Sold Car to "friend", wants money back

[soccerglhp29]

I sol my car to this young woman, I will call Sally. Sally was in an abusive relationship for a few years. He would not allow her to have a phone, license, car, etc. When she finally left him, she approached me about the car I was selling. I told her I was selling it for $1800 "as is". She told me that she wanted to buy the car and asked if she gave me an extra $200, could we fix the issues on the vehicle. We said sure. I had never sold a car before so I did not know about how to "legally" sell it i.e. bill of sale, notarized title. She gave me $1800, and we began fixing it up, as she said the $200 would come later when she could pay it. For a month, we taught her how to drive and fixed the car to her specs. I told her that as soon as she had time we could sign the title over to her. She informed me that Friday she would be coming into town and told me that night she was going to add the car to her own insurance policy. I dropped the car off of my insurance and waited for her the next day. She never showed and I could not get a hold her for about a week. I did not know what to do. I looked up online and it said a "verbal agreement" was legal in the eyes of the law in North Carolina so I was not too worried. I just needed her to come get the car and sign the title over because the car just sitting in my driveway was causing problems with our neighborhood HOA. Finally I got a hold of her when her ex-boyfriend, whom she had gotten back with, text me and told me she no longer wanted the car and demanded the money back that she had paid me. At this point it had almost been 2 months since the initial exchange of money. I told him that the car was hers and that she needed to take responsibility of it and come finish the deal she had made. He refused and still demanded the money back. I guess my question is, what can I do in this situation? I have been told by a paralegal to give half the money back, but also not to deal with him because he isn't part of the deal. I just don't want to be sued or in any legal trouble.

 

[army judge]

I sold my car to Sally. I told her I was selling it for $1800 "as is". She told me that she wanted to buy the car and asked if she gave me an extra $200, could we fix the issues on the vehicle. We said sure. I had never sold a car before so I did not know about how to "legally" sell it i.e. bill of sale, notarized title. She gave me $1800, and we began fixing it up, as she said the $200 would come later when she could pay it. For a month, we taught her how to drive and fixed the car to her specs. I told her that as soon as she had time we could sign the title over to her. She informed me that Friday she would be coming into town and told me that night she was going to add the car to her own insurance policy. I dropped the car off of my insurance and waited for her the next day. She never showed and I could not get a hold her for about a week. I did not know what to do. I looked up online and it said a "verbal agreement" was legal in the eyes of the law in North Carolina so I was not too worried. I just needed her to come get the car and sign the title over because the car just sitting in my driveway was causing problems with our neighborhood HOA. Finally I got a hold of her when her ex-boyfriend, whom she had gotten back with, text me and told me she no longer wanted the car and demanded the money back that she had paid me. At this point it had almost been 2 months since the initial exchange of money. I told him that the car was hers and that she needed to take responsibility of it and come finish the deal she had made. He refused and still demanded the money back. I guess my question is, what can I do in this situation? I have been told by a paralegal to give half the money back, but also not to deal with him because he isn't part of the deal. I just don't want to be sued or in any legal trouble.

Sally bought the car.
As far as you know, her abuser may have killed her.
That said, stop communicating with anyone about the car, except Sally.
Your intuition is correct, her abuser has no standing in this matter.

If I were you, I'd simply send Sally a letter requesting her to come retrieve her car.
Or, you could transport the car to her home.
Yeah, its a bit troublesome, but you get the HOA off your back.
I'd also forget about the extra $200.
Let's face it, will $200 destroy you financially?
So, cut your losses, get the eyesore gone, get the abuser off your back, and make the HOA happy.
In my view, bologna without bread, mustard, and mayaionaise is still edible.

 

[Betty3]

If anyone drives the car, the person better be sure there is insurance on the vehicle.

 

[mightymoose]

When you sign the title over don't forget you notify your state licensing agency of the sale.