Hi Renee,

It sounds like your ex really got himself in a big mess.

Listen, I don't know how binding the papers are that he signed, nor do I know the ins-and-outs of CT law. One thing is for certain - this car dealer sounds like the slimiest of all slimes!

Tell your ex to try sweet talking this dealer. He should tell him the car is for his daughter and if the guy keeps the money he has no way to get her a car. Who knows, maybe the dealer has a soft spot somewhere. Probably not, but you never know.

If that fails, tell your ex to call the cops and tell them this guy ripped him off. They may or may not get involved. Your ex can also contact the state Attorney General's office. The only other thing I can think of is getting a lawyer, but any legal solutions will drag on forever.

His best bet is to have a heart to heart talk with this dealer, or come up with the money to catch up on the property tax and then go through with the original deal.

One last option might be for the dealer to sell him something he has on the lot for the $3,500 cash. The dealer can royally screw him on this kind of a deal, and he will still be faced with the property tax issue.

Of course, on a cash deal the dealer can write it up in your daughter's name then you can register the car in NJ without your ex having to pay his past due tax.

I wish I could tell you something else, but if this dealer really wants to be a jerk about this your ex is going to have to fight to get the money back.

I'm sick over this for you - I'll pray for the situation to be resolved.

All my very best . . .

Tony Iorio

An Update From Renee . . .

Thanks for getting back, and so fast.

We got a few thousand dollars together, and I am going to go to the dealership with my husband (not my ex). We will choose a vehicle and pay it outright and tell them to apply the existing credit towards the purchase price.

Even if the price is inflated, only $1200 of the credit is ours; the rest is my ex's!

We have been in contact with the dealer, and so far he has been on the up-and-up, but he doesn't know we will be using that credit yet, and we wont tell him until we find a car.

We also made sure that our insurance company will be open, because the dealer will not let us leave unless we have an insurance card with the name of the vehilcle we are buying on it.

Sheesh! What an ass ache! So hopefully My daughter will have a car by her 18th birthday. Thanks again.

Renee