Having a close friend who works in insurance, I knew this was BS the second I read it. I have heard all the stories from my Friend Nate in Seattle. It's insane what people try to pull. Agreed with everyone else, there is no way they would total it for that. So many holes in that story. The thing that got me going "no way" was the price first of all. A savvy buyer can get a F430 with around 30k for $80k or so. The deals are out there. One state specifically I always look at when looking for cars.. Anyway, the other thing that was plain stupid, is his remark that he had a "lot of cars"...and that's why they totaled that one? If you called the insurance company, they came for a reason. Your one Ferrari dodged a bullet that the other cars did not? I don't think so..
Wonder if anyone has passed all this information on to Ebay? Sadly, it seems like "fleabay" does not care much about anything except getting their fees. So many deadbeat bidder's on their site. Had an email conversation a while back, with a person that had sold a car for $200,000 on Ebay, and the bidder did not honor the bid, but the seller told me that Ebay wanted him to pay them(Ebay) $200.00. I suggested, politely, that he should inform Ebay, they need to collect the $200.00 from the deadbeat bidder. Ebay could be a big part of the solution, of banning the deadbeats, instead, they seem to be a huge part of the problem, of allowing more & more deadbeat bidder's to cause a lot of grief (and expense) for the seller's.
Ebay is one of the largest Mafia style run companies I have ever come across. I buy things from time to time I can not get anywhere else (Benelli cafe bike parts etc) but they have horrible service. Last year they took me for $800 when a purchase from me; went south and the buyer returned the item beyond damaged.
More interesting info Ripoff Report | Joe Cipolla Complaint Review Plainfield, Chicago, Illinois: 1021651 http://www.manta.com/c/mxcy6j4/top-wrench-garage/connections/recommendations http://www.chevelles.com/forums/11-bench-racing/187957-joe-cipolla-busted.html
I have been following this thread since I'm looking for a 599, wow what a great site. You guys are are a great group and this is just another thread where the members help and support each other. As a potential buyer.... Thank you all
Actually I didn't! Turns out it's from Rocky 3! http://spinoff.comicbookresources.com/2014/06/11/tv-legends-revealed-did-mr-t-never-say-i-pity-the-fool-on-the-a-team/ https://www.overthinkingit.com/2010/05/04/i-pity-the-fool-origin/
I wonder if this guy would respond if you put a link of this thread in the ask seller a question section on his eBay add!
Maybe the car is actually legit in terms of no water damage - maybe he just scammed the insurance company and is now trying to collect his profit by selling the car. He seems pretty adamant about it PPI'ing OK and I would think a good shop would be able to find evidence of water damage.
So why did he mark it sold here? Nothing adds up here. I don't think it makes sense to say maybe legit. There are a lot of honest people out there, why deal with a crook?
he claimed it was sold here because too many people were asking (legit) questions about his story that eventually wouldn't add up and he wanted the thread to die. Often sellers don't realize just how small the Ferrari community is and there is always someone out there that knows something.
One of the coolest 599s I know went thru Ferrari of San Antonio last summer. OTO spec'd custom color and bespoke interior, 6K miles.. $185K I am STILL kicking myself in the ass for missing that deal! GLWS! This fool is owned.....
My guess is the car had minimal water damage but OP fought with insurance company to total the car and said it was ruined then after getting paid made a deal with insurance company to buy the "totaled" car back from them at a serious discount and then cleaned up the car and lists for sale as a car that just had a few sprinkles on it. Probably not illegal but I think most would consider it shady. An insurer certainly would not be the one to try to bully a customer into saying a car is damaged more than it is just to pay them more money.