Dishonest boater

R

Ryan M

Cadet
Joined
Apr 5, 2007
Messages
11
Can anyone offer me advice. I am a student at the Marine Mechanics Institute. I was approached by someone to repair their 1985 8hp Suzuki. Upon inspection I found that it needed to be rebuilt ( new piston, rings, cylinder hone, carb rebuild, water pump replaced). I informed him that I would gladly do it but I told him honestly that it would really not be worth it and that it may be cheaper to replace the motor with a different one. He said he would look for one. A couple of weeks went by and I started leaving him messages, but he never returned my calls. this was 3 months ago and last week I posted it for sale and have since traded the motor for other things. He saw my post to sell the motor and called me demanding the motor back. Has anyone out there, maybe shop owners, been in a similar situation, and what can I do about this?
 
D

dad's boat

Petty Officer 3rd Class
Joined
Jul 8, 2007
Messages
79
Re: Dishonest boater

Ryan
may not have been your best idea, do you have any paper trail of you trying to contact him. My personal reaction is to bad for him should not have been lazy and went and got the motor from you. hopefully he just gives up.
Ryan M said:
Can anyone offer me advice. I am a student at the Marine Mechanics Institute. I was approached by someone to repair their 1985 8hp Suzuki. Upon inspection I found that it needed to be rebuilt ( new piston, rings, cylinder hone, carb rebuild, water pump replaced). I informed him that I would gladly do it but I told him honestly that it would really not be worth it and that it may be cheaper to replace the motor with a different one. He said he would look for one. A couple of weeks went by and I started leaving him messages, but he never returned my calls. this was 3 months ago and last week I posted it for sale and have since traded the motor for other things. He saw my post to sell the motor and called me demanding the motor back. Has anyone out there, maybe shop owners, been in a similar situation, and what can I do about this?
Click to expand...
 
WillyBWright

WillyBWright

Fleet Admiral
Joined
Dec 29, 2003
Messages
8,200
Re: Dishonest boater

I guess it depends how long it sat around. More than a year would be minimum, depending on circumstances.

I have Harley Sprint. I worked at a Harley dealer and there were two that sat there for a few years. I made one out of the two. Former owner of one came by one day and saw MY Harley. Wanted it back. The service manager told him fine, pay the dollar a day storage fee for the last three and a half years and you can have it back. That ended that. ;)

Offer to split what you got for it if you're overly kind. Otherwise tell him that an abandoned unit is an abandoned unit is an abandoned unit. As a student, I'm sure your ability to hang on to such a thing has grave limitations and anyone with sense would be expected to know that.
 
JB

JB

Honorary Moderator Emeritus
Joined
Mar 25, 2001
Messages
45,907
Re: Dishonest boater

I don't think you waited long enough to consider the engine abandoned, Ryan. In most states you have to show (on paper) that you have tried to contact the owner and you have had it at least 90 days. Some states its a year.

You are vulnerable for misappropriation. Do what you have to to satisfy the legal owner.
 
Bigprairie1

Bigprairie1

Commander
Joined
Jun 13, 2007
Messages
2,568
Re: Dishonest boater

........yep, three months is not long enough to wait for a response. There is a certain amount of legal due diligence required on your behalf in not only trying to contact him but also wait for him to contact you....and three months is shy of that by probably 6-9 months.
You should have posted a public message in the local paper stating that he needs to contact you or his property will be sold.
Regardless...just give it back it to him, no hard feelings.
 
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