| Author | Message | ||
| Marcus Mayeux (Mmayeux73)
Member Username: Mmayeux73 Post Number: 421 Registered: 4-2002 |
Very sorry to hear about your car...I can't believe the balls on this guy! I really do hope you get your 328 back, again very sorry! best regards, Marcus | ||
| Ed Christophersen (Dr_c)
New member Username: Dr_c Post Number: 35 Registered: 12-2002 |
Just think, if we had a picture of this jerk, we could be sending it all over the internet now. Hope that your insurance does a decent job of reimbursing you for the loss. We should all make a "note to self" to take photos of anyone who test drives one of our cars -- digital picture of the person standing directly next to the car. If Poloraid, then give them a copy of the picture -- could very well act as a deterent, even to a professional thief. | ||
| Martin - Cavallino Motors (Miami348ts)
Advanced Member Username: Miami348ts Post Number: 4516 Registered: 5-2001 |
top, keep this one alive guys to make sure we all look for this car! | ||
| Craig A (Milo)
New member Username: Milo Post Number: 31 Registered: 4-2003 |
I was up there Monday and Michael was telling me that the guy was incredibly believable. No doubt a professional con artist. | ||
| melo yelo (Meloyelo)
Junior Member Username: Meloyelo Post Number: 72 Registered: 5-2002 |
Any updates on this Steven???? my | ||
| DES (Sickspeed)
Advanced Member Username: Sickspeed Post Number: 3693 Registered: 8-2002 |
Steven, this sucks so much, i'm so sorry to hear this... i really hope things work out; please keep us informed... No chance i'll see him up here, but if i do, i'll certainly kick the crap outta him... Good luck and i'm sorry... | ||
| William Huber (Solipsist)
Member Username: Solipsist Post Number: 873 Registered: 9-2001 |
Your lucky thats all he took, what if you had ridden with him & he pulled a gun on you? It happened to someone I knew in Dallas about 10 years ago in a Rolls Royce. I hate to say this but since your near a port city, the car maybe boxed up & shipped off to another country. Happens all to often in Houston. | ||
| Drstranglove (Drstranglove)
Junior Member Username: Drstranglove Post Number: 128 Registered: 4-2003 |
I was a cop once, and I like the bank thumb print the best. That will/ would POSITIVELY id the slime. Great Idea!!!!! DrS | ||
| Lyndon Saia (Ljsaia)
New member Username: Ljsaia Post Number: 3 Registered: 3-2003 |
There are alot of new tech GPS/cell tracking devices made to track love ones and I'm sure it would work for the bad guys also! If you go to google and search GPS car tracking you will get alot of companies selling this technology. One such company is Signaltrac.com for $750.00 and a monthly service fee you can get online and ping the unit and it will show you on the map where the car is. I, also, saw a company that had battery units that could be moved in and out of car. One company had a unit you could hook to an alarm system and you could actually disable the car from your computer. It could notify you to a PDA or cell phone in cases of the valet situation. Alot of information we probably should all investigate! Inaddition to the digital photo and drivers' licence, how about invisible ink thumb print like the bank's use. Then if he has any prior convictions it will be easy to identify the dirtbag. A low tech, low priced solution that might make them think twice about being caught. Hope this helps and good luck. | ||
| Drstranglove (Drstranglove)
Junior Member Username: Drstranglove Post Number: 123 Registered: 4-2003 |
Steve, I hope you get the scum!!!! This really sucks. DrS | ||
| Craig (Beachbum)
Junior Member Username: Beachbum Post Number: 105 Registered: 9-2002 |
obviously this guy was a profesional, the car is either in pieces by now or its in a shipping container headed for parts unknown, this goes on all the time, costoms and the cops know all about it, but there gov employes and they know there gona get there pay raises and pensions whether they get off there lazy butts and do anything about it or not, its called exceptable loss, even in the off chance they catch the guy he would get a slap on the wrist and be doing the same thing the next day, in cal the average car thief gets caught 6 times befor serving any jail time, thats gets caught 6 times, that means hes acually stolen many more cars | ||
| Craig A (Milo)
New member Username: Milo Post Number: 25 Registered: 4-2003 |
I was telling this story today and got the same question. Did somebody drop the guy off? Did he leave behind a car? Taxi? | ||
| Stephen A. Thompson, II (Sat4re)
New member Username: Sat4re Post Number: 25 Registered: 2-2003 |
Steven, How exactly did this guy show-up to SportAuto? Rental Car? Can't they do a trace on the vehicle he arrived in? Anyway, after speaking with you all last year, I ended up buying a 308. Love it!!! Click on my name to see the car. Good Luck finding the 328. She's a beauty! Stephen | ||
| David S (Djs308)
Junior Member Username: Djs308 Post Number: 143 Registered: 9-2002 |
Steven, So sorry to hear about your car. The creep who did it should be caught and left to stare at the 4 cell walls for a long long time. Anyway, just an idea for next time. If a customer asks for a solo drive, just tell him "fine, just put a $10,000 (or other large sum) deposit on the car and you'll get the keys". Might help but as they say, if a thief wants a car badly enough, he will find a way to get it no matter what countermeasures you deploy. Hope your 328 comes back and intact! | ||
| Randall (Randall)
Member Username: Randall Post Number: 371 Registered: 1-2003 |
I know they sell "bugs" for cars. They're typically used to spy on a spouse, if you do a search you can find them. SpyTech might carry something like it. | ||
| Jon Honeyball (Jhoneyball)
New member Username: Jhoneyball Post Number: 1 Registered: 4-2003 |
It is sad how 9/11 is used as a catch-all for anything. The change to GPS was nothing to do with 9/11 -- it took place on 1st May (I think) by the then-outgoing President Clinton. | ||
| Ernie (Ernie)
Member Username: Ernie Post Number: 635 Registered: 11-2001 |
No Dan. The GPS was made available to the general public a while ago. The only thing that has changed is the distance in which they calculate your location. I think it used to be that they would be accurate within 50 feet. The only ones that had the very accurate reading were the military and law enforcement. But after 9/11 they took that restriction off. | ||
| Dan (Bobafett)
Member Username: Bobafett Post Number: 473 Registered: 9-2002 |
I completely agree that it's worth a shot - I just wonder if they'd be so willing. --Dan | ||
| stephen r chong (Ethans_dad)
Junior Member Username: Ethans_dad Post Number: 232 Registered: 3-2002 |
Dan, I suspect if your car was stolen and you called 911, they might contact the provider for any assistance possible. Not sure, but I would certainly tell the police of the feature and hope the providers would assist. | ||
| Dan (Bobafett)
Member Username: Bobafett Post Number: 471 Registered: 9-2002 |
Steve, but isn't that GPS functionality solely for emergency (police, etc.) work. I doubt very much they would want to give you access to that for something like this... --Dan | ||
| stephen r chong (Ethans_dad)
Junior Member Username: Ethans_dad Post Number: 231 Registered: 3-2002 |
Most current generation of cell phones are equipted with GPS tracking; the phones act as transponders. I believe this feature was designed for safety reasons by the service providers. This might be a reason to have a fixed phone in the car. Just a thought. I do recall that Alpine also makes a GPS unit system with auto paging. Just additional services to suscribe too Sorry to hear of your situation. Hope your car is returned safely. | ||
| Ernie (Ernie)
Member Username: Ernie Post Number: 634 Registered: 11-2001 |
Sorry to hear the Steve. That just plain sucks nuts. It is too bad that there are idiots like that in this world. I'm betting that this guy is a pro and has been busted for this type of thing before. Now lets take this lesson and add it to the, lesson learned from valet parking. How many times have you heard of joy rides taken in expensive cars. Now add to that getting your car completely ripped off. You leave your keys with the valet and you don't come back for you car until after a few hours. I don't think so. That car would be soooooo far gone. The only way to get it back would be with a GPS tracking device. As for the GPS tracking. With the technology that we have these days, I'm surprized that someone hasn't come out with a product already. It really is about time for something like this. | ||
| Mario B (Lawwdog)
New member Username: Lawwdog Post Number: 30 Registered: 12-2002 |
Sad Steven...especially since I e-mailed your store for more information regarding that Ferrari on Wednesday. I was considering it along with 3 other F-Cars. Mario P.S. I never got a response to my e-mail..maybe because you guys thought you had someone on the car. : ( | ||
| David C. (Worth_it)
Junior Member Username: Worth_it Post Number: 104 Registered: 10-2002 |
Guys, The Company I work for is a manufacturer of Closed Circuit TV equipment (CCTV) - Todays equipment is all digital and stores on hard drives for immediate review or e-mail. Even allows for remote access over the web. Many car dealers are using this equipment - not usually for test drive information more for documenting sales in the Finance and Insurance guys office and overall security. I have friends that make / sell the tracking devices - Not LOJACK - but units that plot vehicles movements through cell phone transmission or physical attachment. Trucking companies use it to track the drivers. This is how the covered transport operators can give you up to the second locations of your cars. I am not trying to solicit business I am just letting you know that this equipment is readily available. By the way, beware of cheap internet / consumer type products for these things. The X-10 cameras have their place but don't expect to much. Industrial products that you depend on for 24 / 7 operation are "much" different. I will check on the tracking stuff and post a web site or dealer who can sell this. Remember if using the cell phone transmission on tracking, it must have an antena installed. Small or otherwise. ( Overall they are quick and simple to install) I know all the great guys at Sport Auto and I am glad it was just a material loss and not worse. | ||
| Mark (Study)
Member Username: Study Post Number: 458 Registered: 10-2001 |
Who knows of a GPS gadget that I could leave in my car, for quick tracking if it ever goes missing? Anyone know a web site or product? I'd like to cut out the middle man. Lojack is an old idea now. At the last electronics show I saw a wrist watch that you give to your young kids and has a GPS chip inside it. You can track your child on your home computer. Must be something like that, now on the market, that we could throw in our cars. | ||
| Andy Falsetta (Tuttebenne)
Junior Member Username: Tuttebenne Post Number: 96 Registered: 3-2003 |
That's really a sad story. I hope somehow the car can be located and the bastard, locked up. Now that the "horse is out of the barn", I have a suggestion in hind sight. I know its common practice to make a photocopy of the license of the person who will be road testing a car being sold. But how about a digital picture? Its easy, quick and shows the individual the way they looked on the day they stole the car. Plus, if they knew you HAD that picture, they might get a second thought about stealing it. A smart sales person could craft a good "talk track" that doesn't put off the honest person when they ask to take the picture. Something like "This is the first time to take a shot of you and your "new car", just stand over here..." I think an honest person would understand why its being done. Again, I hope the authorities can zero in on the thief. | ||
| Branko Medenica (Branko)
New member Username: Branko Post Number: 41 Registered: 3-2003 |
Hindsight is always 20/20, but the Polaroid and the GPS sound like good ideas. | ||
| Gabe V (Racerxgto)
New member Username: Racerxgto Post Number: 29 Registered: 4-2003 |
Suggestion to prevent future instances by utilizing technology. GPS or Lojack locator systems installed in the car that are hidden and can readily be removed after the sale. If it turns up missing, send 'Guido' and his buddies to go get the car back. With any luck, they may find a cache of other victims. | ||
| Dan (Bobafett)
Member Username: Bobafett Post Number: 467 Registered: 9-2002 |
Dave is right - glad to hear you're ok. It seems like you're being quite rational about the whole thing - this is absolutely horrendous! I've never even heard of someone just taking the car... how did he show up? In another stolen vehicle? --Dan | ||
| Dave (Maranelloman)
Intermediate Member Username: Maranelloman Post Number: 1295 Registered: 1-2002 |
Damn, Steve, I am sorry to read your post. Thankfully, you were not hurt, as there are numerous stories of car sales people being jacked at gunpoint by their demo riders... Good luck!!!  | ||
| Tom Reynolds (Kjtar)
New member Username: Kjtar Post Number: 2 Registered: 1-2002 |
Steve, I'll put a notice on my cars for sale site. Also including the picture URL. A suggestion - from now on, what I'd do is to pose the driver with the car and take a digi or Polaroid along with a copy of the driver's license and a home and work phone number.If the customer can't agree to that, the heck with 'em. Tom Reynolds Hereford, AZ | ||
| Steven Jones (N24re)
New member Username: N24re Post Number: 7 Registered: 4-2002 |
The car was taken at 2pm.....we reported it stolen at 2:30.....but I went out looking for him at 2:15....we just got an uneasy feeling....for good reason now. We did photocopy "a" drivers license....who know's if it is real or not SODACOM....look out over at FCI | ||
| Ben Cannon (Artherd)
Member Username: Artherd Post Number: 280 Registered: 6-2002 |
That's awful. I'm holding out hope that he just got caught up in the car and hasn't come back yet (after all, I laugh like a maniac every time I get into an Fcar, wether I'm driving or not even!) If he did steal it, I hope they catch the scum, and your car comes back with only a few miles on the odo. Best! Ben. | ||
| TomD (Tifosi)
Advanced Member Username: Tifosi Post Number: 3416 Registered: 9-2001 |
sounds like a scammer - plus if he does get stopped he just says you let him take it. | ||
| Chris Bailey (Ferrarilover)
New member Username: Ferrarilover Post Number: 1 Registered: 1-2003 |
Do you take a photocopy of drivers licences prior to a test drive? We do at our store before someone can get behind the wheel. Chris | ||
| Dave (Parts_man_soda)
Junior Member Username: Parts_man_soda Post Number: 146 Registered: 8-2002 |
God That Sucks ! I live in Greensboro and will definatly be on the look out. | ||
| James Adams (Madmaxx)
Junior Member Username: Madmaxx Post Number: 79 Registered: 11-2002 |
How long was it until it was reported stolen? I'll let our HP's know here in SC to be looking for any F-cars. HP's in my family and friends as well. James | ||
| rich (Dino2400)
Junior Member Username: Dino2400 Post Number: 189 Registered: 10-2001 |
Wow. That's terrible. I hope you have his face on the security camera. People don't usually pull this sort thing off as their first crime. He may be known to the authorities. | ||
| James Glickenhaus (Napolis)
Intermediate Member Username: Napolis Post Number: 1092 Registered: 10-2002 |
Unreal. I'll keep an eye out. Good luck! Jim | ||
| Tyler (Bahiaau)
Member Username: Bahiaau Post Number: 695 Registered: 12-2001 |
Steven, that is horrible. Sorry to hear that. Hope you can recover it. | ||
| Steven Jones (N24re)
New member Username: N24re Post Number: 6 Registered: 4-2002 |
Well here is what happened: I guy came by to test drive the car at my dealership. He had been in several times and had proclaimed to be a doctor from Myrtle Beach SC. We always check out folks before we let them drive our cars and this guys story checked out as far as we knew. We went for a drive with him then we returned to the store. He said he wanted to just take it for a quick spin down the road by himself to see what it was like without anyone " breathing over his shoulder" We are userd to these kinds of requests and have NEVER ha d a problem till now .......now my car is gone of into the sunset with some A$$ laughing at me. I have insurrance, but I still feel VERY violated! here is a link to photos http://www.sportauto.cc/C012Kfer89red/index.htm     Thanks again guys Steve | ||
| Mike B (Srt_mike)
Junior Member Username: Srt_mike Post Number: 149 Registered: 12-2002 |
Steven, I am sorry to hear about this. Please post AS MANY details as possible! Post the circumstances of what happened, any identifying things about the car, etc, etc. This may help someone notice your car or the guy driving. Keep an eye out for parts on eBay! There are not so many of these cars out there so if he tried to sell it, it will likely be obvious, but most times rare cars get parted out. Keep your eyes on eBay, this site, and ask around at the Ferrari used parts sellers if anyone approaches them about a bunch of 328 GTS parts. | ||
| Mario B (Lawwdog)
New member Username: Lawwdog Post Number: 29 Registered: 12-2002 |
Steven, WHAT HAPPENED? | ||
| Amir H. (355spiderman)
Junior Member Username: 355spiderman Post Number: 94 Registered: 5-2002 |
Sorry to hear Steven, I live in Durham and will be on the lookout for an 328. | ||
| Vincent (Vincent348)
Junior Member Username: Vincent348 Post Number: 102 Registered: 4-2003 |
Whoah, that sucks!!!  How did it happen? | ||
| Steven Jones (N24re)
New member Username: N24re Post Number: 5 Registered: 4-2002 |
Hey Gang! Please be on the look out for an 89 328 GTS VIN ZFFXA20A6K0080120It's an 89 GTS with 35k miles on her now. It was stolen by a mid 40's white guy posing as a doctor. Please let me know if have any advise and if you see my car! It was taken from me today 4/26/03 in Greensboro NC! Thanks Steve I can be reached at 336 931 7037 |