Theft by Fraud?

[bigspaceghost]

A while back I decided to sell my 4x4 ranger. I had listed it in Craigslist for sale,or trade. I was contacted by an individual who had a 2wd ranger for sale. Asked if I would be interested in a trade. (thought I would broaden my ranger horizons) The guy after some communication says he is relocating to a northern part of the state and needs a vehicle that is more suitable for gravel and rough roads. And snow of course. He says he and his GF have an infant daughter and dont want to have to worry about getting stuck everywhere. He also has given me by this time, much desciption of the ranger. The 1 in my sig. Well he trailers the truck up to where I live and we would trade even up. Well--while at my place he informs me that he lost the door key. Ok-no big deal. Lets me know that this(venom 400) does not function well whenaround 45 and colder. OK. Accordingly the truck has aftermarket Ford computer. Can be switched from 6 to 8 cylinder if I put fuel injected 302 in it.Also said it had K&N filter in it. High beams and brake lights are not functioning due to bad multifunction switch. Ok--I can handle that. --Well,I put about 30 miles on the truck and put it in storage for the winter. I decide to bring it out last week and get the few minor details cleared up on the ranger so I could start driving it. Figure I should start with the air filter. Clean it and it would be set for a while. Guess what---it a FRAM!!! I next change the multifunction and install a new one. Same problem exists. I check fuses and many of them were above correct amperage.Then put the correct fuses in.. I put multimeter on fuse box and have power. Next I pull the headlight bulbs. Both highs are are burnt out. Crap. Now I gotta buy new bulbs. Then I check brake bulbs and they are good. Ok I then check the swich behind brake pedal. One of the wires was cut off at the plug. And some insulation about an inch in length was stipped from the wire and there was a open wrapped wire wrapped on it to connect some other form of brake light I imagine. So I fix that. All I was supose to have to change was the multifunction switch. Damn lier!!! I procede to locate Venom 400. Its not there. And the wires coming from the secondary toggle switch to turn this thing on went nowhere!!! Horseshit!!! I decide to locate this jackass. I find my old truck on Craigslist not far from where this guy was from!! Do you think Theft by Fraud is correct? I am feeling a bit hostile and his town is only a few hours drive. Anybody think I have any legal rights here or will I end up taken it where it counts. Opinions are quite welcome. Even the sarcastic ones. I guess I should have had him go into more on the truck but he and his father had to get back.Also not--computer looks to be stock--no pigtailed harness as he told me there was.

 

[kaskirov]

did he say no tradesie backsies?

 

[bigspaceghost]

---

he claims to have dumped ton of money into it--and had to pay his dad to retune it with new carb and bunch of BS. The carb was just reently redone professionaly and wanted money for gas and all kinds of $#it!

 

[v-8power]

Just out of curiosity, why did'nt you check the truck out first? If i was to guess i would say you are screwed as far any legal recourse. Just my .02 though. Sorry about your situation

 

[bigspaceghost]

Also

sickest thing was , was that I was planning on my better half having this truck as a ride. She wants the 4x4 back. http://madison.craigslist.org/car/641098884.html

 

[reno]

Sounds like you got screwed, a midnight trip might be in order

 

[metalmacguyver]

got a key from the old truck.......?

 

[gotmudd]

sorry for the bad luck but as the old adage goes, buyer beware. bet ya check things out a little more careful next time. and as a side note next time when in that situation if they don't want to give you decent amount of time to check things out, tell them to f@#$ off .

 

[Twitch57]

my question is why did you trade a 4x4 for a 2x4?

couldnt hurt to talk to him and ask him wtf

 

[MAKG]

If you paid for equipment he didn't give you, that's fraud and he owes you the value.

You did NOT pay for a pristine truck, so the stupid stuff like burnt out bulbs and so on is not relevant.

Send a POLITE demand letter and take him to small claims court if he shows you the finger. Do your homework, including consulting with a lawyer (ask the court for recommendations for cheap options -- this is often considerably cheaper than you might think). Your former truck is now his, and it would be REALLY STUPID to go to prison for auto theft over this.

 

[85_Ranger4x4]

he claims to have dumped ton of money into it--and had to pay his dad to retune it with new carb and bunch of BS. The carb was just reently redone professionaly and wanted money for gas and all kinds of $#it!

You do know if your truck has a 4.0 that is probably isn't carburated right? And if it is from what I read the Venom 400 (which sounds like a hoax) wouldn't have done a darn thing for you anyway if it is carburated.

http://www.importperformance.com/venom/400.html

I would also investigate if it really has a T-5 and a Mustang 8.8 (4 lug nuts should be a dead giveaway that the 8.8 is)

Modified vehicles can be a whole can of worms, personally I think if you want one it is better to do it yourself. At least then you know who to blame when it doesn't work.

 

[MAKG]

You do know if your truck has a 4.0 that is probably isn't carburated right? And if it is from what I read the Venom 400 (which sounds like a hoax) wouldn't have done a darn thing for you anyway if it is carburated.

http://www.importperformance.com/venom/400.html

I would also investigate if it really has a T-5 and a Mustang 8.8 (4 lug nuts should be a dead giveaway that the 8.8 is)

Modified vehicles can be a whole can of worms, personally I think if you want one it is better to do it yourself. At least then you know who to blame when it doesn't work.

VERY true. And lying to a control system (which is what this thing does) is almost uniformly a bad thing to do. It PREVENTS the PCM from doing its job as designed.

A modified vehicle is very often worth LESS than blue book, as most modifications done by an amateur are not improvements and have to be undone.

How much money he has spent is irrelevant; I hope you didn't let that influence the price. He could have spent thousands of dollars on gold plated horse manure.

The venom thing doesn't sound to me like a hoax, but it does sound like a stupid idea. Kinda like those E-bay resistors. They do what they say they do -- make a richer mixture -- but that's not a good thing to do. Now, 25% in torque -- that's BS.

 

[bigspaceghost]

the truck

The motor in it is factory fuel injected 4.0. The 8.8 he claimed is from an 89 mustangGT. 31 spline Strange axles. Yes it does have 5 lugs. It is also supose to have a ls in it. I will be pulling diff cover to see this weekend. Other than the usual sticker on the end of the axle, will axle shaft state manufactures name? I am not to worried about the bulb issue--just irritated because it was not what he stated. I am new to the whole 4.0 scene and was taken for a ride with the usage of knowledge that I was not familiar with. My bad there. I was completely honest with him about my truck and was hoping he would be of good charactor likewise. As for the whole revenge thought--it will just stay that way. I plan on repucussions from me to him being in a legal matter. And for the 4x4 to 2x4 issue. I would have to say that i have driven and built many 4x4s. I was interested in expanding my horizons a bit elsewhere.I do plan on owning another 4x4 Ranger again someday. And plan on making it better than the last one. The point with the some of the extras is, is that they were supose to be there. Now to find an attorney. Thanks guys for your responses.

 

[85_Ranger4x4]

The motor in it is factory fuel injected 4.0. The 8.8 he claimed is from an 89 mustangGT. 31 spline Strange axles. Yes it does have 5 lugs. It is also supose to have a ls in it. I will be pulling diff cover to see this weekend. Other than the usual sticker on the end of the axle, will axle shaft state manufactures name?

Your 4.0 truck should have the smaller 28 spline 8.8 axle from the factory, if you have 31 splines it is either the modified axle he sold it as, an axle out of an FX4 Ranger or an Explorer. The factory 31 spline shafts/bearings are larger than the 28 spline shafts, but I don't know how the aftermarket shafts would compare to either.

 

[JohnnyO]

If it is actually an 8.8" from a Mustang GT, all Mustang GT's had limited-slip as standard equipment.
Although it seems to me that cutting and welding to adapt a Mustang rear to a Ranger would be a lot more work than fitting a Ranger or Explorer 8.8". Unless you had a Mustang rear just lying around that was essentially free. I've seen people do stranger things I guess.