Mechanic's Lien, Should I buy? Options

[thomasotten]

I have a lead on a car that I want only for the parts. It is a stripped down 911, but it does have a nice motor. I can get the car pretty cheap, but the only problem is that they say it has a mechanic's lein on the title. So what does that mean? In other words, what can I do with a car that has a mechanic's lien on it? Can I part it out?

[jsteele22]

Do you know the amount of the mechanic's lien ? Do you know who the mechanic is ? I imagine for a 911, the amount might be a pretty substantial figure.

Basically, somebody put (possibly a lot of) parts and labor into the car, and the owner never paid. More than a few mechanics have had this happen to them, and man does it suck. Imagine if your boss said, "Hey, I decided not to pay you for the past 3 months..." Anyway, one option for someone with no scruples would be to buy the car for cash and a handshake, keep the engine, and sell off the parts. Mechanic is totally screwed. I would hope you don't go that route.

OTOH, the mechanic already knows he's more or less screwed, so would probably appreciate getting even a fraction of his cash and/or labor paid back. So depending on the numbers, you could contact him, and talk it over. As long as he signs off on the lien as being satisfied, it's all free and clear. The seller doesn't even need to know you've made that deal; I don't think it's at all unethical keeping this info from him/her.