terry, i didnt take it as bashing.

jimmie basically just stated what my dad said almost word for word when i called to ask if i should get involved.

as it sits right now im in this thing for a shade over $600. the closest nada value i could find was $1440, thats at low retail, and being kind. this car does not live up to the low retail description, but its the lowest thing they had. spoke to my sherrif buddy, who asked the DA how he would handle it. according to him, i was basically obligated to step up and take responcibility for the car. i also found out that in nm the plate stays with the person, not the car. i didnt know that, texas (what im used to) is different, the plate is registered to the car and not the person. in any case, since i let the plate go with the car and the title never got swapped,they could have come after me for anything involving the car. i was advised in the future to keep the plate, thus forcing the new owner to register it rapidly or not have a plate on the car. i am entitled to hold the car (but none of the personal items in it) untill i have been compensated for the money i had to put out. i can hit him for the fees i paid, storage on my property up to $20 a day, and any fuel cost or time missed from work involved in the shit storm. i must hold the car untouched for what is considered a reasonable time, according to him, that means the point in which the fees over run the reasonable resale value of the vehicle. so the way i figure it, by the end of next month i will have exceeded, by far, the value of the car. i was told to hang on to the paper trail to proove everything in case the dude shows up too late and takes me to court. he claims there isnt a judge in town who would side with the guy who didnt swap the title over for 1 year and 7 months and drove it the whole time. i was also told i had to make a reasonable attempt to contact the guy, but since i have no contact information, and there is nothing in the car that would clue me in, i cant do that and was told not to worry about it. they did say the guy should count him self lucky, the impound yard is only required to hold it a set number of bussiness days before it can be sent to auction. by bailing it out i extended the amount of time the car is in limbo. also, since he had never transferred title, the impound guy would have laughed him out of the office had he tried to claim it. in any case, by the end of august its mine, unless he shows up with cash in hand.

removed the plates last night, along with the ecm fuse, fuel pump relay, transmission shift arm and coil wire so it cant dissappear while im at work. for now i sit and wait and see what happens.