Overhaulin'

How do I get a car registered which has no papers or plates?

I responded to a newspaper ad recently and bought a 1971 vw beetle. The car had no plates and no paperwork that I could find. There were several telltale signs that the car had sat a number of years, but I understood it to be a project. The seller said he had originally bought it at auction with the intent of using its (good) engine for a sand rail dune buggy, but that like many other good plans requires time. Once paid for, I was provided no bill of sale which I feel I was owed. It was as if the seller felt that since he had let the car go very cheap, that he owed no person any more, and if he did, he should've either charged more or wrecked it instead. Like he could have gone to the trouble but would be put out for something extraneous. The seller has a shop in an easy to find location, so it is not as if I cannot find him, and he doesn't appear to be trying to hide, hes just a strangely irritable character. My instinct: not stolen, but i still need help. John

Public Comments

1. there should be a VIN number located on the dashboard under the windshield; find that and contact the department of motor vehicles with that number;it will cost money to get a title made orignally then transfered to you and you need to show proof of purchase other wise they would consider it a hot car. it the guy brought it at an auction; he should have had all the paper work for it. you may have to involve the police if it gets messy
2. i dont know were you are from but in washington the only way to get the car titled is to have the registerd owner file for a lost tiltle and then sell you the car sometimes they will let you get away with filing for the tilte yourself but it still requires the registerd owner to sighn a paper at the dol. i went through the same thing with a subaru i purchased and there was two registerd owners and i could only locate one so i just had to take the car to the junkyard becouse i could not get it into my name. and always make sure you get a bill of sale becouse if the car is stolen you have no proof that that guy sold you the car it is just your word against his.
3. Do you have a neighbor or friend who is a cop? Have them run an inquiry on the VIN and if there is still a record of who was the last registered owner. If you're lucky you can then contact that person to sign papers for you. In some states, you can go to the DMV and pay a fee, sign a form, and they will do a search for you. If not, you're going to have a REAL hard time with this. You may end up scrapping it.