[geshaghi]

If I'm serious about a car, I always want to know the status of the title certificate. I usually don't have an issue if it is not in the seller's name as long as it has been signed off by the prior owner. Sometimes, the DMV will require payment of additional fees and with newer cars (I think less than 10 years old), federal law requires a signed odometer disclosure statement from the seller. The key is to have all the paperwork in order BEFORE you show up at your local department of motor vehicles or tag office. I bought a car recently where the owner had the title but it still showed a lien that wasn't signed by the lender. The CA DMV didn't care as long as I had the title certificate and the car. This is one area where possession really is 9/10's of the law. The problem usually happens when you have DMV employees who don't understand title requirements in their own state or the state in which the car was titled, or you show up with incomplete/inaccurate paperwork. If the title is otherwise clear (i.e., no lien and not stolen), it's usually just a matter of extra money in order to get a new title if you don't have all the correct paperwork. Caveat emptor still applies on eBay though, so factor this hassle and cost in before you bid.