WEAK SCAM? Brakes hit on $150G muscle-car sale

[TXSS]

Has anyone seen this story or this car.


WEAK SCAM? Brakes hit on $150G muscle-car sale
By ERIK ARVIDSON, Sun Statehouse Bureau



BOSTON -- A Tewksbury developer has filed a lawsuit claiming he was scammed into buying a 1970 Chevrolet Chevelle on eBay that he thought was a completely restored vintage model, only to later find out it was not authentic.

Marc Ginsburg, owner of the Tewksbury Country Club, is suing the owner of an automobile restoration business in western New York, saying he paid $150,100 for a Chevelle that turned out to be a fake.

The lawsuit was filed on Aug. 25 in U.S. District Court, naming Matthew Dinicola, owner of Signature Collision in Spencerport, N.Y., as the defendant.

Ginsburg, who said he collects "high-end muscle cars," noted he was in the process of trying to settle the case. "It gets to be very expensive when people are resorting to other means to cash in on an industry," he added.

Dinicola, reached yesterday afternoon, said he planned to give Ginsburg a full refund, and then put the car back on eBay to resell it.

Dinicola said he didn't own the car, but restored it for a customer then resold it. He called the situation "unfortunate" and a "bad deal."

According to the lawsuit, Dinicola first listed the car for eBay auction in June, advertising it as a "complete frame-off restoration" of a vintage 1970 Chevelle Convertible LS6.

The advertisement described the car as a "numbers matching" vehicle and used other terms to suggest that

it was an "authentic, bonafide and original restored vehicle with the original engine and parts matching its (vehicle identification number)," according to the lawsuit.
On July 11, Dinicola notified Ginsburg that his bid of $150,100 was the winning bid on the online auction site. But after he took possession of the vehicle, Ginsburg discovered that it wasn't an original restoration and was "actually a fake or clone version," the lawsuit states. This was confirmed when Ginsburg had the car inspected by a professional appraiser who has experience with vintage cars, according to the suit.

Ginsburg also discovered that the engine and transmission had been restamped with the vehicle identification number -- "a fraudulent attempt to pass off the car as an original and restored 1970 Chevelle LS6," the lawsuit states.

Ginsburg also said he had tried to get his money back from Dinicola, but those attempts were refused.

[nuch_ss396]

This will probably become a common topic here in the future.

[elcamino72]

Be prepared to see a little more of "good news" stories, there is too much fraud out there and too many deceptive practices used by these sellers.

If my law firm handles your case you can be assured that you will have a true enthusiast working for you on your case and our team of experts and our knowledge base will be utilized to get you the recover you deserve. This is no longer about "used" cars or collectible $50,000 vehicle, it's about an investment property with an ascertainable value. You may be able to recover more than you ever thought possible if you are the victim of one of these transactions.

[quick-bowtie]

The crook is lucky that the buyer didn't go though other means to get his money back. If someone took me for 150k the Cops & lawyers would be the last people getting called.. Vinny & Bruno would be collecting for me + my 25% having to deal with a crooks b.s. fee on top of that. All I can say is that guy has Balls of steel to try to rip someone off for that much.

[agtw31]

is this the same LS-6 exposed as a fake on chevelles.com??

[SS427]

yes

[scott s]

If i was investing $150k into a car i think i would have had it inspected before i shelled out the cash $$$..I still say self education is the key!!!!!

[KENNY_PASCOE]

AGREED.... KP

[tirebird]

I absolutely agree too. Caveat Emptor! Why would you shell out $150K and ship a car you hadn't inspected or even seen in person?

[JIM]

I just have to say this subject has been beat to death. WHO in there right mind would think they could buy a REAL LS-6 convertible restored for $ 150,000.00 I would take 10 Please. No one is that stupid, there are plenty of Clones, fakes, tributes, recreations or whatever you may call them today out there for the same $150,000.00 and quite frankly it takes just about that to build a truely correct copy. When the big auctions sell there cars as Not number matching unless disclosed and One auction company selling cars as matching numbers is OK for restamps unless the Key words The Motor the Car WAS Born with is stated !!! You have to be carefull, but No one is that bright to think on a sight that gets more interest than ESPN or internet XXX that You can be the guy that was smarter than everyone else out there. Money shure doesn't give You common sense, but its no different than waking up next to someone that looks a whole different in the morning ,You still did it and at the time You were confident in Your decision, Remorse is just a fact of life. Eat it and move on!!!!. Jim