There is an important precedent to the value of a handshake contract. Just after WW II Henry Ford made a contract with Irish tractor manufacturer Ferguson to build the tractors under the Ford name for the North American market. The design was identical except the hood and name plate as well as the color.
When Henry Ford died and Henry II took over he ignored the agreement to pay royalties to Ferguson and just kept on building the tractors. Ferguson sued in both Europe and the USA and was awarded over $4,000,000 in damages, a very large sum around 1950.
The courts in both countries held that Henry Ford I’s handshake constituted a valid and binding contract.
Henry Ford II, who was thrown out of Yale for cheating on his papers, had few scruples and thought he could B.S. Ferguson.
No I’m here, I’ve been busy working as usual. Anyways , I find a truck on CL drive 50 miles to buy it, guy says he wants the bumper. It is to be placed in a buddies barn, the guy whom made it died from a piece of metal hitting him on the head. I don’t know if there is any truth to this story or weather the guy wants to make an extra couple bucks after the deal was done? Your guess is as good as mine, i had a guy give me a $1500 price tag for a similar replacement and install. Please keep the posts coming these are almost changing my mind I just can’t afford to get this bumper replaced…
Your financial situation has nothing at all to do with the bumper promise you made.
My guess is if the situation were reversed and the guy had not removed the bumper and returned it to you after a couple of months you would be posting on here asking advice as to what to do about a guy who screwed you over on a bumper promise.
Volvo, the OP asked us to keep the posts coming. YOU may not think there’s anymore to discuss, but he does… and HE’S the one who asked for help. Nothing makes me angrier than being “blown off” when I’ve done nothing but ask for help, and that’s what’s happening to the OP here.
Yep only in real estate is a paper contract required. Otherwise verbal contracts are quite binding, provided of course you can document the agreement which of course the OP has now done by putting it on line. Hee hee hee. Its now entirely enforceable.
Putting it online isn’t evidence that an agreement existed unless both parties openly agree online. It isn’t a contract unless both parties agree to the terms.
Receiving an estimate of $1500 to replace a bumper with another custom bumper might make one believe they have been conned into an unreasonable agreement. The estimate seems unreasonable, can you post pictures of the bumpers attachment points to show why it is difficult to remove?
I suspect the seller of the truck expected you to put on your work clothes, remove and deliver the bumper. If you cannot do that, ask for his assistance if it is not too late for a peaceful resolution.
If the trucks frame is not cut up you should be able to install a regular bumper in less than an hour.
@“the same mountainbike” The thing is, a verbal contract is binding same as a written one but you have to have some documentation of the verbal contract. Both parties already agreed verbally so that part was done months ago. The documentation came from the OP’s post telling the world what the agreement was. So it is now documented and would hold up in court. Provided of course the seller reads Car Talk which I would recommend.
I can’t tell you how many welds I’ve had to take apart again so just because it is welded doesn’t mean anything. At the worst, ya just go to a welding shop that has cutting tools. End of problem.
$1500 for a rear bumper on a pickup? I would remove the bumper and return it to the seller as promised and just drive without a rear bumper at all if it were my truck.
“verbal contracts are quite binding, provided of course you can document the agreement which of course the OP has now done by putting it on line.”
I agree.
In legal terms, the OP has “memorialized” his agreement with the truck’s seller, although w/o names it might be considered to be an incomplete memorialization.
Receiving an estimate of $1500 to replace a bumper with another custom bumper might make one believe they have been conned into an unreasonable agreement.
No, the eyes should be wide open when the deal was made. Take a look at what he said previously-
i had a guy give me a $1500 price tag for a similar replacement and install.
Not a standard bumper mind you- he wants a replica for the CUSTOM bumper made!! Speaking of unreasonable…
Good grief they make a factory replacement front bumper now that consists of diamond plate and heavy hard metal.I cant think of what they call them,they look nice and will stand more then what they are bolted to and will demolish about anything lessor they come up against,cant think of the name,but they are increasingly popular around here and cost around a thousand dollars,they even include a receiver for towing hitch. The average impact will not do much damage to one of these things,I suppose they are legal .
