Overhaulin'

Bought a used car without title, help please!?

We bought a 2003 used car from a private party and paid in cash. The lady who sells the car said her title has been held by the insurance company cause she had no money to pay for the car loan. We went to the bank and witnessed her paying the rest loan for that car with the cash we gave her to buy the car. She said the bank/insurance company would mail us the title and we could do car registration even without the title. We got a selling receipt notarized and then got the car without title in hand. We also have a carfax report indicating that this car has only one owner but not sure if this owner is this lady(carfax does not show this information). From the carfax report we know this car was first purchase in another State. Then we went to the car registration office but they said they could not register the car without the title. We called this lady afterwards for quite a few times but she never answered the phone. We’ve got a bit worried now, is there any possibility that she is not the real owner of the car(steals the car from the real owner), and we got played by her? What should we do now?

Public Comments

1. you got the old switcheroo pulled on ya
2. Yes, there is a chance and high probability that you got screwed. You should get the vehicle identification off of the car and take it to your local police department to see if it was reported stolen. If it was not stolen you can try going to your local county building and filing for a lost title. Good Luck
3. You do not ever pay for a car and don't have the title. I think that the lady got over on you'll. You should watch out because the car could have been stolen and now you are apart of the theft. I would give her two more days to pop up,then I would call the police and give them her information,Hopefully it legit. I pray that you don't get into any trouble.
4. There's really not much that you can do short of just taking her to court and having the court issue a subpoena if you're just not able to get a hold of her by conventional means. I think handling it on your own is going to leave you just frustrated and without any type of restitution on the matter. Get a lawyer and go from there. I wish you the best of luck.
5. Try contacting the department of motor vehicles in the state the car is titled in, and see it they will accept a notarized copy of the receipt sent by registered mail as proof of the transaction. If necessary, get an affadavit from the woman you bought it from to include with the receipt. Good luck.
6. Now wait just a minute. You went to the bank with her and witnessed her paying off the loan. How could she (or better yet, why would she) pay off a loan on a car she stole. That makes no sense. What did the loan officer say to you after all that took place? They should have informed you that the title will come directly to you in the mail and that it would take a week to ten days to process. The DMV is correct, you can't register the vehicle without the title but the title comes from the bank directly to the buyer when a loan is involved. The Carfax report is irrelevant. How long have you been waiting? You have a notarized bill of sale. If it's been longer than a month I'd contact the person at the bank and the seller.
7. what state are you in? Some states hold the title to a car, other states the lienholder (or bank) hold the title until it is paid off. If you witnessed her paying off the loan they should of given her or you a lien release. Use the tag on the car to find out who's name the car is registered to.
8. Repeat after me... Never buy a vehicle without a title. One more time... never buy a vehicle without a title.
9. there is no way the title will be directly mailed to you, the lady still needs to sign it over to you, the bank has no idea who you are so they would mail it to her. go to mvd or a 3rd party mvd agencey & apply for a bonded title. You can't apply for a lost title because it's not in your name, as far as MVD is concerened she is the owner...
10. What state? Some states will hold title until loan has been satisfied. The original or subsequent owner of the car is public information. Check with your D.M.V. and for a fee you may be able to find out this information. As to the loan being paid and witnessed by you, I would get in touch with the bank that had the lien and find out more information about the loan being paid off. You may run into a road block because of privacy laws, but you may want to get a lawyers opinion and even contact the better business bureau and your state attorney generals office. Keep digging if you have the former owner's registration you may be able to apply for a lost title. Good Luck!
11. Take the VIN number to the DMV and do an inquiry as to who the vehicle is registered to. If the name matches the lady who sold it to you, all you have to do is an application for duplicate title. Submit it with the bill of sale the lady gave you, and start your transfer, you will also need the lien satisfied the bank gave you when the lady paid off the loan. If not then you will have to write certified letters to registered owners for bills of sale, to show due dilegence. If the lettets come back unopened you can apply for bonded title through most insurance companies.
12. the d.m.v wuill issue a title "on the spot' if she had it registerd to her last and if she signs paper work cost 25.00 $