Antique car missing for 2 years after woman brings it to shop for repairs

[@studlord9970]

The fact that it was painted is a pretty good indicator that SOMEONE was trying to steal that car.

[@illiniwood]

@@only1muppet It's not worth wasting the cost of paint either. So why paint it then?

[@FMFGUF]

@@illiniwood It didn't look any different to me from the original photos.

[@tundrav8georgia]

It’s not worth much and that paint job was horrible

[@Willie_dubz]

​@@only1muppet worth about $10,000 +

[@JonnyHolms]

Bingo

[@olikat8]

Although the car isn't worth $5K on the market, the value of it emotionally is much higher. They straight robbed her-

[@joebaker7573]

Facts smh

[@trainwreck420ish]

That's a badass car tbh. Amg made them sick ( sorry for the simple 🧠👱, not this one. I'm not saying that this exact car is an AMG. Dear God, I didn't think I'd have to add that. But, guess there are some really dumb bored people who have to read into everything 🙄. Get a job!!!

[@jmc2204]

The tow company was doing what they do best, blackmail the woman! Pay $5k or you loose your car even though it was towed there without her consent

[@derangedhermit2879]

Wow, De-Javu!…A close friend, who I’m now sending this very video to, has a similar but cleaner black 1993 190e “baby hammer” Mercedes Benz with a 4 cylinder, that’s been sitting stalled out on the back burner, which she’s similarly very sentimental towards. Over the years, they’ve had to put overly expensive compatible Ferrari parts on it, and rig it all up, just to keep it on the road, these 1990’s German engineered foreign cars do hit their severe end limits. & Regardless of Covid, they are notoriously super extra impossible to find any parts for. No regional mechanics within 100’s of miles of Chicago even wants to look at, much less work on my friends car, because their ego’s don’t want to ever admit, that they couldn’t begin to know how to work on it in 2024. There is virtually nothing to be found on any online forums about it at all, it’s to where it would need something like a complete radical Honda 2JZ driveline swap, to ever get back on the road. Unfortunately, I would imagine that this lady from this video’s 190e, has been sitting hidden off in the tall weeds, in an overgrown back field for over 2 years, is a whole lot even more of a dead end lost cause relic, from a specific bygone era. Only if she inherited a rare AMG 190e Hammer version with the 6.0 liter V-12 engine, it would be a million dollar car worth any of the extremely expensive hassles of attempting to save. What ever happens legally, with her stumped mechanic, put a fork in it, this ladies 4 cylinder 190e, is in way over its head, only headed for the end of the road in a junk yard, so rather ironically, it actually needed to be put out to pasture, & just left to rot just where it currently sits!…🫤

[@derangedhermit2879]

Wow, De-Javu! A friend, that I’m now sending this very video to, has a way cleaner similar black 1993 190e “baby hammer” Mercedes Benz with a 4 cylinder, that’s been stalled out on the back burner, which she’s also very sentimental towards. They had to put overly expensive compatible Ferrari parts on it, & rig it up all crazy, years back just to keep it going on the road, these 1990’s German engineered foreign cars will hit their severe end limits. Long before Covid, they were notoriously super extra impossible to find any parts for. No regional mechanics within 100’s of miles of Chicago even wants to look at, much less work on my friends car, no one wants to even admit how they don’t know how to work on it in anymore in 2024. There is virtually nothing to be found on any online forums about it at all, to where it would need something like a radical Honda 2JZ complete driveline swap, to ever get back on the road. Unfortunately, the lady from this video’s 190e has been sitting hidden off in the tall weeds, in an overgrown back field for over 2 years, is a whole lot even more of a dead end lost cause relic, from a specific bygone era. Only if she inherited a rare AMG 190e Hammer version with the 6.0 liter V-12 engine, it would be a million dollar car, worthy of the extremely expensive hassles of attempting to save. What ever happens legally, with her stumped shady mechanics, just put a fork in it, this ladies 4 cylinder 190e, is only headed for the end of the road in a junk yard, so rather ironically, it actually needed to be put out to pasture, & left to rot just where it currently sits!…🫤

[@meltymcmelt]

Sometimes you gotta make some noise for people to take you seriously. So glad she was able to get her dad’s car back. Priceless.

[@loufresno5958]

For real .

[@debracramer1251]

She should not have to pay to get her car out because it's a criminal case.

[@leevillagomez9390]

@@debracramer1251apparently she didn’t pay. Not after calling the cops who then notified the business that they were coming to conduct an investigation. That’s when they just brought out the vehicle and took it to her residence without charges. 😊. Good for her. 🙏

[@miaporche2256]

❤

[@kimcheeeepo]

This guy needs to be shamed he’s no better than a thief. His problems become your problems.

[@tessietesoro7407]

Better post his business on social media as a deterrent for future customers not to take their cars to his business

[@armyfreak1367]

Why bring it to a wrecker I agree but It is absolutely her damn fault she never transfered the car into her name i bet she didnt want the car then she changed her mind then got it fixed never transferring ownership like bro they were sending letters for months her fault

[@armyfreak1367]

​@tessietesoro7407 it was closed down when they made this video..... what did you watch

[@johnnywright5236]

Hey he b black like kamala og from d hood woop woop

[@Mimi-zg2bh]

I miss my mechanic. I unintentionally moved in down the street from his business. The first time we met were under unfortunate circumstances, and my car needed a major repair. He not only returned my vehicle in record time with positive assurances regarding its care, but he charged me way less than what was originally thought. No one had bad words about his business ever. When my brother died, I had an issue with my car. He offered his vehicle so I could continue with my family while he repaired the car.🎉🎉🎉🎉 Randy was the best!

[@luannestrickland4199]

Sounded like you had a good dependable and honest mechanic.

[@bbrcummins1984]

I was in the auto repair business for 25 years, not once did i ever ask for money up front.

[@HunterShows]

I've never heard of that, and unless it was some special work like paint or whatever, I wouldn't consider paying first. Lots of mechanics in the world.

[@MDAdams72668]

when I had a shop up north I had to get 1/2 upfront because we couldn't mechanics lein the car if the owner did not pay

[@johnl9977]

You know, I can relate to that and people need to take that advice. The only time I was ever ripped off is when a machine shop wanted a deposit on a very rare Corvette block I dropped off. He shortly after that declared bankruptcy, and I was in a real pickle because the block was irreplaceable, you know how that is with old Corvettes. Anyway, I got the police involved, and I did get my block back, not the $1200 though. This was about 25 years ago. Yeah, take that to heart, a deposit means the shop is bad enough that it is broke, barely able to stay open.

[@MDAdams72668]

@@johnl9977 Or they have had "customers" not pay for work. In my case, 50% didn't cover my expenses BUT was far better than nothing. If I could have kept the vehicle and/or filed a mechanics lien I wouldn't have required the 50% down

[@SammyKurts-ku2ht]

I been turning wrenches for 20 years ! Never do we ask for a deposit upfront !!

[@BenCarling-z9l]

This lady is wayyyy more calm than I would ever be - holy crap

[@ScreamingEagleFTW]

slow and steady wins the race.

[@osco4311]

I guess she's had 2 years to calm down

[@dapperdingo]

@@osco4311 lol

[@Vibez-o5k]

Poor woman. She seems so sweet!

[@davidb4090]

Yeah, I hate to say it but she’ll probably never see a dime of that money. She’s lucky she even got the car back honestly.

[@frankwhitson2191]

​@@davidb4090: I was hoping someone else would jump at the opportunity to fix the car at cost or a little bit of profit !!!

[@davidb4090]

@@frankwhitson2191 my wife’s uncle in-law did a bunch of similar stuff when he was running his own “garage”. He ripped off a bunch of people doing the same crap. Put it this way, he’d let the air out of your tires right in front of you then claim you had air leaking from your tires 🙄. He even scrapped a couple of the customers’ cars and claimed they were stolen or some other BS. He took down payments and even talked a few people into paying him up front then kept trying to milk the customers for more money. Claiming he needed more parts etc,etc. I had bought a van to use as a work truck but it needed a motor. So not knowing any better I got him to get me a motor for it and I did all of the labor (swapping out the motors). The jack @$$ still tried to charge me for labor as though he did the swap out himself 🙄, like I wouldn’t notice the major difference in the price. Then to top it all off the motor was complete garbage. Calling it junk is an insult to junk everywhere. Don’t get me wrong I knew I was paying for a used motor, and you always take that risk from a junk yard. The problem is I paid for a motor straight out of a junkyard vehicle. He took the money for the junkyard motor and bought me a core return. Which is a blown motor that was used for a core charge when someone bought a decent motor from the junkyard. I guess he thought I was too stupid to figure it out, but the damn thing blew up on the test drive through my neighborhood. When I was pulling the motor to see what happened I found the core return marks the he had covered up when I was doing the installation. Then he tries to charge me for another motor 🤦‍♂️ claiming that junkyard motors sometimes are bad and tries to charge me for my own labor 😂. I made him go out of his own pocket to buy the motor he was originally supposed to buy for me and he whined the entire time. 🤣. Oh well. I eventually got my van running no thanks to Mr. Sketchy Mechanic man. This one’s for you buddy 🖕. But karma caught up with him eventually and he’s currently sitting in jail and will be for quite a few years. Bye bye jack ass. Enjoy your vacation.

[@davidb4090]

@@frankwhitson2191 But that would be awesome if someone could or would step up like that and help though. I hope someone helps her out.

[@nancymcmonarch]

@@davidb4090 She can take him to small claims court; if he still refuses to pay, she can put a lien on his house.

[@marn6923]

Kudos to that media outlet for their publicity and assistance.

[@caroltoynbee3122]

Thank you for helping this woman. I know how she feels.

[@akshonclip]

The fact a 190E is considered a classic car makes me feel old

[@Mr.Hooter702]

A 99 civic is also a classic. LOL

[@akeemharris9872]

I was like wow it’s Vintage now….

[@oftin_wong]

It's considered a throw away model of car nothing special Yet it's diabolical

[@RobertJarecki]

My older vehicle makes me feel young because it's 3 years older than me: 1949 Packard Standard Eight Touring Sedan. *Packard: **_Ask The Man Who Owns One_*

[@oftin_wong]

@@RobertJarecki nice

[@MelloBanks-fu5tj]

The owner of the new shop gave her a car back cuz she was there with the police they didn't want the police to get the snooping in their business

[@gregb6469]

I would wonder about some of the other cars in that lot.

[@XeonProductions]

It was the owner of the towing company.

[@danrhinehart1134]

Good point. Also, I suspect she could easily point to the fact that she didn't authorize it to be moved there. I had a friend that was a criminal defense attorney. He said he didn't know a thing about other law such as labor or property, etc. He would sometimes help out a friend who was obviously being jerked around by crooked business by sending a letter of inquiry to said business. He said you wouldn't believe how fast said business.(who knew they were in the wrong) would get nice and cooperative when they got a letter from an attorneys office. I suspect in this case the storage facility didn't want to get into a bad situation where they were sitting on a car that the owner did not authorize to be brought there. Also, I suspect that they may have been chosen as a depository for said car for less than ethical business practices on their part. They sure gave the car back real quickly when the lady showed up with the police .

[@Ekimsrevo]

That or he just felt bad for her

[@cliffords.8341]

​@@XeonProductions They said it was the owner of the lot that came out when the car was being towed away not the owner of the towing company.

[@crazfulla]

So they had the balls to steal her car and then try to charge her for storage? Unbelievable...

[@rhondah1587]

She'd have gotten the car back way sooner had she transferred the car's registration to her name. The storage facility did all they could do to contact the registered owner which was all the information they had or could get on the vehicle. She obviously didn't think about that but that is what caused her not to be able to locate it.

[@MrDannyDetail]

The company who were charging for months of storage is presumably a completely separate business to the garage that she originally took her car to, and I think it just took on whatever cars the first business still had when it went under. If I have understood that correctly then it just makes the second business another victim of the first business' practices.

[@curto201]

Not even the same company, i swear some of you guys just dont think lol. Towing company got called by the scammer to pick up the car, the towing company only had her dad on record, so they sent letters to his address. The towing cmpany shouldnt be out their fees, and this lady shouldnt have to pay them. The scammer should be paying both. This really isnt hard to grasp.

[@redfethers]

it wasn't titled in her name , notices were sent to owner of record. it's her fault for not taking the car back after a month

[@mikeyjames]

I think this was the catch. Charging her up front and then robbing her again with storage fee’s by holding on to the car. There’s more to this story here than what meets the eyes and both companies are likely involve in this scam. There should be a deeper investigation into these people’s businesses.

[@budlove162]

I am so happy to hear that she got the car back. I was in just about the same situation here in Albemarle,NC at Almonds body shop. My car was there for 2 years. Things were broken and taken from my car. The only difference is my car was not missing like hers. Thank God I was able to get it back after 2 years. No one should have to go through this kind of situation at all. Thanks for sharing ❤❤❤❤

[@chadparr1864]

I'm very thankful that she got her car back what a nightmare i couldn't Imagine losing something of my late fathers in that way and some people making it that hard to get back thank you

[@dericksmith2137]

Almost as bad as my buddys story. He had a 69 charger with rusted out floorboards. He left it with a shop in the fall because the shop owner said it’d be cheaper if the shop could work on the car ‘over the winter’ and have it done by spring. In the spring, no car! Huge runaround, phone calls going to the shop, etc. The shop even called the cops on my friend. But… in my car, me and buddy followed the shop owner home. He lived outside the city. Despite that we did ‘trespass’ we found buddy’s car- STRIPPED! We left and called the cops, cops arrived, owner tried to kick everyone off property but the cops went to check the car where we told them it was. Huge benefit was that they hadn’t even removed buddy’s license plates from the car! Turns out, the shop owner has a son with the same car. They stripped my friends car for parts to redo the sons car. My buddy got his car back (basically a worthless shell). Went to court and got judgement in his favour (in excess of $10k). And hasn’t received 1 penny of the court ordered judgement! That was like 6 years ago, still not 1 penny paid towards the court judgement since the shop owner (with judgement against him), has since Died! The thing is, buddy’s car was beat up, rusty etc. , but it was all factory original parts, not repops. We think that’s why they stripped it to restore the owners sons car with factory original parts for higher value.

[@gregb6469]

Judge should have awarded your friend the son's car.

[@mikenewell5683]

Been nice if judge awarded him the other car

[@andrehinds4804]

The .. frame has vins numbers too

[@druu988]

Moral of the story is never played with matches

[@MessyPointedBlob]

>My buddy got his car back (basically a worthless shell). Went to court and got judgement in his favour (in excess of $10k). And hasn’t received 1 penny of the court ordered judgement! Pro tip, you use the court process to get get wage garnishment or have sheriffs come to seize property that values $10k

[@WilliamL1988]

I'm glad she was able to get the car back and didn't have to pay the storage fees. What a frustrating situation

[@paulmarshall248]

that woman is so right it is about integrity more businesses need to have integrity and honesty..

[@caseywinehouse777]

Shout out to this news station for their investigative work. She probably wouldn’t have gotten the car back without the attention of the media, since everyone was tight-lipped. She was smart bringing the cops with her, too. I hope that 190e is purring beautifully right now, ready for a Sunday drive.

[@JennyMoore-bl4dk]

I'm glad she got her car back without having to pay the storage fees and I hope she recovers the $1,500 she gave that thief.

[@Wooley689]

I am happy for her that she got the car back. She was persistent and had to do all that work herself because the law wouldn't do it, not couldn't but wouldn't. Glad that news station helped her out.

[@sallytucker2845]

Wow. So great to see investigative journalists still out there, working for their viewers. #Justice

[@wlachappelle]

He should be put in jail for 20 years

[@loligagger85]

WHY? This was a communication breakdown, he should be paying her back the deposit and a few bucks for the hassle and an apology and a handshake at the very least. Criminal? no!

[@brian5148]

@@loligagger8599% of mechanics is scam artist.

[@clementthurn1992]

@@loligagger85 What the fuck kind of lala land are you living in ?

[@abandonedcranium6592]

@@brian5148 Show us on this doll where the mechanic touched you...

[@brian5148]

@@abandonedcranium6592 where the money in my wallet used to be. Found another lying mechanic here folks

[@jameswoffinden9215]

That car was priceless to her because it had been her dad’s car. What a wonderful, sweet lady. So sorry not everyone is like her.

[@davidthedeaf]

I gasped when I heard it was taken to the WRECKING service. I was so scared they had smashed it.

[@KittyUZutty]

The dedication is amazing, I know so many people that would just give up, but this lady had the audacity and I love that. Good job to everyone who helped get the car back.

[@Beatlearl]

The moment they ask for money before doing anything is a sign that you better take your car to another business 🤔

[@bobroberts2371]

Well, too many car owners bring a car in very bad condition to a shop, ask for a long list of repairs then skip out on the bill once the car is completed. The shop is left with a car that takes months and $$$$ to get legal possession of the car which is usually more than the car is worth.

[@Skate1968B]

@@bobroberts2371 Thanks for stating that. My mechanic explained how my 24 year old car would need certain repairs to get back up and running. I gave him a 500 dollar deposit. He got the car back up and running for a very modest fee -- less that what i was prepared to pay. Car runs wonderfully and i'm very grateful.

[@wileecoyote5749]

WRONG. To cover parts at least after agreeing to price.

[@josephlalock8378]

it's not uncommon to take a deposit for parts. it helps to keep the customer honest. i've seen cars brought to bodyshops for paint jobs and then abandoned because the customer could not or would not pay when the car was finished. it is a long and expensive process to obtain a title after that happens and then the shop owner has to wait on selling it. something like that can destroy a small mom n pop shop.

[@brian5148]

@@bobroberts2371I’ve never had any mechanic take money before hand. That’s very shady.

[@ronwade2206]

Grand Theft, she did NOT GIVE them that car! Shitty, Lazy Police!

[@BlowmoldGuy123]

It is not theft until she follows certain steps she has to go through before charges can be filed. Similar to not returning a rental car on time. The laws vary from state to state. She has not followed the necessary steps, which would include a written letter demanding return of the car within a specified time frame.

[@adrielburned6924]

​@@BlowmoldGuy123theft is knowingly taking something with the intent to deprive the lawful owner of it's possession or use. Somebody painted it. It's obvious they intended to conceal its "identity" to keep anyone from identifying it. That is theft.

[@newshodgepodge6329]

@@ronwade2206 If you leave something in someone else's care and they exceed their authority, such as if a valet takes your car for a joyride and wrecks or fences it, that is referred to as conversion. It is a slightly different legal standard. Source: Lehto's Law

[@originaldcjensen]

@@BlowmoldGuy123 Theft exists whether or not procedures are followed. When the location, condition, or even possession is obfuscated, it's theft.

[@BlowmoldGuy123]

@@originaldcjensen wrong. She voluntarily gave them the car originally with the condition they fix it with no time limitation.

[@christopher88719]

She would not have gotten her car back if she had not done all that leg work herself. On top of that, she would have likely had a collections company coming after her for the towing and storage.

[@merryhunt9153]

Maybe not. She's not the one who put the car in the lot, and the lot owner probably realized that. Good for him.

[@matthewc3120]

Don't know about Tennessee but in Texas it will eventually get sold by the tow company as abandoned property. I think it takes 3 certified letters over a period of time then it's off to the auction if nobody comes for it.

[@MrYobII]

Well the police are busy getting mexican food and harrassing teenagers

[@HehHeh-wh5jj]

They’re lucky that it was someone like her too, taking the legal route. Not everyone does that some people just end up missing a a become cold cases and their businesses just go down with that ship. :)

[@christinalikoski4937]

Her father definitely kept her busy after he passed away. He must have had a sense of humour 🤭 Good on you ❤ for standing your grounds. Christina 💕 Australia

[@monroetrotter1381]

Sold my 1992 Mercedes Benz 190e a few months ago. Beautiful, practical little head turner. So glad she got it back. Wish I could help her. Thanks for your diligence. 🚙

[@my2cents945]

Big red flag, a deposit before repairs are made? It's theft, plain and simple.

[@komoru]

As someone who has worked on classic cars in a restoration shop, $1500 is not necessarily a big deposit on a large and multi-faceted restoration job which could cost $5000-10,000+, because lots of times working on classic cars there are a lot of expensive and rare parts to purchase, and typically larger and more complex jobs are done through progress payments as various stages of the project are completed, such as in the construction trade. However, she made a HUGE mistake by giving a deposit by check and not using her credit card. HUGE mistake, especially since she had never personally dealt with the business before. If she paid by credit card, at least would've had some recourse if things weren't progressing within 180 days. Most credit cards will allow a chargeback dispute if made within 120-180 days.

[@MrWolfSnack]

and the company was seized a week after she dropped off the car

[@WhiteWolfos]

We charge a deposit for some cars upfront. Just depends on the project. In this case, the guy worked on it but the business closed down and the guy failed to contact the old owners.

[@jarmelo2006]

These people are horrible.

[@paulne1514]

My neighbor let his “friend” borrow his car. His friend disappeared along with his car. 10 years later, about 10 miles from his home, he was setting up a chair to watch his kid play baseball. There in someone’s backyard was his car! He got the car back, but statute of limitations ran out to charge his “friend”.

[@ThePontiac98]

That would've been a civil matter anyway since he gave his friend the keys to the vehicle.

[@HudsonGTV]

​​@@ThePontiac98That is absolutely not true. Giving someone property temporarily and them not returning it is absolutely theft in most states. In states where it is not considered theft, it is usually a separate criminal offense. The problem is most cops are too lazy or are pressured by superiors to not pursue it because they do not generate any revenue pursuing such cases or they are so overwhelmed that a theft is a low priority for them.

[@RossMalagarie]

@@ThePontiac98 no it would have been a criminal matter for manslaughter

[@janina8559]

How was the person registering the car and paying taxes every year fraudulently? They were doing that every year fraudulently so basically stealing it over and over. I would sue in Civil Court for wear and tear damage plus mileage just to punish the theif.

[@rkan2]

​@@ThePontiac98It is called conversion in most places.

[@kelseyphillips8997]

Thank you for helping this woman God bless

[@angecarter9542]

Im so glad she got her Dad's ol' car back❤

[@jebsails2837]

When she turned over the keys in anticipation of services to be performed, a mutual benefit bailment (see state UCC as amended) was created. The shop was now in control of the vehicle and was responsible for repairs and safety of the vehicle. Depending on state law she should not need an attorney to sue his posterior in small claims court. I took a local garage to court when a jack was stolen from my vehicle under their care. They pointed to a non-responsibility sign. I sued under UCC , sans attorney and got payment for the jack and court fees. Narragansett Bay

[@siegessaule]

She would have to pay the storage fees to get the car back and then sue him. The dude will likely declare bankruptcy over that tax lien and she will be SOL. She was an easy mark and got swindled, and then the shop had the car towed by his friend with a storage yard so he could rinse her further. Too bad her daddy didn't teach her any common sense, just left her an old car.

[@UmmYeahOk]

Is that UCC a state only thing, or does it apply to all states? I ask because every single shop I have ever brought a car to will make you signed a form that states that the shop is not responsible for any damage. In other words, if you take your car to a body shop, and the car gets hailed on, they only have to repair the bumper. It’s not their fault that they left your car that you always keep garaged outside during a storm.

[@guest6423]

And yet, the police, not known for treating all people equally, told her that the car could not be considered stolen because she left it in his care. So, a car can't be stolen if I loan it? A car can't be stolen by a valet? Of course it can. Terrible policing, by people who just don't want to do a good job for the people.

[@Reds_Scrapyard]

@@guest6423 in most states that isn't considered theft. it's unauthorized use of a conveyance

[@stuwest3653]

He owes her a $1000 car.

[@ESB82413]

Integrity... Lost word

[@dalegene1729]

Yep My shop was built on interity. Never an unhappy customer. I did get into an argument over a $ 5.00 over charge with an insurance claim form the owners agent,

[@conniesmith5161]

She needs to file a civil suit against the man and she needs to go before Judge Judy

[@arthurneddysmith]

A civil lawsuit is a legal mechanism with legal protections. Judge Judy is a for-profit mediator who requires a contract from both parties. You can't make someone appear before Judge Judy any more than you can make them walk to the nearest river and swim.

[@armchairgeneralissimo]

Suing a liquidated businessman who owes the IRS over $100k isn't going to get her any money.

[@LagarInc]

Excellent work WREG. Keep it up. This is the way

[@jamesmparkerjr2451]

I'm extremely happy to see that she got this special car back and that the salvage yard waived all the accrued fees that truly were not hers. I can only hope now that a reputable business from your area does the right thing and picks up the ball and assists this fine lady in getting her father's legacy back on the road!!!!

[@zachtrail4235]

Hey sweetheart, I’m very happy you got the car back. It meant a lot to you and it was your father’s car. I’m happy you have it back.

[@bad74maverick1]

ABSOLUTELY OUTSTANDING she got her car back without fees! I am going through this right now with my 74 maverick grabber!! I took it to a reputable classic car shop after an engine rebuild and the head gaskets were put on backwards. The builder was dying and put my 302 back together as quick as he could so I didn't have a basket case on my hands. I found the problem straight off after driving it in town, it was fine, on the freeway it would overheat. At the time my 87 mustang and my 1960 Ranchero were apart in the garage and a friend said take it to DART, they'll hook you up. I told them what the problem was (on a 302 head gaskets are easy to tell) and told them take their time. They have a large barn they keep classics in while working on them and a paddock where every day cars are kept. Well after the winter I called and they said there was more wrong than that. Carb was bad (brand new I bought it), needed fan, fan shroud, radiator, lines hoses, T stat, and.......... a heat sink on the T stat housing to help with the overheating. I would call every six months and the car was "all apart right now". After year three I stopped by and they said they had only one tech who knew how to work on classic 302's (you can't make this up, they actually told me that) and after months of wanting to see my car, there it was.......... An Arizona car completely rusted out after sitting outside in Ohio for 3 1/2 years. Quarters and lower doors bubbled and peeled. The factory Maverick sport Grabber gas cap had been replaced with a 4 door gas cap, rear seat was torn and greasy car parts in it. I asked what happened and the owner said "you could have come and got it at any time". I explained that every time I asked it was all apart! I told him I was getting an attorney he said thats fine I have them too. 2 weeks later he told me I could come get the car. he didn't charge me anything and said the spark plugs needed replaced.... The car stalled 6 times to my house to the point I diverted and parked it in dads driveway. Took it to another mechanic and he wrote on the statement the ignition had been, in his opinion, deliberately cut to prevent normal operation. He told me, DART sabotaged this. I got an attorney who has before and after photos (from the day I took it out of storage to take there) and says I have a good case against these hacks for damage done. I guess time will tell.

[@mattfarahsmillionmilelexus]

I'm glad she got the car back. Those models are problematic and expensive to repair, especially the electrical systems. I hope she can find a shop to (actually) do the work, but it's not going to be cheap.

[@Ratguitar58]

Great job helping this nice lady! It’s sad that it took so long and she had to do so much work to get it back! It should Never be so difficult to do the right thing!

[@nathansmith8611]

Glad she stood on principles, crazy what had happened, glad she got her car back.

[@Thomas63r2]

Restoration shops have some of the highest levels of consumer complaints. I’ve gone to more than 1,000 car shows and have owned several antique and collectible cars. At virtually every single show I could find several people with sad stories of like this or even much worse. God bless the tow yard operator for just letting this sweet woman get her car back. Hopefully she can find a more responsible shop. Her story of wanting to fix the car in honor of her father is what makes this car special for her.

[@komoru]

I don't think you should bless the tow truck operator. According to the video the tow yard DID NOT want to give her her car back and insisted she pay $5000 in storage fees. She had to show up with police who coerced the tow yard to release the car to her. Don't think they did this out of the kindness of their heart.

[@juliogonzo2718]

​@komoru if she never registered the car in her name the towing company did due diligence trying to notify the deceased owner and rightfully could have collected a fee for the impound. They either did something wrong in their paperwork or did do it out of kindness. I worked for a towing company who would occasionally do things for free if someone got screwed over to end up needing our services or had a car that was wrongfully impounded by a third party.

[@Thomas63r2]

@@komoru There was no court order to release the car, the police did show up to investigate her complaint - the tow yard probably decided to release her car rather than facing police investigation scrutiny. I'm giving the tow yard the benefit of the doubt that they decided her claims had merit once the police showed up on her behalf.

[@Thomas63r2]

@@juliogonzo2718 It makes sense that they thought the car still belonged to her father and might have initially given her the brush off - but then when she arrived with the police they could see they didn't have all the info. The car was likely towed at the behest of the new property owner who could not have been aware of the details. She knows the car is not valuable, but she wants to honor her father who loved that car.

[@lookatmyhands2465]

Brought my e320 to get fixed. Sat at a shop for two years. I called every now and then and it was "oh we didnt get to it we will next week" eventually i get a call that the car has been done for months and the shop i brought it to had sold and the new owners were calling me.

[@LuckyCharms777]

The shop owners were probably using it as their own car for personal transportation. Did you check the mileage?

[@kevinbarnett7620]

Did u get it back

[@ryanboyle6434]

This would be worth starting a go fund me to get the car fixed up. Those are great vehicles, worthy of preservation and restoration. She seems a worthy owner as well.

[@rosiefelder6542]

I'm happy that she didn't give up thank you for this story

[@autocad3227]

This is a wonderful story with a good ending. Not a perfect ending but I'm so glad she got her car back and I'm so glad you guys really went to bat for her.

[@flipppy83]

they really want someone to pay 5k in "storage fees" for a car they "stored" in a field 🤣🤣

[@Ekimsrevo]

Yes they do that is their business and it is a very high overhead business in most states

[@Anomoomin]

Like evil has ever cared anybody else than their own bellybutton?

[@MrPlannery]

​@@Ekimsrevoyeah it really looked like a bunch of expensive overheads, keeping a car in a massive, overgrown field.

[@Ekimsrevo]

@@MrPlannery for 2 trucks approx 30k ins.40k a year to rent and insure said lot plus maintenance on trks plus a whole bunch of other fees

[@MrPlannery]

@@Ekimsrevo yeah I get what you're saying but 5k to keep a car in an overgrown field seems a little expensive. Some might say extortionate. If the only thing the tow truck did that year was tow that Mercedes, you might have had a point.

[@TwinShards]

$1500 for an ignition problem on a vintage car ?!?!?! I would get this repaired for less than 1/3 of that. Just the price was a scam by itself.

[@ameise1956]

dann kauf mal einen neuen mengenteiler! wenn du ihn überhaupt bekommst!

[@Karina_Engr]

Great work investigators and I wish this woman justice. I’m glad the towing company gave her, her car back without the fees.

[@ElRayDelRio]

Sentimental value is priceless ❤ Thank Gab for her happy ending. I know someone who'd love to help but unfortunately we're all the way across in the southwest

[@patmcbride9853]

Never pay up front. Realistically, how much does it cost a wrecker to keep a car sitting in the weeds like that?

[@johnshumpertjr.2602]

Not much... property taxes and the costs of doing business... utilities, security, a fence... smh.

[@jmc2204]

Blackmailing was the game.

[@HunterShows]

$0.

[@BrandonCiCi]

So happy she got her car back ❤

[@dfg23456ifor]

Gay

[@BrandonCiCi]

@@dfg23456ifor I am, you are correct! Congratulations Mr. Anus, are you ready for your winning prize???

[@jasonrabe1664]

You mean happy?

[@dfg23456ifor]

@@jasonrabe1664 no mean gaaaay

[@douglasher5383]

Honest people just trying to get by and they end up getting screwed ........I am so sorry for this woman just glad she got the car back

[@leechandler3411]

Tell me about it. There is no justice.

[@griffin2263]

Never heard of giving a deposit for car repairs..big red flag 🚩

[@stephaniehampton3525]

Good story....God bless you Sister!!😊😊😊

[@tuterralvester8693]

I'm So Happy 😁 That She Got Her Dad's Car Back ❤💯

[@dancefree5627]

This happened to me at another car shop years ago it was terrible u can't trust most shops in Memphis sorry this happened

[@Woody_Florida]

My tractor has been in the repair shop for 3 years. So yeah, it happens. And the more i think about that fact the more likely i am to "make a big deal" of this situation. Yeah, i think i will be visiting the shop owner very soon. People like this who take advantage of trusting folks like this lady must not be tolorated.

[@Woody_Florida]

@@soundandvision1 he has always had a legit sounding reason. Like he is waiting on the hydraulic cylinders to be rebuilt, waiting on parts to get shipped, restocked, etc. But mostly he complains about not having help, and firing help, and mostly that the guy that disassembled it quit so now he does not know how my tractor is reassembled. But my bx22 Kubota has literally been in Tractor and Equipment repair of Baker, Fl. for 3 years. Since my now deceased father brought it there he and my now retired county school teacher mother have paid about 6k dollars. I just don't know what to do now. I could do what what my gut says and ride up in there being Billy bad ass. Or I could try and get a lawyer who will help and who is also willing to wait for his payment. Idk. What I do know is this repair shop will either deliver the tractor I now own or if not he will definitely lose more than I have.

[@nuclearblackhole]

3 years??

[@Woody_Florida]

The repair shop owner had never lied to me. And he has always had a reasonable excuse, if not a reason. Like the man whe disassembled my tractor was fired do the owner did not know how to reassemble. But f that, I told him years back I would pay for a Kubota shop manual. I have tried to put myself in his shoes and be nice and understanding. But I have absolutely reached my limit, tbh. Last week I went there for a friendly visit, and the owner was not there. But I really really have reached my limit. This bs ends now! I have tried being a good sport, I have tried being reasonable. I have tried being patient. So I will not share online what occurs from here on.

[@pattyhoughtaling6230]

Bless that man for saving her. The world is messed up because they are all entitled and don't have to face accountability. People are busy living through social media and other things instead of really living life. I am a 55 yr old woman and I have stopped a man beating a woman in a parking lot broad daylight while other people were recording it. I have been trained and worked as a correction officer and security officer. I have no problem jumping into the situation even with the broken body that I have now. I raised three sons alone and they don't behave that way. Accountability is an important thing people.

[@billpower835]

This is why local news is so important and valuable. Great job WREG.

[@Bigrignohio]

1993 is "antique"?

[@none20250]

It's a 190e it's basically Benz equivalent of a BMW M3 of the time

[@bobroberts2371]

It is a 1983

[@davidgriffin4401]

It was her Pops pride and joy. Means alot to her

[@Bigrignohio]

@@bobroberts2371 OK. I am willing to call 1983 as a classic. Even if I am older than that. Sigh. I guess that makes me a classic as well.

[@blitzroehre1807]

...it looks like the 1983 model. 1993 was the last year that car was built and it had different looking headlights and bumpers.

[@stefensmith9522]

Don't take your car to ANY shop in Memphis 😂

[@kinkle2]

A 1993 190E Mercedes ANTIQUE? What does that make me? I was 44 when that car was brand new! An antique car to me is a 1908 Model T Ford. lol

[@jeffhildreth9244]

By definition, it is not an "antique". It is also a very bad vehicle. Former M-B of No America factory rep/District Manager Western Region. I was there when they were introduced. Junk.

[@jeffbaker5038]

I'm glad she stayed the course and didn't give up, and that she finally got the car back. I truly hope she gets made whole and get her money back with interest.

[@tr1bes]

Thank you D's Wrecker Services for getting her vehicle back without the hassle of paperwork/fee. Sometime heart to heart and empathy helps for fellow human.

[@stevetaxpayer6664]

It wasn't an antique when she dropped it off.

[@themonkeyhand]

and it won't be for another 70 years.

[@blueribb99]

@@themonkeyhand Antique cars are over 45 years old. Check with google

[@TOBYH]

I DOUBT IT WILL EVER BE AN ANTIQUE, WAY TOO MAY OF THEM.

[@thystaff742]

Any vehicle 25 years and older are considered antique. The car was 25 years old in 2018.

[@rafael_lana]

​@@thystaff742 you're telling me a 2000 car will be antique next year? Man I'm getting old 😂

[@Blueden_]

She could of just took it to gateway, firestone, or even the dealership😮‍💨 why go to these shady looking businesses and expect not to get screwed over.🤔

[@AntiZOGZone]

Firestone? Ok for getting Tires. But Don't take a car to Firestone to have it repaired.

[@JimSuperwhite43]

@@AntiZOGZone Likewise with dealerships. They're just as dishonest as chains. Best thing to do is go to local auto parts store and ask about reliable local mechanic. Usually the clerks behind the counters know who works on what.

[@11_CVPI]

They bogus as fuck they stole that car & yea blame everything on covid

[@healing4thysoulministries453]

Thank you for helping this woman and so many others. I glad it ended well...thank you Jesus ❤

[@aprilingram1655]

So happy to know the car was returned. And the promise to her dad can be kept.❤

[@Bill-im6nt]

Hats off to that last place, they returned her car without fees, even though they had nothing to do with the problem!

[@HunterShows]

Yeah amazing of them to return stolen property, not at all a giant legal liability.

[@junebug5.56]

Uhhhh they wanted to charge her 5k in fees... until she brought the police. The whole town is crooked

[@komoru]

It took police intervention to get them to release the car. No hats off to the tow yard. Hats off to the police that helped the lady. Tow yards, for the most part are legalized extortion, and particularly prey on the poor and low income who cannot afford the exhorbitant "hookup" and "storage" fees to get it out of impound.

[@shaunstrasser1]

Only after the police were involved

[@sstjacques]

Excuse me, but the tow yard is at fault also. They could have found the owner and called her up, maybe they tried but not hard enough. Always leave evidence dropping a car off for service that it's yours. A registered car with name and address or title should have been switched to her instead of leaving it in fathers name as an RMV lookup to find the owner is all that is needed. Even leaving a paper in a glove box would help. A car sitting in a field with weeds 2 years is shot and more broken guaranteed.

[@ryanholzinger534]

Just because it's over 25 years old doesn't mean it's an antique car.

[@Xbox-3b0]

Anything over 20 is considered vintage

[@vids5374]

about a month went by and she saw old boy wasn't able to get to her car she should have went ahead and had it towed. Of course hindsight being what it is.

[@7motion985]

Thank you for helping her ❤❤❤❤❤

[@DamfinoMR2]

That's an incredible car Ms. Lofton. It's great that you got it back. Please don't give up on having it restored to drivable condition!

[@WilfredGreen-ov8bh]

oh no,,,im suing the hek out if him

[@brandonevans384]

I salute you

[@10Xj5]

I hate crooked business owners big time

[@geo_eatz4043]

The lady is so well spoken and knows how to defend and stand on business 👌🏾👌🏾👌🏾👌🏾👌🏾

[@oldpostreviver2624]

Thanks channel 3 for keeping us well informed on these news worthy issues.

[@willieverusethis]

Never give a shop ANY money up front. No reputable shop will ask for any amount up front.

[@komoru]

A deposit is very common in restorations and big projects. $1500 is not a huge amount on a potentially $10,000-15,000 project. It's like 10% of the amount. Her mistake was in giving the money via check, not using her credit card. But as someone in the trade, I could tell almost by looking at that shop that when you see more cars parked on the outside in the bushes and not many mechanics working there, then you have potential that they're not good at getting things done.

[@youlikeitiloveit3747]

I knew a guy who had 2 late 80’s diesel Benz. Over 500k miles on each. Only one needed a new transmission.

[@johnball8758]

Benz aren't what they used to be.

[@jeffhildreth9244]

The best years and models were the 79 to 83 240 and the NON turbo 300 especially the wagon. Former M-B of No America Factory Rep/ District Manager Western Region.

[@Handcock1702]

Usual suspects

[@bigdaddymoe1]

Yeah, white people

[@karensback]

Learn what the word usual means just an fyi my tax dollars pays for your education and you can even learn about percentages so you understand that 99.9% of the time *USUAL* *SUSPECT* *IS* *A* *SUSPOOK*

[@gotyoutriggered.8644]

​@karensback None of those tax dollars were wasted on your 3rd grade writing level.

[@Handcock1702]

@@karensback Stop the incest please 😂

[@lindamastropietro4429]

I have the best mechanic in the world. She would never ask me for anything upfront, and I would never trust my antique car with anybody else but her I’m very lucky to find her.

[@uncletoby-]

God Bless her. I’m so glad she got her car back.

[@faithnevaehmartinez4509]

Guess you cant expect great judgment from someone who thinks Antique and Vintage are the same when they are not!

[@matthewsmith5109]

She still wants the 1500 ? Even after it was painted 🎨 let it go 🚶‍♂️

[@markg7030]

Nobody knows what was done to the car. It could have more than $1,500 put into it. The $1,500 check said 1 of 2. It was a deposit. The shop was shady anyway.

[@oftin_wong]

The paint work looks bad on it

[@swampfizz]

the best thing that could happen is someone really reputable and KIND to step forward and help out this lady ..Maybe a good mechanis at least to get it running good,for a really great price..In turn this guy could get a short news story about being a good businessman?

[@josephfitzgeraldnsw5794]

If the owner of that business owns his home, he should lose his home because of his actions he should be in prison for theft.

[@RD-vo5vq]

Yes Ma’am! 💯 Your Dad is so proud of you Ms. Kathy!

[@carlalamar6193]

Very good reporting

[@BradDeis]

Good for her. This is why we need to support local tv stations.

[@DrownSodaMejia]

OMGthis poor woman, thank you to the reporter who helped her, this story is insane …. Someone needs to find that “business owner” and pay him a visit….

[@Tlyna1952]

I was a bit luckier than her. I took my car to a shop in White Lake, Mi many years ago that had been quite reputable. What I didn't know was that the owner had died and his sons had taken it over and weren't so hot. the repair needed wasn't that major but I kept getting excuses as for why it wasn't ready yet, that the company hadn't sent the part of whatever. Finally after 3 months I got a notice it was ready. Picked t up and drove a couple miles down the road and the car overheated. There was very little fluid in the radiator. Had to get someone to bring me some so I could drive home. I also noticed that over 1500 miles had been put on the odometer since I left it. The next morning when I went to check the car better in the daylight (I'd picked it up just before closing time in the dark and the day before a major holiday. The lock on the hatchback was missing and there was blood on the carpet in the hatch. It scared the hell out of me. It appears they had taken it hunting and left their trophies in the hatch. I had to go to small claims court to get the money back for the poorly done repair and the damage. Even after losing in court they tried to claim they did nothing wrong. I moved out of state but I sincerely hope they are out of business now.

[@natashapeters4323]

Thank you for helping!

[@Raven1180]

Excellent excellent work by the news team. It seems no one has a care in the world about anything except to say its not my problem.