What's the story here

[Shaun @ Tru6]

Getting a Tacoma for my dentist. Found one in CT with his specs: manual, 4WD, xtracab. "Owner" doesn't really speak English, son has been helping. Asked for pics of the title. Mass title. Truck was owned and sold to the same used car dealer in NY a year ago, no new title. 8K miles were put on the truck in this time.

Son says they have a CT Q1.

Not touching this with a 10 foot pole but what is the real story with the truck?

CL ad: https://hartford.craigslist.org/cto/6089528856.html

Back of title

[masraum]

I think it's not uncommon for someone to buy a car and then leave the title/registration with the previous owner. I think there's a name for it, but I can't remember. I think it's a way to scam out of sales tax and registration fees, but then I think the next owner runs into some hassle trying to get the thing registered.

Yeah, I've had to pass on a couple of those.

Mine was, "Do you have the title?" "Yeah, I've got it, but it's in my neigbor's name." -- Pass!

I don't remember the rest of the BS, but I was out after that.

I also had one that was "I'm selling it for my uncle who lives in another town despite the car being here. I don't have the title, he does, but he'll send it." -- Pass!

Also, "I'm still paying on the car, but once you pay me, I'll pay off the loan and then give you the title." -- Pass

[asphaltgambler]

It's called ' Floating the Title' and is illegal in almost every state as the 'new' owner is not paying the taxes and fees to transfer the vehicle into their name.

If it was someone selling it in your neighborhood privately, it may be different as the paper trail is probably not too far off. In this case- pass.

[asphaltgambler]

Once was looking online, emailed the guy and asked a couple of brief questions. One of which was ( since there were no tags on the car) "Is the title in your name?"

A) "Yes I have the title"

Me " See, you are already lying to me by not directly answering my question. Bye Felicia"

[MBAtarga]

Originally Posted by asphaltgambler

It's called ' Floating the Title' and is illegal in almost every state as the 'new' owner is not paying the taxes and fees to transfer the vehicle into their name.

If it was someone selling it in your neighborhood privately, it may be different as the paper trail is probably not too far off. In this case- pass.

Also known as Curbing and Curbstoning. Having "ownership" of a vehicle and not registering it, then reselling it.

[fastfredracing]

" curbing the title " A small dealership I used to do work for got shut down for doing this. What is funny is that is was owned and operated by an older police officer .
That place was the shadiest mfing operation I have ever seen .

[Joe Bob]

AKA skip titleing.....avoid the sales tax and purchase/new title fee. I have done it but always had a ready smog cert if it was needed.

IMHO, sales tax was paid when the car was bought new....illogical to pay tax every time it changes hands but the State thinks otherwise....

[stomachmonkey]

Originally Posted by Joe Bob

IMHO, sales tax was paid when the car was bought new....illogical to pay tax every time it changes hands but the State thinks otherwise....

Agreed.

It's a double and sometimes triple dip.

Private citizen to citizen transactions should not be subject to sales tax especially on an item the State has already had a taste of.

[Joe Bob]

AKA the State Mafia dipping their nasty beak in yer bidness...

[MBAtarga]

About 2 yrs ago, state of GA change laws. They collect "sales" tax EVERY time the vehicle changes hands, ie: registration for car tag. They removed the previous yearly imposed ad valorem tax that used to be paid with tag renewals.

[Arizona_928]

I have bought some like that. Sold some like that. Not big deal in az, as long as the buyer is left blank.

If it's in the old owners name it's a pia. Few ways to make it legit, but it takes time and corporation from the previous owners.

[asphaltgambler]

The Virginia DMV Gestapo will / may require a nortarized bill of sale if the clerk even thinks somethings amiss. Now if you happen to be the actual person that registers the vehicle - that becomes a problem......

[sixbanger]

Also calle dan open title around these parts.

[masraum]

Here in TX, they have added a new document to the process. When you sell a vehicle, you as the seller give them a document that tells them who you sold the vehicle to, I guess, to counteract just this sort of crap.

[Joe Bob]

In CA, the "Pink" slip aka Title, has a tear off that the seller is supposed to send in with the new buyers information. CA DMV is notorious for losing them, it isn't actually required but stupid for a seller NOT to do it. A prudent seller would do so as the vehicle likely has valid tags and the buyer can drive it and do stupid things with it. If a plate number is run, The POPO goes to see the current registered owner and that be you.....

Before Gov Moonbeam allowed illegals to get a DL, a popular move was to buy a beater, drive it until the tags expired or razor blade one off some other poor schmuck's ride and keep going. Not like they could get any insurance w/o a DL. Then dump it, the PO then gets an impound bill.

When I used to buy/sell a lot of rides, I went to AAA and got it out of my name rick tick, no so much as a buyer depending on what I was going to do with it. Like ship outta state, sell it, part it or do drive byes. Paying sales tax on a ride that I was gonna flip after repairs or whatever ate into my profit margin.

I was a DMV dealer for awhile and then they raised the bond requirements by 1,000%, cya DMV....they are like a quasi nation with their own unimpeachable rules.....

[Pazuzu]

Originally Posted by masraum

Here in TX, they have added a new document to the process. When you sell a vehicle, you as the seller give them a document that tells them who you sold the vehicle to, I guess, to counteract just this sort of crap.

When I bought my p-car, the seller and I agreed that the state really didn't need any more tax after getting paid 3 times for 3 transactions before. We agreed to claim a certain sell value that allowed me to pay an even $100 in tax. It didn't matter that the agreed value was absurd for a classic 911, I had a letter from him with us both signing for that value. DMV didn't blink an eye. I didn't feel like pushing it and paying no tax at all.

In Texas, older vehicles are taxes at sale value, newer cars are taxed at a calculated depreciated value. At least that's how it was 9 years ago.

[jhynesrockmtn]

I sold my 67 Mustang to raise money for college. Halfway during my freshman year the State Patrol calls and asks me why my car was abandoned on a secondary highway near my home town. I was across the state. My dad had to arrange towing and we got maybe $150 from the wrecking yard. The car had pretty much been stripped. The title had never been transferred. Now is WA the seller has to collect buyers info and report it when you sell a vehicle.

[stomachmonkey]

Originally Posted by Pazuzu

When I bought my p-car, the seller and I agreed that the state really didn't need any more tax after getting paid 3 times for 3 transactions before. We agreed to claim a certain sell value that allowed me to pay an even $100 in tax. It didn't matter that the agreed value was absurd for a classic 911, I had a letter from him with us both signing for that value. DMV didn't blink an eye. I didn't feel like pushing it and paying no tax at all.

In Texas, older vehicles are taxes at sale value, newer cars are taxed at a calculated depreciated value. At least that's how it was 9 years ago.

In NY they did not give a ****.

If what you "paid" was too far out of line with what they have in their system as average value they'd charge you the higher amount anyway.

One of the ways around it was to "disable" the vehicle in some way, like remove the battery, and state the vehicle is currently inoperable / doesn't run / needs repair hence the diminished value

You did not have to really disable it because they were never going to check but if you did you were not lying.

[DanielDudley]

I bought a car from a guy in CT, and I had to pay a CT state sales tax to get paperwork I could transfer to NY, where I also had to pay a sales tax.

So yeah, that figures into the total cost, and you can also figure the guy is OK with lying about pretty much anything around the car and the sale. If he had not written his name on the title where mine (as the new owner) should have been, it would have been fine.

[mattdavis11]

Originally Posted by Pazuzu

In Texas, older vehicles are taxes at sale value, newer cars are taxed at a calculated depreciated value. At least that's how it was 9 years ago.

Not any more. 6.25% of blue book value.