Hi all,
six months ago, I purchased a lot of two Citroen DS. One was supposed to have a clear title and the other one was for parts to finish the restoration of the first one. I paid the requested $7000 to the seller in Illinois via bank transfer and the seller delivered both cars little after in DC. However, he then told me he got confused among his various cars and that the DS in question had no title. He was to initiate a process for getting one in Illinois and send it to me as soon as he got it. Halas, the process seems to be much more cumbersome that the seller initially thought and to-date, he still was unable to get a title. He kept on telling me he was on it, and I do not have any reason to doubt it. However, after 6 months, I am stuck with two cars costing me storage. I did not start working on them so as not to loose any further money in case the issue cannot be solved, and so as for the seller to get the cars back in the state he delivered them to me in case of need.
Yesterday, seeing no progress, I sent him an e-mail asking him to return my money and get the cars back. He answered me he had no intention to buy the cars back, that he was still working on the title and that I will be getting it as promised.
I would like this issue to be sorted out one way or the other. In my view, the sale was not completed as the seller was not able to deliver a title as promised. So I don't think it is a question for the seller to buy the cars back, rather to reimburse me over a sale he was not able to complete. I have the cars and various email exchanges where he states he is working on the title. I do not have a title nor a bill of sale.
I would like to know what are my options. Taking a lawyer may end up costing me more than the value of the cars with no guarantee the seller will return my money. Small claims has a ceiling of $5000 and the issue involving two different states it may be a bit complicated. I am relatively new in the US and I am not that conversant with the options I have in this regard, so any help would be greatly appreciated.
Thanks in advance!