He got his stolen vehicle back, but even after repairs, it won't sell
It's another headache for drivers who have a vehicle stolen, what to do if they want to sell after their stolen vehicle was damaged and then recovered.
For one Ottawa man, that was the dilemma after his 2022 RAV4 hybrid was stolen right out of his driveway in October.
- Sign up now for daily CTV News Ottawa newsletters
- The information you need to know, sent directly to you: Download the CTV News App
"It was three in the morning, we were all asleep," said Joe Karam, who lives in the Ottawa suburb of Barrhaven. "We woke up the next morning, came down, opened the door and sure enough, the car was gone instantly."
Karam was in the process of making an insurance claim and getting a replacement vehicle.
"We got the phone call that the Quebec police had actually recovered the vehicle in Quebec, about half an hour outside of Montreal," he said.
That's where things got complicated. Karam says the vehicle was badly damaged and needed thousands of dollars in repairs. He decided to sell it after the work was done and replace it with a new car.
"I actually went out and bought a new car because we didn't know what to do. And so I figured once we got the car back, I would put it up for sale because it's a hot item saleswise and will go instantly, and that's where we had the problems with it," he said.
Karam says the vehicle wouldn't sell to dealerships because of the damage history. He was hoping to get nearly $40,000 for it.
"They put on auction at street values between $40,000 and $43,000 because it's a hybrid. Top line, top of the line auction came back $18,800," he said.
So the stolen, repaired vehicle sits in his driveway unsold. He doesn't want it, but also doesn't want to take a huge hit on the value of the car, another cost of the stolen vehicle epidemic.
"Don't buy anything that's on the top ten list of stolen vehicles because if you plan on keeping it, if it's recovered, perfect, but if you want to sell it, good luck. Just keep that in mind," he said.
Karam says it's a consumer warning for anyone looking to get rid of a vehicle that was severely damaged after being stolen.
CTVNews.ca Top Stories
Video shows suspect setting Toronto-area barbershop on fire
Video of a suspect lighting a Richmond Hill barbershop on fire earlier this week has been released by police.
The kids from 'Mrs. Doubtfire' are all SUPER grown up now, and we're not OK
The adorable trio of child actors from the 1993 classic comedy 'Mrs. Doubtfire,' which starred the late and great Robin Williams, are all grown up and looking back on their seminal time together.
Canadian doctor concerned new weight-loss drug Wegovy may be used inappropriately
As Wegovy becomes available to Canadians starting Monday, a medical expert is cautioning patients wanting to use the drug to lose weight that no medication is a ''magic bullet,' and the new medication is meant particularly for people who meet certain criteria related to obesity and weight.
Police officer hit by driver of fleeing vehicle in Toronto
York Regional Police say they are continuing to search for a suspect in an auto theft investigation who was captured on video running over a police officer in Toronto last month.
TD worst-case scenario more likely after drug money laundering allegations: analyst
TD Bank Group could be hit with more severe penalties than previously expected, says a banking analyst after a report that the investigation it faces in the U.S. is tied to laundering illicit fentanyl profits.
A Chinese driver is praised for helping reduce casualties in a highway collapse that killed 48
A Chinese truck driver was praised in local media Saturday for parking his vehicle across a highway and preventing more cars from tumbling down a slope after a section of the road in the country's mountainous south collapsed and killed at least 48 people.
Early results from London, U.K., suggest Labour's Sadiq Khan will secure a record third term as mayor
Sadiq Khan, the Labour Party's mayor of London, appeared Saturday to be romping to victory as results from the capital pour in.
'I have the will to live': N.B. woman needs double lung transplant
A New Brunswick woman suffering from sarcoidosis, a disease that limits your lung capacity, is in need of a double lung transplant.
Britney Spears 'home and safe' after paramedics responded to an incident at the Chateau Marmont, source tells CNN
A source close to singer Britney Spears tells CNN that the pop star is 'home and safe' after she had a 'major fight' with her boyfriend on Wednesday night at the Chateau Marmont in West Hollywood.