I need someone to help me out with this one cuz personaly, i think i'm screwed. Check it out.....

It started 3 months ago when i ordered a ZC from Nippon. Everything was cool and what not as far as the install, but while looking at the motor i noticed that the serial numbers on the block(where it would usualy say D16A_ or ZC) had been X'ed out. I thought nothing of it at the time, but now is where the story gets interesting.

Tonight, i'm driving the rex to the local car club. I notice the large amount of cops there, but thats typical. As soon as i go to pull in, i notice 3 civics in front of me with they're hoods popped. I say to myself,"Oh SH*$, they're looking for stolen motors". I pull up, get asked to pop my hood, and was thinking to myself that i'm 100% legal and have nothing to wory about(cuz i keep the reciept for the motor in the glove box) and that should be proof enough that its legit.

WRONG!!! I pop the hood and automaticly get asked to step outta the car. They show me the X'ed out numbers and say that theyre seizing the car , ripping out the motor, and i most definitely will not get it back.

What should i do? should i contact Nippon or call a lawyer or something? I'm so pissed right now, i cant think. Someone please help me out.

thanx

mike

 

i would call a lawyers office and get some consultation. find out all what he thinks. contact nippon. find out if a lawyer can sue nippon of force them somehow to get u a new motor. (b16)

 

get a laywer now call nippon and ask em wtf is up. so theres an X thru the engine code? and the code is still viewable? is the vin gone or what? if the engine code is stratched it doesnt mean ****

 

well, exactly like you said first, the numbers are kinda viewable but the X's make it hard to read which is why it got taken. I hate these tough guy cops who think they know everything, meanwhile they dont know ****. I tried telling the guy that no matter how hard he tried, the #'s wont match up or be the same anyway cuz of it being JDM and even showed him the reciept from Nippon.

He told me tough luck, we're towing the car to the police station and that i gotta fight it out with Nippon.

 

Well you have the reciept for it so u own the engine, Just ge a lawyer and it should work out

 

get a lawyer and sue the **** out of NIppon for giving you a motor that the serial has been removed they should pay for that bull ****! hey how much did you pay for the ZC?

 

damn i smell a b18c5 for free! get a damn lawyer, let the lawyer talkt to Nippon and to the city. then from there according to what your lawyer recommends, take further legal actions on Nippon and if possible on the city.

-did the cops have reasonable doubt or just plain old reason to suspect you had a
stolen motor? if not, you have yourself a court case.

-that motor is your personal property, and unless the cops had some sort of outstandig search warrant they have no right...

call a lawyer tommorow...ASAP.

 

Oh, did I mention that we had the receipt and offered to show it to them lastnight before the car was towed?lol

They couldn't care less about it.

I just wanna know what gives them the authority to tell me I gotta pop my hood so they can search my motor. Do I look like a car thief? Did I have anything visible in or on the car that might make me look like a car thief, absolutely not! So what's the cause for the search and seizure of the car? No one can answer that question for me. I've asked numerous people as well as other police officers about this today and every one of them is telling me that this is wrong and that i should seek legal advise!

I mean, you cant search and then take my car cuz you think it has a stolen motor, that's just not right. Either prove its stolen right then and there or let me go

Anyway, I called the police earlier today. They wont be looking the cars over till tomorrow, but it still makes no sense to me about why they took it. I mean, yeah its a JDM motor, but its 100% legal as far as buying it. Nippon's serial # is right there on the side of the block and matches the papers I got with the motor. So whats the problem then right? This is just outrageous if you ask me.

And what really pisses me off is that once I'm allowed to pick up the car (after they realize the motor is legit), I'm the one that's stuck paying the cost of towing and impound fees and such(i think that's how it works)

Anyway thanx for you guyz help. I guess we'll just wait and see what happens tomorow with this

BTW, i'm in Rockland County, NY

mike

 

Sounds like an illegal search and seizers, from what it sounds like in what your saying you do have a case cause they illegaly searched your car and seized your motor with out an warrant but laws may differ, what i would do is sue the hell out of the city and then do what ever you want to nippon.... GOOD LUCK

 

heres how the search and seizer works....

if they "asked" you to pop you hood, and you did it, its not illegal....

example--
Cop- "OPEN YOUR HOOD"
you- "*pop"
you lost.....

example2--
Cop- "OPEN YOUR HOOD"
you- "do I have to?"
(cops usually avoid answering questions and they are good at playing games)
Cop- "do you have something to hide??"
you- "no, but I know my rights and you can't search my car without a warrant"
Cop- "no? then pop your hood"
you- "not without a warrant"
YOU WIN.....

If the block code was scratched and hard to read, they can just say the code was "defaced to avoid suspision" etc etc.....
and they can take your car.

Only get a lawyer if you must.... because some companies will just take you to court and try to make it long and lengthy and you will have to pay lawyer fee's up the A$$, and big companies can afford it, so you will just have a big bill.

I suggest you call nippon and talk to them about it, they might help you resolve this matter, and if they aren't helpful, let them know that you plan to talk to a lawyer and you don't take **** from anyone....

GOODLUCK

 

if you end up having to pay impound and towing fees make sure you kick those cost over to nippon!!!! i'm sorry that this happened to you,keep us updated.but its good to hear that the cops are looking for stolen parts cuz way too many cars have been stolen lately.

 

I think even if you say you do not want to open your hood, they would have come up with another excuse to search your car. At least that is my experience with cops. Talk to a lawyer quick before they decide to rip the engine out, if there is a case started they may not touch it until things are settled, in the end if you win you won't have to put the engine back in or anything like that. Fight it!!! Good Luck.

 

man that's just shitty luck.
GOOD LUCK.

 

be happy your not in cali. Its illegal just to have a JDM engine. that really sucks. But all i got to say is... stupid cops.

 

While I feel your pain, at least the Cops are trying to do something about all of the theft.

Don't hate on the cops too much because they are making it harder to run around with stolen motors. Think about it.

But i would call a lawyer and get his take. Or, at least go down to the station and start asking a bunch of questions. And call Nippon ASAP.

 

I totally agree w/this - I took a law inforcement class at school for a semester, I learned a LOT about how cops can get you to do what they want. But they could've come up with a lot of lame excuses if you don't cooperate as well! But whatever, what happened happened! I say call Nippon FIRST, see what they have to say - just remember BE CALM & PATIENT, don't call 'em up all pissed off! After this, if things still looks like a bunch of BS, then get that lawyer!!!! This sounds reasonable enough to me to get a lawyer, he/she will help you out.

 

well this just keeps getting better and better

Today, the police called me and told me that the motor was not stolen. What happened is that the company who sold me the motor (Nippon Motors Inc.) defaced the original block # and replaced it with a serial # of they're own. That in the eye's of the police is where the problem was. So now, the LAPD is involved. Thats right, the LAPD, and they're gonna be investigating Nippon Motors. The police told me what they're doing is illegal.

So all i'm stuck with is paying the tow. There's no impound fee or anything like that. I dont think i should have to pay for anything since i did nothing wrong, but it is pointless taking people to court for a $70 tow

no matter what, i still think its fucked up, but they are doing something about the stolen motors and cars so i guess if my car had been previously stolen or something, i would be glad

BTW, if i get there tomorow when i pick up the car, and the car is one bit fucked up, scratched, dented, **** is stolen outta it, or anything like that..... i anit touching it. Then i'm coming back with a lawyer

 

ask them if they can give you something for next time this happens you can show the cops and they will not hassle you.