't give the motor to anyone with out getting your money back or seeing a police report proving it was stolen back in 03.

[BRIAN]

Thanks for the advice guys, looks like some other forum for lexus IS is handling this. I spoke to the Hawaii guy, he basically doesn't give a shit about the motor anymore he just wants to find out who stole it from the beginning. The guy I bought it from is telling him what he knows which is basically that he didn't know this motor was hot when he bought it back in 05'.

From the looks of it I'm probably keeping the motor but we'll see what they conclude. I agree though, it's not going anywhere until I get my cash back

[Madmax305]

Originally Posted by BADDASSC6

Everything sound fucked up. Don't cough up the motor unless the guy can come up with a police report of the stolen property. Keep your bill of sales and go back to the seller and demand your money back. But whatever you do don't give the motor to anyone with out getting your money back or seeing a police report proving it was stolen back in 03.

Good advice....

[BRIAN]

Here's the thread I found on there forum about what's going on. I'm not going to jump in on that, I'm just waiting to be contacted by either of these guys to see what they want to do about the motor. I guess he still might want it back after all.

http://my.is/forums/f99/whomever-bou...s300er-397280/

[Madmax305]

In reading that, it is definitely a civil matter. Nobody mentions any police reports? If you are uncomfortable with the situation, either try to get your money back from the dude you purchased it from, ( A phone call to this guy would be good, to try to clear matters up. If the motor is indeed stolen, this is the guy who is on the hook, not you. He had the knowledge/history of the motor, you were an innocent victim who got duped.), or keep the motor and tell everybody to pound sand. It is not likely the local PD is going to react to this matter, especially after all these years. It it was legit, the PD would have handled it years ago....JMO Regardless, good luck, it sucks to get dragged into this can of worms....