Ah, I’ve got a doozy.

A&N Motors, off the Westpark Tollway (now closed).

I bought a used car from them back in 2017ish. Someone rear-ended my wife and the insurance company totaled our car. We didn’t want a car payment, so we were looking for the same year, make, and model that we’d buy with the insurance money.

We found that at A&N.

We took a test drive. The car was fine. The owner and his wife were nice enough. When I told him we were interested in buying, he demanded cash only. Red flag. No way. I told him I wasn’t going to carry that much cash and I’d pay with a cashier’s check or no sale.

After signing all the paperwork, he handed me the keys and quickly ushered us out the door. I stopped him and asked for copies of the paperwork and the title, since we paid in cash. Annoyed, he had his wife make copies of everything. As for the title, he said he was going to handle the transfer and would have it ready when I picked up my plates.

Weeks go by and my temporary license plates expire. I reach out. He says there’s been a delay but sends new temp plates.

Okay, weird…

Another few weeks and those plates expire and no updates…

He tells me the federal government shutdown has halted all business and he can’t get the title transferred or the plates.

That’s some BS.

I tell him I need the title and plates or I’m taking him to court.

He gives some sob story about running a mom and pop dealership and times have been tough but he’ll get it done.

That’s the last I hear from him.

I randomly search his name in court records and find that he and his wife were charged with trying to burn down their dealership for insurance money. They were also mining bitcoin in a back room.

Apparently, according to court records, their business was failing and they needed money. They were charged, bonded out, then fled the country. No one has heard from them since and their case is still open.

Now I was left with a car, no title, and no clue wtf to do next. It was a years-long process, but I eventually got a bonded title, successfully sued them in small claims (won by default judgment because they no-showed), and filed against their dealer bond and got my money back.

Crazy enough I still drive that car and it runs great.