I recently picked up a 50 Coronet Convertible that was parked at a junkyard 30+ years ago for a motor replacement. The junkyard was sold & I bought the car, as is with no title for 1/2 of what it was worth in scrap. The owner of the car passed away soon after the car was parked(can't go for a lost title), the owner of the junkyard passed away before I bought the car from the real estate co.(can't go for a mechanics lean or salvage title)... What options do I have? I'm in NJ too so that makes it worse... I posted up a WTB for a title and had a few responses but that doesn't help with the serial # on the door jamb as it appears nobody carries old papers with the matching plate... Short of buying another 50 Coronet Convertible for the paper(and GOOD luck finding that!), I'm at a loss!
a lot of people seam to have good luck with International Title Service . i have never used them because it doesn't work in Minnesota. maybe some NJ guys will see this and respond with their experiences basically they "buy" the car from you , title it in there state in their name with the VIN number you provide , and then "sell" it to you http://www.its-titles.com/
That stuff doesn't work in Jersey, we sold a car to a guy there and they wanted all the I's dotted and T's crossed. Do you have any friends in Pennsylvania that can title it for you there? That was one of his last-ditch options. New York might work, too, if you turn up with a recent NY registration rather than an old one. I'm trying to remember what he had to do with that car that had no paperwork.. seems like he needed a notarized reciept for it at the least - you can probably get that from the real estate company since that's who you bought it from.
Is there a way you can put a mechanics lean on it yourself. Start charging storage at $10 a day from the day in came to you place. Use the storage fee as a lein against it and apply for title that way. Just a thought. -Jeff
Locate an heir to the estate of the owner. Anything could happen, even possible somebody has the title! If not the title maybe some of the family can locate old registration or insurance documents. If so they can get it in their name with death certificate and after that transfer it to you. If they don't have the title but old registration paper, they can apply for lost title. In the meantime get a bill of sale, embellished with additional information, deposition of circumstances, etc. Have that document notorized, eventually you will have extblished a history. EVERYTIME you contact somebody with knowledge of the car, take the time to have their statement written down and notarized. Of Course, recognize that when the final word is documented, it might turn up somebody that wants to claim the car because they have a prior interest in it.
Great ideas so far... I wonder if I could get an "abandoned vehicle title" for it... I am a little "scared" that someone from the family will want "poppops" Dodge back. That's why I haven't touched a bolt on it yet until the paper's in hand...
Get a Family mamber of yours that is Old enough to have owned the car for many years and have them go to DMV and say it was there's and has since lost the Title and have them register it to them. Then have them sell/gift it to you and transfer Title. If i can do it in California i cant see whay it can't be done elswhere. I am sure its dropped of the computor and they have no record of it. Best way is to find a PRIVATE Registration Person to do it for you. At least here in CA. all Used Car Dealers have a PRIVATE registration service do there work.
I had a friend in PA. without a title he traced the srerial number and sent to a friend in Georiga who got a title made up. When his friend send a bill of sale back with the title he took it to a local title agent to get it retitled in PA.
I used Broadway Title, but moving back to Kansas is much easier, I am still waiting for my plates. I started this process in March.
If you have family in Mich, it would be easy for them to get one here as long as the vin number does not come up as stolen when they run it.
I am still having an issue in IL. I built the car to sell it and do not want to spend the bucks to get the bonded title in IL.
Many states do not require a title.I am originally from New Hampshire & one does not need a title for a car that is over 15 years old.The state uses(on average) 8 TONS of road salt PER MILE in the winter.So most 15 year old cars are rustbuckets.
you could sell it in a non title state. or list it on ebay. I see a lot of cars sold there with no title, couldn't affect the bidding that much because getting a title is only a matter of a couple of $hundred
First of all, your car has disappeared into the netherworld as far as records of the VIN and a lost title go. In almost every state in the USA only cars in the system are those which have been registered in the last 8-10 years. Everything prior to that is g-o-n-e from the system. That means into a permanent, or not-so-permanent, storage facility for paper records. The VIN number for your car in most states would be the motor number, which you have or haven't transplanted. If your state uses the body number from a plate on the firewall or door frame you're fine. Every state has Title Services which are in the business of getting paperwork straight on cars, trucks, etc. Check with your local one and see what they can do for you. Here in TX this is a fairly easily done procedure costing from about $250-$400. Don't panic. All things are doable within or without the "system".
"There is NOTHING a title service does that you can't do yourself" 1. auctioneer 2. mechanic's lien Both of these require state licenses, bonding and insurance.
You can locate them and enlist their services, you don't have to pay a title service to do it for you. . .
Ok, had a buddy of mine in GA give it a shot for me... Seemed easy until they told him they need to physically inspect the car to issue title... ie: car has to be in GA! Any other ideas... can't use Broadway or any of these other Title companies in NJ... WTF!
Have you tried seeing what New Jersey wants from you? The guy we sold the Lincoln to did eventually get it registered, my buddy had to send him a notarized reciept.
This question comes up about once a week around here. Do your homework BEFORE you buy the vehicle in question. That will keep you out of trouble and never, ever buy a vehicle without a title.
Unless its in a NON TITLED State for old vehicles......if its a 75 back in Alabama, and you have a current tag receipt with the bill of sale, you can get a title with that in your state if one is required.
They have a "14 step" program that I have to do. It involved title searches, contacting previous owners and their heirs, running ads in the paper and after all is said and done, all it takes is for one of the previous owners or thier heirs to say they claim the car and I have to give it over to them... I'm not going to risk "giving" the car away.
I can get plates same day in New York for a car with no title or registration if I bring the right forms with me. The better advice would be to know your states rules and regulations and what you have to do to work with them, or around them, as needed.
get a bill of sale from the real estate co. Take that to the DMV and have them run a search for last registered owner. If you know for a fact that person is deceased go to burea/dept. of vital statistics and have them supply you with a copy of the death certificate. Take that to the DMV and you should be able to have a title issued in your name
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