[Joe M 2012 2SS]

What do you do when you find out a supposed best friend of over 30 years tries to cheat you?

My best friend's wife ( I considered her just as good a friend) is the office manager at an automobile dealership. I do car detailing on the side, and because I only own my Camaro, I have to load my stuff up in it. I really don't like doing this, because wherever I go, there is a chance of my polished paint being marred, dogs/cats running around , kids playing ball, etc.

So my friend tells me his wife told him they have a van they just got, and I can get it cheap to detail out of. I think "Great"!

So I go look at it, it has a busted windshield, 2 bald tires, and a dead battery. They jump start it and it runs OK.

So she tells me they have $500 in it, and a new windshield will be $150, for a total of $650. I hand her my credit card. Normally, I would do research when buying a vehicle, but because I completely trust her, I didn't.

I come to find out that the vehicle will have a salvaged title, that it's only worth $280. When I left the dealership, I didn't sign anything, only had the receipt, which said nothing about purchasing a vehicle. Only the amount, dealership name, and transaction ID.

When I confront her with the info, she says she will get my money back, changes her story 3 times, and today the GM of the dealership refuses to give it back to me.

A vehicle cannot be sold by a dealership if it can't pass inspection, isn't that correct?

Even more troubling, I am Godfather to her two sons. I have never, and would never cheat them, or try to sell them something for over double what it is worth. She has been in this business for 10 years, so she knew the actual value of the vehicle was worth less then 1/2 of what they wanted.

If you can't trust a friend of over 30 years, who can you trust? Absolutely sickening.