Sold car and buyer ran off without paying

[springerj]

I sold a car to a coworker of mine to help him and his kids get to and from work and school. We wrote a written contract that we got notarized at the DMV stating that the car is sold as is at $1500. $200 for 7.5 months. I signed the title over to him because he didn't have a license and his wife was supposedly going to be driving it and didn't want him driving a car under my name. He has given me a total of $75 since 10/25/12. He packed everything up and ran off to Oklahoma from North Carolina with my car and haven't heard anything since. I was able to track the car last registered in Oklahoma City, Oklahoma but that's as far as I've gotten. His mother works with me but she is no help what so ever, she claims to not have heard from him in over 5 years when we all worked together just 2 years ago. Any legal advice on what can or should be done? Thanks.

 

[springerj]

Just tracked it down some more, turns out it was auctioned off.

This is from the report I just pulled
04/10/2013 SOUTHWEST REGION
130,859
Auto Auction REPORTED AT AUTO AUCTION

 

[army judge]

You got snookered.

Does a dealer sign the title over to you (or the lender release the lien), to help you out?

No, it's a business transaction.

Yours became the Price Is Right, and he took the $1,500 prize.

You could sue him in small claims, but why bother? He's a deadbeat, and he's in OK, and you're in NC.

You're lucky you have no legal ties to this creep, so lesson learned?

What does even a rookie prostitute do, or a rookie drug dealer?

Get the money first, then the deliver the product. No money, no product.

 

[disagreeable]

Sorry bout yer luck. Use better judgment next time.

 

[Betty3]

You should never have signed the title over even if co-worker & for any reason until you got full payment.

You could try suing in small claims court but for the amount it would probably be more trouble than it is worth.