Complaint Review: Tim Banks - Fairfield California

At the beginning of this year 2009 i desperately needed a vehicle and i could not afford to spend anything more than 500 dollars on it. I bought a 1990 Jeep Cherokee Laredo from a tow yard in Oakley, CA on the 10th of January and tried to fix it as much as i could.

I was able through my dad's help to replace the rear brakes, which were completely shot, the coolant reservoir, and the left rear tire with a brand new one from Les Schwab. Still the Jeep could not pass smog because of a leak along the fuel line. I was screwed. On top of that i had to scrape 300 more to register the vehicle and get a red tag until April.

On January 27th i decided to try my luck and see if someone mechanically inclined would have wanted to make a trade or pay cash for the car or the parts, after all it had brand new certified parts on it under warranty. I posted it for a thousand or for trade (500 for the vehicle and 500 for the brand new brakes and tire). I wasn't even going to charge for the registration, i was just desperate to have a car.

Shortly after i was contacted by Tim Banks, from Fairfield, who said to be interested in my Jeep. I spoke to him on the phone and asked him three times if he understood that the Jeep's actual value was 500 dollars, it could NOT pass smog and it was at best useful for parts. He said he was a mechanic in the army and wanted it anyway and asked if i was interested in trading it for his GMC truck. He said the truck was great, good tires, no transmission problems, a perfect 10.

We made the trade on the 9th. I showed his the Jeep and he suddenly turned weird and started saying how he "didn't know the Jeep needed THAT much work". Eventually he took it anyway.

I just wanted a vehicle, i wasn't even thinking. I was stranded in the East Bay. I needed a d**n car.

He started jotting down numbers on how much it would cost him to fix the Jeep. He started complaining that the trade didn't seem fair. I had no energy to argue. I needed a car to get to work, to move my stuff, to get out of a bad situation. I said "OK how about i put 300 bucks on top of the Jeep?" He said ok. We made the trade.

He drove off, i got his truck and registered it the same day.

I was in a daze, i wasn't even thinking of doing the release of liability on my Jeep or even taking the license plate. I literally threw caution to the wind like an idiot. I admit that. Still i can't believe i deserved what happened after that.

A week after driving around happily, the truck comes to a stall, and i realize the radiator is fuming and bone dry. I somehow manage to reach a gas station and put 50/50 and water in and get it running again. I drive the truck to Oakley, to the best d**n mechanic in the county, and he tells me matter of fact-ly that the truck needs a LOT of work. The water pump is leaking and the intake manifold needs to be replaced, as is gushing like a pregnant cow.

Meanwhile i managed to borrow more money from my dad for the repairs, i bite the bullet and go ahead. I was still jobless and i had to move out quick or be kicked out.

Finally i had barely a working truck. I tried to contact Tim again and he obviously was avoiding my calls and emails.

Not even a month later i received three Fastrak toll violations from three different plazas, dated February 9th, the date that Tim Banks drove off with my Jeep. I paid 84 dollars and tried to contact him immediately about it. I began feeling scared of what else he might have done in my name.

All the while i finally got hired full time and moved to a new place, almost financially free, until i get stuck in the middle of the freeway with a blown transmission. $1200. I was able to put down 500 but my boss had to pay 700 and now I'm right back where i started, barely able to pay rent and MAYBE my phone bill and car insurance. This is where i am now.

I tried to contact Tim Banks again. Nothing. He's totally ignoring me. I contacted the DMV and they said the Jeep is still under my name. It's gonna take 45 days for the release of liability to take effect. Meanwhile i feel like I'm sitting on nails.

I called the police and they said to contact the DMV.

Now I'm waiting any minute a letter or more letters saying i owe who knows how much in red light violations and who knows what else!

Because of this piece of human garbage I'm out of more than 2000 dollars and my livelihood is at risk.

If you know this person and have information on his whereabouts (as i don't believe the address he gave me is anywhere near accurate), come forth and contact the owners of RipOffReport with the information.

I must know where he is so i can at least repossess the Jeep.

Fabio

San Jose, California

U.S.A.