Car title issue - Help Please!

[cwiert]

Good morning...
I have a title issue that I need the group's help with. I recently bought a car (1988 928 S4) with a CT issued title. Here are the players in my little story:

- Person A: The last person the car was registered to. The title is in his name.
- Person B: A kid from MA who bought the car from Person A and sold it to me.


The story:
Person A was moving from CT to FL and sold his car to Person B in MA. Person A wrote his name and signed the title under "seller." Person B held onto the car for a couple months, fell on hard times and then sold the car to me. Person B never registered the car or requested a new title in his name but he did write his name and address on the back of the title under "buyer" but never signed it. Person B also provided me with a bill of sale from him to me.

Now on the back of the title it says that you can't erase, cross-out or edit any info. So, when it comes to register my car, how will I do it? Person A has moved to FL and I don't have his address.

I guess it's not as simple as crossing out Person B's name and address and writing mine in. Apparently CT DMV frowns on that. Any suggestions on how to make this right? I'm already freaking out about this, losing sleep over it and my wife is ticked off at me too. Win-win. ha ha.

[Tim Walsh]

get the kid to retitle the car, then when he gets the new title, have him sign it over to you?

[cwiert]

Originally Posted by Tim Walsh

get the kid to retitle the car, then when he gets the new title, have him sign it over to you?

yeah, but the kid lives in MA. I live in CT where the car is currently titled. So you think the kid needs to get a MA title and then sign it over to me, so I can get another CT title? That means I'll have to go through the whole inspection process. (you don't have to when going from CT to CT title) Ugh. Also, it's important to note that the kid has since moved out of the house at the address that he wrote on the title. I know, a big freakin mess this is.

[fastfredracing]

You may want to check out a Company called Greenlight titles. They have a website, and this is what they do.
I just went through that exact scenario.

[javadog]

I bought a new motorcycle one time from a dealer. It had previously been sold, and the MSO had been filled out in his name, but the original buyer never took delivery. The dealer consulted the tag agency, drafted a notarized letter stating the facts and all was well.

In another instance, I bought a motorcycle from another state that had the same problem. I held back some of the funds from the seller and made him fix the title problem, before I paid him the balance. He created the problem, I wasn't going to do all of the legwork for him.

I'd suggest that you take it to the DMV and ask them what the options are in that state.

And, by the way, never buy a car that isn't properly titled.....

JR

[Schumi]

I was in a similar situation with an 80's kawasaki streetbike once. The title was out of state and sketch. Resulted in me not buying the bike for what was essentially (possibly literally) a steal.


I still wish I would have bought that bike....

[Steve Carlton]

Have you gone to the DMV and asked them?

[Dueller]

As a practical matter, barring CT DMV letting you amend the title (unlikely), I'd try to contact person A, explain the mess and see if he willrequest a replacement title and just resign it over to you. If he is unreasonable or wants to try to profit from the mess it could complicate it further. Or have the kid title it in his name using your address then when the new title comes in have kid retitle it to you immediately. Problem there is two transfer fees, taxes, registration fees, etc.

The whole point for states to not allow successive transfers between individuals on one title is to prevent individuals from being in the reselling business without a license. For example, a dealer can take an open title (say on a trade in) and then reassign it to a subsequent retail huyer without the necessity of titling it in the dealer. And to make sure they get their taxes.

[cwiert]

Originally Posted by Steve Carlton

Have you gone to the DMV and asked them?

I've called the DMV and asked them. They mentioned a Q1 form... supplemental to the back of the title. I guess you can use that if a vehicle is bought and sold multiple times without being registered. I hope it's that simple. In that case, I just need Person B to sign the back of the title as the buyer and fill out the Q1 form as the seller and sign that. Then I fill out the Q1 form as the buyer and bring the title and the Q1 form to DMV and HOPEFULLY I'll be good to go. We'll see.
That makes sense though. YOu should be able to buy and sell a car multiple times without having to get a new title each and every time...especially if it's never registered.

[Joe Bob]

In CA they try to collect sales tax on each transaction.....I had one that had three or more such moves. That stuff kinda got lost.....