This question is #4 of 4, the preamble on all 4 questions is the same.
 The actual question is listed at the end.

Note redactions to comply with "The Google Answers Team" unwritten
rule about disclosing "private information" about principals other
than the questioner.  No "private information" about any individual is
solicited below, only information regarding an inanimate object, an
automobile, that is publically offered for sale.

I'm looking for information regarding the recent history (since
approximately Jan 1st, 2004 to the present) of a specific car.  The
VIN is JH4NA2124XT000136, it is a 1999 Acura NSX.  It is #10 of a 50
car special "Zanardi" edition (named after a professional driver that
was a spokesperson for the line).  It also has a number of aftermarket
upgrades, most prominent of which is a supercharger.

The car was stolen through fraud (forged cashier's check) from the 2nd
owner, BBBBB of Virginia, in November of 2002.  It was then sold to a
dealership in Ft Lauderdale, Florida - EZ Ride Autosales --
http://www.ezrideautosales.com/ -- by a man impersonating BBBBB. 
EZ-Ride listed it on Ebay (item# 1874093973 ended Dec-08-02 13:04:09
PST, since expired from Ebay's system)  and found a buyer who paid
them in full a price about $1K less than their posted asking price in
a transaction outside of ebay (legit for big ticket items where ebay
fees are more like a classifieds service than a traditional auction,
but there is no ebay "buyer protection" in such cases).  Before the
buyer could take delivery, the FBI stopped EZ Ride from delivering the
car as the 2nd owner, BBBBB, had informed the FBI that the car was
stolen.  However, the FBI would not return the car to BBBBB, leaving
resolution to a civil court.


Apparently all attempts at negotiation with EZ-Ride by BBBBB were met
with extreme hostility and delaying tactics to the point of absurdity.
 Sounds like the stereotypical used-car salesman trying to squirm out
of a tight spot.  Sometime early in 2004, the 2nd owner, BBBBB,
received restitution from his insurance company in a theft claim and
was no longer involved in the situation.  On April 23rd, 2004 the
vehicle was placed on ebay for auction at:
http://cgi.ebay.com/ebaymotors/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&item=2475569559
 It has since been relisted a couple of times, each time acheiving a
diminishing high bid.

There is a number, 2489, chalked on the upper driver's side corner of
the windshield as can be seen in this photograph:

http://24.56.79.22/natautotraders/00013624.jpg

I suspect this number represents a vehicle number as used by an automobile auction.

As of a couple of weeks ago, carfax shows no new activity on the
vehicle since it was originally registered to the second owner, BBBBB
in Virginia in the summer of 2002.

The lawyer representing EZ-Ride as defendent in the replevin suit
brought buy the 2nd owner (case# CACE03009057 in the Broward County
Court System) was originally YYYYY who has apparently field a lien for
attorney's fees against EZ-Ride as of Feb 3rd, 2004.


Information gleaned from corporate filings of EZ-Ride is that the, or an, owner is:
RRRRRR residing(?) at
---- ------ ----- -
Plantation, FL -----

The FEI# on EZ-Ride's corporate filings with the state of florida is: 65-0776956

ZZZZZ is also affiliated with a "TCB Investments" at:
---- ---- ------- ------
Ft Lauderdale, FL -----

At least one of the TCB corporate filings was notarized by notary
commission# DD085177, expiration Feb 16, 2006 whose notarization of
the filings claims to know RRRRR personally.

EZ-Ride Autosales may have done business as National (or possibly
Budget) Auto Sales (in either case probably not affiliated with the
car rental corporation although intent to confuse buyers was likely,
according to the comments of a local beat cop).  There is the
possibility that this "Benz South" is another arm of EZ-Ride.

EZ-Ride continues to list vehicles on ebay, see:

http://cgi6.ebay.com/ebaymotors/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewSellersOtherItems&userid=ezride1

Benz South has other vehicles listed too, and appears to have
registered with ebay during the Summer of 2003:

http://cgi6.ebay.com/ebaymotors/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewSellersOtherItems&userid=benzsouth

Whois information shows different registered owners for the EZ-Ride
and "Benz South" web sites.  Traceroute shows different hosting
companies for their websites too.


I would like to know the following:


4) What is the legal status of this vehicle, does "Benz South" really
have legal title to the vehicle (not do they *say* they do, but do
they really)?  EZ-Ride claimed that the title was clear when they
tried to sell it originally, so a dealer's word is clearly not enough,
especially one that may not have a problem with being willfully
ignorant.

i can answer your questions however the cost of an abstract is more
than the price you are asking or you can get the info by subscribing
to a number of services...i'm guessing u already know this.

regards,

michael

I don't know what you mean by an "abstract." I'm not looking for
citations of case law if that's what you mean, I'm looking for the
details of this specific vehicle.

I suspect that some of this information is available through
subscription services, but I have no idea what those services are.  I
expect that the big "name" services like Lexis-Nexis might possibly
have some of the specific details, but I doubt that they would have
anything like a complete picture.  Some "local" databases such as
florida corporate registration filings are free and are where I found
most of the redacted information while the Broward County court system
is low-cost ($5 a case I think) but is either incomplete/lagging or I
couldn't find all of the relevant cases.

Just wanted to let you know that CARFAX is showing some recent
activity on this vehicle.  Specifically, activity taking place in May
of 2004 in which it was sold at an Auto Auction in Florida and listed
as a dealer vehicle.