Stolen BMW Motor, Horror Story - The Unofficial BMW M5 Messageboard (m5board.com)

ChuckBilodeau · 25th November 2006, 07:24

I am writing this to warn everybody to always watch out when they buy or sell parts to each other. You never know, this might happen to you.

I’ll try to make a long story short. Last year I wanted to build a V8 M3 Racecar. As you guys know S62 motors are pretty hard to find and rather expensive. I was very happy to find one at a local BMW shop (saving freight charges). So the owner of the shop told me his best friend owned the motor and it turned out that I knew the guy (his friend)! What a coincidence I told myself, this guy was in class with me in University and we often talked about BMWs.

So I decided to go ahead and buy the motor as it looked good and it came from a wrecked car, he even showed me some other parts that he had already sold from the same car. Keep in mind, this shop is downtown Montreal, looked very respectable with many exotics at the door.

A year later, I realised that Grand Am cup racing was costing me too much money and that I would not be able to build my dream race car (not yet anyway), and decided to sell the motor as we needed money to invest on the Grand Am cars. I put it on eBay and a fellow BMW enthusiast bought the motor at a very good price and was very happy; so was I.

He then sent me somebody from Toronto to pick up the motor to bring it to him as he was responsible for shipping. No problem, I have my money, the motor is nicely wrapped on a pallet and ready to leave. A few days after the pick up, I get an email from the shipper who is with customs; turns out the motor came from a stolen car; WHAT?!?! How could this be, why, how???

I’ll spare you the details of all my conversations with the local police, national police, my lawyer, etc. I was totally freaked out and frankly I was scared. After talking with the police and explaining the situation they told me that I had nothing to worry about but that I was very likely going to loose my money and motor. Furthermore, we have the shipper and the buyer thinking that I am a thief. Who can blame them, I think the person I bough it from is the thief. This sucks, last thing I need is from people to think I am a thief, plus I happen to be financially very comfortable, but they don’t know that, they don’t know me…

We are now tracing down the person I bought it from. Is he the thief, who is? I don’t know who to blame… I never asked the person I bought it from for a serial number, but so did the person who bought it from me. Turns out the buyer is very lucky he bough it from an honest person who will refund him because he did not fulfill his duty to ask for a serial number…

So here we are. I tried to save freight charges, how ridiculous… I spend over $100,000 a year on my racing and I wanted to save a few hundred dollars more? Makes you think twice. I am not saying not to buy a used motor, but if you don’t want to spend $10,000 on a motor that end up with cops, just do your homework, I know I WILL!!!!

ard · 25th November 2006, 08:18

Wow. That is a bummer.

I never could figure out how the police decide who gets screwed on the deal...how far back they will 'unwind' the sales...

How does one check engine serial numbers anyway?!? Not carfax... I wouldn't know where to check.

A

SCC · 25th November 2006, 08:37

Now that is one of lifes lessons learned. What do you think customs would do with just the motor after they confiscate it? Turn it over to the owners insurance company and then sell it for salvage?

Laidback · 25th November 2006, 08:38

Wow so sorry for you misfortune....i think the serial numbers are stamped on the engine...

Habu · 25th November 2006, 14:14

ChuckBilodeau,

Wow sorry for your loss and the headache you went through. Makes you wonder about the buddy you bought the motor from. Wonder if he was running a chop shop of sorts.

Bob

VetteRacer · 25th November 2006, 21:47

I dont know how customs works, so forgive the ignorance...
Could it be that the car isn't marked as a "parts car" somewhere in a system, so when something like a motor shows up its assumed stolen? Or does the car have to be marked stolen for it to show up in a system?
Matt

ChuckBilodeau · 26th November 2006, 18:48

I am not sure either how customs work since they released the motor and I have to go pick it up, the shipper has it at his warehouse in Buffalo.

I appreciate the sympathy! what I wanted mostly is to maybe save all this trouble to somebody else.

ChuckBilodeau · 26th November 2006, 18:50

Quote:

Originally Posted by Habu

ChuckBilodeau,

Wow sorry for your loss and the headache you went through. Makes you wonder about the buddy you bought the motor from. Wonder if he was running a chop shop of sorts.

Bob

Trust me, if he knew, he will be in big trouble

gbogh3 · 27th November 2006, 03:02

If you had the SN #, where do you go to find out if its stolen. Certainly local police may not know?

kees · 27th November 2006, 23:06

Moved to E39 M5 forum.

If you buy a used engine get the seller to give you a signed receipt with a statement the engine is his to sell, the engine number and the payment amount.

gbogh3 · 27th November 2006, 23:10

Quote:

Originally Posted by kees

Moved to E39 M5 forum.

If you buy a used engine get the seller to give you a signed receipt with a statement the engine is his to sell, the engine number and the payment amount.

? Then you are ok? This can't protect you to get your money back.

kees · 27th November 2006, 23:15

Quote:

Originally Posted by gbogh3

? Then you are ok? This can't protect you to get your money back.

It'll prove that you bought the engine in good faith. It will ensure that the person you bought it from is liable for paying back the money to you instead of you getting stuck with the bill. And it'll give you the legal basis you need to sue him for damages.