What to do when your friends steal your m3, wreck it and then don't pay?

Happening right now to a friend of mine.

What kind of low life does this?

http://forums.somethingawful.com/sho...readid=1841794

EDIT: Updates on page 3, 5



"Hey man, I took your car last night while you were passed out, we were coming around a corner, the sprinklers were on... It was wet... I wrecked your ride man..."

"Lol, ok man, thats too bad..."

"No really, Im being 100% serious right now..."

....

This is the first conversation I had this morning. Fun. The guy who took my car sideways is a friend of a friend. We were all down in Orlando last night for a weekend off. My "real friend" decided that it was a good idea to take the key from out of my pants pockets, that I was still wearing when I passed out, give it to this dude, and drive it like they stole it, literally. They were just going up to the store to get some stuff. Oh and did I mention, the girl that was with them had her car there, they could have easily just taken her car (she rode with them in my car instead).

Apparently, they were coming around a corner, he was in first, and he gave it to much throttle. They took it sideways and then spun it 180 style right into a curb and got up ONTO the curb. In my slammed M3. Yes, a slammed M3, with 3 people in it, on a curb. These guys see how I drive my car, and think its easy to drive. This guys driving experience includes his "suped" up civic. This was to much machine for him.

After my obligatory verbal ass raping of these two idiots, phone calls were made, police reports were filed, and about 2 hours later, my car is on a tow truck on its way back up to Jax.

These guys know how much I LOVE my car. It's "my baby". I was just telling them about the CSL trunk I ordered, the rims Im looking at getting, etc... I think this type of dis-respect is beyond forgivable. I don't know how they have the nerve to do something like this.

From what I could see, damage includes:

-bent control arm
-driver side rear shock destroyed
-driver side rear quarter panel needs to be replaced
-rear bumper needs to be replaced
-front bumper is in decent shape, but might need to be replaced
-driver side side skirt needs to be replaced
-both driver side rims need to be replaced

I couldnt get a good look at the front driver side shock assembly, and some other key areas, but most likely theres more damage hidden in there.

My baby's hurt.

http://www.thevirtualvoid.com/m3_wreck/DSC00410.JPG
http://www.thevirtualvoid.com/m3_wreck/DSC00411.JPG
http://www.thevirtualvoid.com/m3_wreck/DSC00412.JPG
http://www.thevirtualvoid.com/m3_wreck/Dsc00413e.jpg
http://www.thevirtualvoid.com/m3_wreck/DSC00414.JPG
http://www.thevirtualvoid.com/m3_wreck/Dsc00415e.jpg

UPDATE:

Ok, my head is spinning, and Im sick to my stomach. Im at a loss of words. Since this happened, I have received nothing but bad news. So here's the latest:

If you read my previous update, youd know that the attorney I decided to hire coincidentally knows the family of the kid who wrecked my car. So therefore he will not be taking my case. However, he said he would call them and advise them to not **** around, pay the damages, and get on with it. The attorney called me earlier after having spoke with them and basically he told me that the family hinted at the following:

1. They are going to completely deny taking my car without my permission. They will outright lie, and say I gave them my permission. There is no police report stating it was taken w/o my permission because the cop did not give me that option. I insisted multiple time that he write this in his report, but he refused.

So, in their minds, this is now a civil case. Therefore:

2. "Sure, go after our 21 y/o son with little to no monthly income and no assests. Get a judgement against him, great, to bad your not getting a ****ing penny" is basically what they told the attorney.


In regards to 1, I have the officer who witnessed both guys admitting taking my car w/o my persmission. I am going to call him tomorrow, and see what he has to say. I also have a 3rd mutual friend (who is actually a good friend) who did not witness the wreck or the police statement, but did witness both of the guilty parties admitting to him that they took my car without my permission. This guy will most likely come through for me, not 100% sure on that yet.

In regards to 2, I dont know what to say. Great I can garnish his wages. Ill recoupe my loss in what, 10 years? lol.

So now, I have 3 options, and I have to pick 2 of them: claim it on my insurance, sue them, or pay for it out of pocket.

So I can either claim it on my insurance, then sue him. Or I can pay for it out of pocket, then sue him. If I JUST sue him, my car is not going to be fixed for a VERY LONG TIME. I have to either pay for it out of pocket or claim it THEN sue him. Either way, this will cost me money. Assuming I can successfully press criminal charges, that may speed things up a little, but who knows.

Im so ****in pissed right now, I dont know what to do.


Also, I received one estimate for body repair ONLY (minus the wheels and tires). No structural repairs (suspension, etc...). That estimate totaled $3,563.30. I can easily see another $5,000.00 estimate to cover the rest of the items (2 rims and 4 tires alone is ~$3,000.00).

Originally Posted by slambot

Happening right now to a friend of mine.

What kind of low life does this?

http://forums.somethingawful.com/sho...readid=1841794

Chick....Chick... (shotgun sound)

That's what insurance is for.

If he is going to be a deadbeat - then you don't have many choices other than using your insurance company's Uninsured Driver policy for your claim. I take it that he lacks insurance?

I think I would kill...

File an insurance claim, give the company the pertinent details. They will be happy to hound his a$$ for years for payback.

Back in 88 or so some clown in a Rabbit GTI rear ended me (his brakes failed.) He didn't have insurance, and tried the same thing. I filed a claim with State Farm, got my Mustang fixed, and forgot about it. Fast forward to 1992, by which time I had moved to Texas, and I got a settlement check from the Farm for $500. I had no idea what it was for...and had to call them up for a reminder.

Alternatively, just to fock this guy up, I would sue...just to be a thorn in his side for years to come.

*EDIT*

AND TELL THIS GUY TO FIND A NEW GROUP OF FRIENDS FFS

Originally Posted by AJAX

I think I would kill...

AND TELL THIS GUY TO FIND A NEW GROUP OF FRIENDS FFS

+1

Being that the kid is 21 a judgement CAN cause him some problems when he decides he wants to buy a home, the judgement would have to be settled first and surely he doesn't plan on never owning property

Originally Posted by AJAX

AND TELL THIS GUY TO FIND A NEW GROUP OF FRIENDS FFS

But start dating that one chick in the first picture(http://www.thevirtualvoid.com/m3_wreck/DSC00410.JPG)...seriously though, I would be so pissed. Claim it on the insurance then sue because you can use that extra cash to buy the things you wanted to do to your ///M3 while your sueing him.

Call his bluff and sue him. You have 3 people, including a cop, who witnessed them admitting that they borrowed your ride w/o your permission and wrecked it. Who do they have that will testify that you specifically gave permission to the person who wrecked your car? BTW, start taping conversations.

File a claim with your insurance company and give them all of the person's information, including his driver's license number and insurance policy number. Your insurance company will go after his insurance company for the money.

-Scott

Hey, by chance, did the repair shop give you an estimate of how long it would take to order parts and repair your M3? I figure if they have to order parts from Germany, that wait is going to suck.

I'm not sure what's worse, trying to get the money back or not having your ride for weeks on end.

If one of my "friends friends" did this to my car............ I probably react violently. The picture of the rear of the car would send me over the edge. Your friend is definitely a calmer person than myself.

The guy is obviously NOT your friend, you should dis-own him...what a F#@$ bitch..but lesson learned, I never let a friend drive my ride......and he or she should NEVER ask.

Here's my take.

1. Suck it up and get your car repaired under an insurance claim.

2. Start legal processes to recover your loss in time, insurance deductible and rate increases in your insurance. Never give up on this ... make his (and his families) life miserable with continual trips to court. Make them pay out their a$$ in attorney's fee's. Don't let him get away with this.

3. Think of other things you can do to make his life miserable. I would put the fear of God into this guy until he conceeds and convinces his family to write you a check to get you off his back. Think about it, you can do many things that are perfectly legal that will make his life miserable ... and many more that border on illegal. Just be careful.

Good luck to you ... but most of all, get your ride fixed!

Can't you press charges for auto theft? Contact your local district attorney.

I feel so angered by this, what kind of friend of yours lets a friend of his/her (that you don't know) drive your baby. I hope the best for your friend, he should get full damages plus more for the mental anguish.

So... does he have a Ride of his own? Do his parents? Can you get to it unseen? Do you know what cheap brake fluid does to a paint job? Can this be gotten away with? How angry are you about this? ;-)

Seriously, if you backup all of your evidence & witnesses w/your insurance company, they should be able to nail him. They have HUGE legal guns, you know!