morons and car titles

[Drew99GT]

Originally Posted By: javacontour


The bill of sale protects both of us. I make it clear the car is used, sold as-is, and that the buyer had an opportunity to inspect the car and even have it inspected by a professional of his/her choosing. So I'm protected. The buyer is protected because he/she can drive on the bill of sale for some time period and use it to register the vehicle. It also acknowledges that I received the buyer's cash payment and gave them a title with the title number, etc.


That is perhaps the most important thing when selling or buying a used private party car (well, the title is of course important!). I think it's legal precedent in most states that a vehicle is sold as is with no expressed or implied warranties, but when you go the the DMV and have a bill of sale, it makes everything go smooth. Plus it gives you some sort of legal standing as to the terms of the sale.

CO is nice - you show up to the DMV with title and bill of sale paperwork and you walk out with your registration and a new title in your name........depending on if there is 100 people in line or 1,000

(it's usually an all day waiting affair...)

 

[Cogito]

Originally Posted By: javacontour
When I sell a car, I require they sign two copies of a bill of sale, and keep the plates. Each of us keeps a copy of that bill of sale.

It also acknowledges that I received the buyer's cash payment and gave them a title with the title number, etc.

The bill of sale also protects you if the buyer flips the car to someone else, and they are illegal. You have to sign your Illinois title when you sell the car, but I have had buyers that wanted the "buyer" section of title left blank so that they could resell the car without getting a fresh title. If they sold it to an underaged kid, for example, and that kid ran someone over, it would come back on you if you could not prove that you did not sell the car to him.

 

[Cogito]

Originally Posted By: mrsilv04
I did not notice this little issue until I was ready to sell the car. I contacted the state and filled them in on their screw-up. Their response was that the VIN number on the title that they issued me was indeed correct (it wasn't). I sent them a photocopy of the title that sis surrendered, and it meant nothing to them. In their view, the VIN number on the title that I had was correct, even though it was wrong. And they had issued the title, that was surrendered, that had the CORRECT VIN on it.

Did you try going to a DMV facility and talking to someone about it? That sounds like it might have been easier than dealing with it through the mail?

 

[javacontour]

I keep the plates because they are MY plates, in my name. The buyer is not buying plates, they are buying a car.

In IL you have some period in which you have to register the car and can drive on the bill of sale during that time period.

If someone complained, I'd be happy to deliver the car to their home and take my plates off there and leave it in their driveway if it makes them nervous.

I've purchased cars this way and just left the car parked until I got my temporary tags.

With red-light cameras and such, there is NO WAY I'd give someone my tags today!

Getting plates is their issue, not mine.

Originally Posted By: Chris142
Originally Posted By: javacontour


When I sell a car, I require they sign two copies of a bill of sale, and keep the plates.
Why would you keep the plates? If there are no plates on it they are going to get pulled over for sure plus if they are a legitimate buyer missing plates creat a lot of extra money and hassle at the DMV.

I would never buy a car if the seller kept the plates........Except if they were personalized.

 

[javacontour]

I believe under IL law, the seller is required by law to KEEP the tags.

 

[Kestas]

I was always told to never leave the plates on a car you've sold for liability reasons. Like jc said, they could be used for nefarious purposes.

It's the responsibility of the purchaser to arrange for registration immediately after sale.

I've bought cars and borrowed the plate from one of my vehicles to transport it home, just so I wouldn't get stopped for having no plates.

 

[mpvue]

great thread, I'm invloved in something similar right now.
in PA (you gotta love a commonwealth) there is ONE DMV, in Harrisburg. all vehicle transactions are done by local mom and pop 'notary services'. all sigs need to be notarized; they actually want both buyer and seller together at the same time in the notary's office! yeah, whatever, when almost all of them are a M-F, 9-5 deal.
so, to sell a car in PA, you have to have the buyer's info before they will notarize your sig. this is $5. then you give the title to the buyer, who then goes to a notary, pays his fees, gets a new title, etc.
so, my latest story: I gave a car to my brother for his son, about to turn 16, for his 1st car. signed the title over to my brother, paid the $5. more than a year later, my brother sells the car (my sister-in-law didn't think it was a 'safe enough' car for her son, whatever), but my brother NEVER APPLIED FOR A NEW TITLE. car still technically belongs to me. I had to bring the title to the notary; they said, no prob, we'll attach a notarized affadavit to it, another $5.
buyer brings title and affadavit to the 'actual' DMV in Harrisburg. they won't accept it, it's DEFACED (has wrong buyer info filled in). so, title is coming back to me, so I can apply for a new replacement title.
I swear, the whole system is set up to support dealer trade ins.

oh yeah, in PA when you sell a car or drop insurance on a car, plates are required to be turned back in to the state.

 

[PandaBear]

Originally Posted By: 01rangerxl
I have never understood how people "lose" their car titles. It is the hardest to get and probably the most important piece of paperwork for a vehicle...keep it somewhere safe! I have seen nice, late model vehicles in good mechanical condition parted out because someone "lost" their title.


Because they never have it (stolen or someone else's). I'm sure if you are the true owner you can always request a replacement from DMV or court. Like all else in America, everything could be lost or damaged and replaceable.

 

[brianl703]

Originally Posted By: mpvue

in PA (you gotta love a commonwealth) there is ONE DMV, in Harrisburg. all vehicle transactions are done by local mom and pop 'notary services'.


That has nothing to do with being a commonwealth. Virginia is a commonwealth and we have actual DMV offices all over the state. You don't have to stand in line either...they have a Q-Matic system. You take a number and sit down until it's called. I can tell you that the wait time for the one in Fair Oaks Mall right now is 10 minutes(it's on the DMV's website). Yes, there are DMV offices located in some shopping malls here.

 

[javacontour]

It depends on the day you go as well. Here in IL, the offices are open Tuesday - Saturday. Guess which days are busiest? Tuesday after everyone has purchased a "new" car over the weekend or Saturday when folks are off work and need to renew their Driver's License.

Go on a Thursday afternoon and your wait times are non-existent.

Have your paperwork in order and it's a reasonably painless process.

 

[mpvue]

Originally Posted By: brianl703
Originally Posted By: mpvue

in PA (you gotta love a commonwealth) there is ONE DMV, in Harrisburg. all vehicle transactions are done by local mom and pop 'notary services'.


That has nothing to do with being a commonwealth. Virginia is a commonwealth and we have actual DMV offices all over the state. You don't have to stand in line either...they have a Q-Matic system. You take a number and sit down until it's called. I can tell you that the wait time for the one in Fair Oaks Mall right now is 10 minutes(it's on the DMV's website). Yes, there are DMV offices located in some shopping malls here.


yes, I know, I used to live in VA as well. all I meant was, being a commonwealth, as I've understood it, has to do more w/ how the central gov't allows the local gov'ts to operate. yes, the VA DMV works well (we had an office in the Harrisonburg mall as well). what was unbelievable though, was having to pay property taxes every year on your vehicles! man, I hated that!
In PA we have local 'driver license centers', but they are hardly open (close at 4:15!) and few and far between.

 

[The_Jeff]

Originally Posted By: javacontour

Have your paperwork in order and it's a reasonably painless process.


This describes absolutely nobody ahead of me at my DMV.

"I lost my license for DUI a couple years ago, I was wondering if I could get it back".

"What did the court say?"

"They didn't give a period of time"

"I lost my license"

"Ok your other forms of ID are in order. We'll mail you your license"

"Oh I forgot to mention, I'm not at that address anymore."

 

[daves66nova]

Originally Posted By: eljefino
There's a big west coast/east coast culture shock going on here.

Off topic, but I also understand if a registration lapses in California, the buyer is responsible for however many years of back fees.
yup, i once paid 832.00 to register a motorcycle in Cal.,where i'm from!

 

[Cogito]

Originally Posted By: javacontour
It depends on the day you go as well. Here in IL, the offices are open Tuesday - Saturday.

There used to be a few that were open on Monday.

 

[brianl703]

Originally Posted By: javacontour
Saturday when folks are off work and need to renew their Driver's License.


Do they let you renew your license without going in? You can do that here but only every other renewal.

 

[moribundman]

Here in CA they let me renew my license twice without me having to go to the DMV. They just sent me a renewal form and bill. This year, I had to come in. I made an appointment and the wait was a whopping 5 minutes. Got fingerprinted and photographed. The picture was taken from so far below, I'm totally unrecognizable. They were too lazy to adjust the camera hight. Seriously! Luckily I always carry also other documentation with photo ID on me.

 

[brianl703]

Here you can only renew your license without going if you do it before it expires.

Let it expire and you'll need to bring proof of legal presence with you to the DMV.

 

[moribundman]

Originally Posted By: brianl703
Here you can only renew your license without going if you do it before it expires.

Let it expire and you'll need to bring proof of legal presence with you to the DMV.


The idea of letting my license expire would never even cross my mind.