What's new
By:
Filters

Messed up title woes

Oldchevy4x4

Member
Joined
Jun 27, 2020
Member Number
2193
Messages
6
I’m looking at a vehicle and the owner has the title but the previous owner messed up signing it so the title agency won’t transfer it into his name. He had contacted the people that sold it to him and they since blocked/ingored/etc all further contact. What are my options if I buy this thing to get a title for it if I can’t get ahold of the person that sold it and signed it over wrong?This is all in Georgia but I’ll be trying to title it in Ohio since I’m Air Force and I’m keeping all my crap in Ohio.
 
Price needs to reflect a lot of hassle. In Colorado that's a big pain in the ass. Go to the state DMV office and show them the title and ask them what your options are. Local offices generally are stupid and unhelpful.
 
Yeah the price being lower due to this is the only reason I’m looking at it. This title mess is the reason he is selling it
 
Send registered mail to PO with line by line issue stating verbatim what you area requesting he do.
 
The issue is that the people that had it originally sold it to their son and signed it over to him. He decided he wanted nothing to do with it and never transferred it to his name. So they resold it to the person I might buy it from and signed it over to him in the next box on the title. When he took it to get it transferred into his name the title bureau told him he needed to have them fill out a form. When he contacted them about it they wouldn’t do it. I tried calling and very politely explaining and he said his wife would call me back. She never did so I’m trying to figure out options if I completely can’t get them to work with me.

will they be able to pull anything if I would just get a bonded title? I’ve never felt with them before so I’m not familiar with how that all works and google is mostly full of places that want to be the ones to provide the service
 
If the vehicle has not been registered or a change in title ownership in perhaps the last 7 years you might be able push it through Vermont DMV..I do know for older bikes , Vermont issues transferrable registrations with a bill of sale. You don't need to be a Vermont resident...Their DMV website has details and if it's applicable for cars/trucks...one possible tricky detail is someone of authority must sign off on the VIN number..I believe there are a few other states with similar procedures..Titling companies used to be reasonable but now the fees are quite pricey.
 
What kind of vehicle and value are we talking about here? That is the deciding factor on whether this is worth the hassle.

Will the DMV give you the form that the “owner” needs to fill out?
 
It’s a 00 blazer, plan is to build a mild go fast/grocery getter. I can get it for 600 when most of the ones in that condition around here are more like 2k or more. At this point I’ll probably try calling again and if I don’t get anywhere there I’ll can it and watch for the next deal to come up.
 
Truckedup said:
If the vehicle has not been registered or a change in title ownership in perhaps the last 7 years you might be able push it through Vermont DMV..I do know for older bikes , Vermont issues transferrable registrations with a bill of sale. You don't need to be a Vermont resident...Their DMV website has details and if it's applicable for cars/trucks...one possible tricky detail is someone of authority must sign off on the VIN number..I believe there are a few other states with similar procedures..Titling companies used to be reasonable but now the fees are quite pricey.
Click to expand...

The age of the vehicle,is relevant here. It has to be 15 years old in VT.
 
Oldchevy4x4 said:
It’s a 00 blazer, plan is to build a mild go fast/grocery getter. I can get it for 600 when most of the ones in that condition around here are more like 2k or more. At this point I’ll probably try calling again and if I don’t get anywhere there I’ll can it and watch for the next deal to come up.
Click to expand...
At $600, you can probbaly part it out for that much, or pretty close to it.
Stop in at the previous owners and offer them $50-100 "for their trouble" to straighten out the paper work?

Aaron Z
 
I used to wonder how an otherwise running driving vehicle could end up for sale as parts no title. Then I ended up buying one and found out. I bought a pickup that had the title and correct vin, but the person selling it to me wasn’t on the title. No lie, title was from Trinidad Colorado, titled owner had a sex change and changed his name. (Yeah there’s a Ford joke there don’t miss your opportunity to make a stab) first buyer drives it without registering it in his name, engine blows up in Farmington New Mexico. First buyer sells it to second buyer and hands him the signed title. Second buyer goes to register it and finds that the first buyer had already signed his name without registering it.

I buy it for a few hundred bucks and it comes with a parts truck, no title at all. Try to find person who’s name is on the title and he/she doesn’t exist anymore. I go to the DMV and get instructions on how to do a bonded title. Fill out the paperwork and put up a $125 dollar bond, wait for 30 days with an NICS check done by the sheriff. I was given a temp tag and allowed to drive the truck while I waited for the bond to expire. It took about 60 days of waiting and maybe two trips to the DMV to make it happen. All a bond is, is insurance to the state, that if someone comes back saying it’s stolen the state isn’t liable for issuing a title to the wrong person. It was cheap but time consuming. That vehicle wasn’t worth the effort but I can see a certain vehicle being worth it.
 
Bonded title is pretty easy where I live.

Having to fight similar battles here recently I will suggest this,

Is the courthouse closed where the original title was issued?

If so check their website, there may be a mail in process for a replacement title. They will check the VIN of course but remember they are not handwriting experts, and most of them hate their job so they are not going to go out or their way to prove you wrong or doing anything fraudulent.


Otherwise I went through the bonded title process and where I live it was easy but slow process.

First you fill out an application online, send pictures and bill of sale.

Next they inspect it to verify the VIN. They called me and told me where to be and when. Officer didn't even inspect, he looked at the VIN, which neither of us could find, took a picture and he was done, said we will contact you.

Then they tell you how much to get a bond for, in my case it was $3000. I contacted my state farm agent, took a week and cost $100 to get the bond. The registration office gives you paperwork you send to your bond agent, they fill it out and send it back to you.

Send it all off with registration fees to the treasurer and wait for your title and plates.

The process took me 2 months, assuming my plates show up this week like they said they would.

A bonded title is like any title you can sell it, whatever. after 3-5 years depending on county or state law they will send you a regular title that will not say bonded on it.

But bonded title does not affect a potential buyer, the bond is stating the YOU are responsible is someone else steps up asking for money, like mechanics lean or if it is stolen or some other crap.
That part would make me nervous, but my case was unique in that there was no VIN on the trailer I registered the state put a new VIN on it, so there is no way it could ever be traced if there was ever a lien or previous title issue.
 
I went through the same with a Bronco I bought a few years ago. The local registration people were surprisingly helpful when I asked what needed to be done. They gave me all the paperwork and showed me where the owner needed to sign. I packaged it all up along with a SASE and mailed it to them with a tracking number. I even included a pen. They really had no reason to object to what they needed to do. They signed where I marked and mailed it all back to me.

I don't think most people are unwilling to help, they are just really really lazy. make it as painless as possible and maybe they will do the right thing.
 
Tiha said:
Is the courthouse closed where the original title was issued?

If so check their website, there may be a mail in process for a replacement title. They will check the VIN of course but remember they are not handwriting experts, and most of them hate their job so they are not going to go out or their way to prove you wrong or doing anything fraudulent.
Click to expand...

This happens a lot. Even something as simple as missing a signature in a certain spot. I've actually been in our county treasurer's office and watched someone say that the seller was waiting outside, they went out and signed it themselves and brought it back in to be processed, and it was obvious the ladies working knew what was going on. This is in small rural communities though.
 
Void_of_Light said:
I went through the same with a Bronco I bought a few years ago. The local registration people were surprisingly helpful when I asked what needed to be done. They gave me all the paperwork and showed me where the owner needed to sign. I packaged it all up along with a SASE and mailed it to them with a tracking number. I even included a pen. They really had no reason to object to what they needed to do. They signed where I marked and mailed it all back to me.

I don't think most people are unwilling to help, they are just really really lazy. make it as painless as possible and maybe they will do the right thing.
Click to expand...

I don't know why something like this wouldn't work. Especially if you throw in a $20 visa gift card or something like that.
 
Thanks, unfortunately when I got back to him he said he sold it without giving me a shot to shit or get off the pot. So I’m SOL on this one but at least I know far more for next time. Might be worth looking at more stuff with missing titles now:smokin:
 
Oldchevy4x4 said:
Thanks, unfortunately when I got back to him he said he sold it without giving me a shot to shit or get off the pot. So I’m SOL on this one but at least I know far more for next time. Might be worth looking at more stuff with missing titles now:smokin:
Click to expand...

you had a copy of all the signatures, i fail to see how this was an issue

also i know i socal there are third party registration places that are very helpful with titling issues
 
Ask yourself if it's worth the headache.
Then ask yourself if you can afford to pay for the vehicle, but never end up registering it (ie parting it out instead).

When you pay for a vehicle, you are paying for the title. So technically, that guy doesn't own it, the people who originally had it do.

Never exchange money for a vehicle and not get the title (unless the bank has the title, and you are dealing with said bank).
 
Brake fluid on a qtip. Dab the signatures and put it on your dash in the sun. In a few days all the ink will be gone. Fresh title. Sign it and date it when you take it to DMV. The fluid will take the ink off again in a couple days. I'm not sure how I KNOW this works, I just do.
 
Halffastford said:
Brake fluid on a qtip. Dab the signatures and put it on your dash in the sun. In a few days all the ink will be gone. Fresh title. Sign it and date it when you take it to DMV. The fluid will take the ink off again in a couple days. I'm not sure how I KNOW this works, I just do.
Click to expand...

This ^ is something I’m going make sure I remember for future use!
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Top Back Refresh