Complaint Review: Northwestern Investments Inc

I agreed to purchase a 1973 Winnebago brave from Torrence Harriel of Northwestern Investments INC. on September 25th 2010 for $2100.  I gave him $100 to hold it for me and agreed to complete the deal in a week.  The RV was used and I understood there may be issues with it here and there but the RV started up and ran so I assumed it could be driven home.

On Friday October 1, 2010 I arrived to pick up the RV at his residence and he had the paperwork ready etc.  When he went to start the RV it would not start.  He tried and tried.  We assumed that the RV may have been flooded so agreed to let it set for a while or even overnight even though that meant a separate trip of 50 mile each way. He told me Friday was a good day because he actually needed the money to purchase something on the weekend.  I made a critical mistake of trusting him and filled out the title transfer and bill of sale and actually gave him the $2000 cash with an implied agreement that the RV will start, run and can be driven home on Saturday.  My assumption was that Torrence realized that the RV he showed me ran and started and that the deal was obviously contingent on the RV starting no problem and me at least driving it home without issue for the 50 mile trip.  After that I guess I was on my own if something broke etc.

Torrence informed me that later that evening the RV started just fine and that I could come back Saturday October 2nd to pick it up once again.  When we arrived he again tried starting the RV and same issue, it would not fire up.  Since the RV I agreed to purchased started when he showed it to me, and his craigslist ad stated that it had new parts etc and was a running not a salvage or disabled vehicle this was not an issue I had seen when I looked at it previously and said hey "If it doesn't start here what is going to happen when I am in the boonies camping and it doesn't start?" In my mind starting reliably for an RV is number one issue since RVing involves out into nowhere on a lot of occasions and getting stranded would be big issue.  So I decided that this wasn't as reliable as I was led to believe and asked for my money back.  That is where things turned sour from a nice cordial interaction to hostility and threats.

Torrence quickly told me that "hey you already purchased the vehicle and signed yesterday and gave me the money.  i spent the money and I don't have it and besides this is your vehicle" even though he had never handed me the keys nor had I taken possession or driven one foot.  I got a bit mad as anyone would.  I trusted him when I gave him the money that he would get the RV at least to the point of reliably starting and drivable.  This was not a salvage sale but understood to be a functioning drivable RV.

He then got hostile and said "You don't yell at me in front of my neighbors like that" he then proceeded to go put the keys in the door of RV (RV is on public street) and say "take you vehicle and get out of here.  get off my property or I will have you arrested for trespassing." He even said something about our truck we used to arrive for pickup that it was trespassing as well even though clearly on the public street.  The irony is that is precisely what I wanted to do, take "my" vehicle and leave but IT DOES NOT RUN.

We proceeded to move a few doors down to calm down the situation and he shut his door and went inside. In his mind this deal was done. We contacted the Rosemount police and had them come out to assist us.  The officer told us it was a civil matter and once I signed on Friday in good faith I was stuck. He was very polite and helpful.  I commend the Rosemount police department and the fine officer Randy.  He went and talked to Torrence but of course nothing good came from that exchange.  The now "stranded" RV was mine in his opinion and now "my" problem as well.

Ultimately, my first maiden voyage in my new RV was on the hook of a tow truck to a repair shop to try and figure out why the d**n thing does not even start.  The tow alone is $175 and add on the repair. Obviously, my goal was $2100, a fair price I determined for a reliable vintage RV, but now add $175 tow plus repair and there were other better values for me out there and knowing that in advance would not have purchased the RV from him.

Who would be happy buying a vehicle (not salvage) and not even be able to drive it home when the week before it was "shown" as a running drivable RV?  I could have lived with Torrence getting it to run consistently so I could drive it away not tow it away, refunding some of my money, splitting the tow and repair, or refunding the entire purchase. 

My mistake was trusted this person and company when I really didn't know them.  Fine when things are going his way but don't cross him and his quick fuse to set him off.  Learn from my mistake, he charmed me and lead me into signing the papers on the first day when the RV didn't start.  I trusted him to make things right before delivery and knew he needed the money so followed through on signing prematurely.  He was that trusting in his actions.  I guess nice guys finish last in this world. 

Bottom Line.  I would not ever do business with Northwestern Investments Inc. in Eagan Minnesota or its proprietor Torrence Harriel.  We had an agreement the RV would run and he then turned on me and forced my hand because I had signed a document.  His word could not be trusted.  I guess I saw the real Torrence as he threatened to have me removed for trespassing when clearly this RV did not start and represent what was "shown". 

Secondly and most important.  never, ever take for granted the word of a person you do not know when it comes to a business deal.  Get it all in writing and finally NEVER EVER pay for a vehicle or sign the title transfer until you are 150% certain it is in the condition you expect even if the guy "needs the money today" or promises to have it running and it is "just flooded" etc.  Instead of his fancy bill of sale with "AS IS" at least have the document state that it must start and get me home in 50 miles without breaking down.  The money was the key well as signing.  Once they have both they now control all of the cards even if you are stuck with something that did not represent what was "shown" when I agreed to buy it, even something as fundamental as the vehicle STARTING versus NOT STARTING.

I hope anyone who reads this will take it into consideration if doing business with this outfit and also don't sign or pay unless it is in an acceptable condition when you give the money instead of a promise "it will fire right up tomorrow, I'm sure" B.S.  Thank you for reading my compliant.  It was long because it is exact facts. Remember always "Caveat Emptor" and i hope that no one else gets schooled on life the way Ihad to here.  I now will forever remember this and have to be less trusting of people because of this dealing which is sad.  Thanks Torrence and Northwestern Investments for changing my view of people as suspicious from trusting. 

The funny thing is Torrence spent an hour telling me about his business and how he wants to have low rent housing etc. and to help people.  In my case when things don't go his way the only thing he really is interested in helping is himself.  Don't fall for the rhetoric.