bought a truck last night... huge issues with the title now - UPDATE

Oct 9, 1999
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I bought a truck off CL for $3500. The truck has high mileage, but it runs good.

Anyway the problem we noticed after we made teh sale (after we got home) is causing me a headache.

1. The title VIN matches VIN on the truck (I checked that when we bought it), the plate on the title does not match the truck.
2. The title was signed, the guy who sold it to us hands us a signed title. I only checked the signed name and first two letters, didnt notice the date of 5/11/2011 .. we bought it last night ...He was impersonating the seller I think. The problem is 'the buyer' portion has no signature. So that title we have in our hands was never turned into the DMV.
3. The plates that are ON the truck, carfax, does not find anything. He didnt give us a registration, but its registered to 2014...


A) So trucks plates are either stolen or truck is not titled in CA. I dont know how to handle this. The title is an older title. It had commercial title (before) and now has a different plate.
B) The mileage is a bit off but thats fine (few thousand miles) - aka: whats on the title vs. whats on the truck. I cant figure out what happened there. How can the DMV issue new plates..

The truck will be going out of state its for a friend (going to AZ). Everything else checked out, the one thing we didnt check was the title sign off name and date.

The good thing is I have a picture of the guy who sold it to us, and his drivers licence.. so we can identify him. However his name does not match the title owners name.

how big a boo-boo is this one? I know that guy will be in trouble but yeah.. bloody hell.


UPDATE - May 20, 2013


Went to AAA office this afternoon, that after I dropped the truck off at the local mechanic to give it a once over. AAA states everything is correct. Turns out, yes it does have a new plate, yes its registered, and yes the title is correct. So apparently the guy managed to change it from a 'commercial' plate to a normal plate without turning in the title. But apparently everything checks out, so its a matter of him signing the title and turning it into the AZ state DMV office.

So that is a huge relief. Even though the guy who sold it to us is not the guy who's name is on the title. It shouldnt be a huge issue though from what AAA said.

On the flip side, to make the truck work the way it should (we're doing a precautionary replacement of fluids / parts), it will run my friend another 1500. Still for under 5000, not a bad driving truck. I took it this morning to the LA port area to drop off a consignment package, and the truck did fine with the AC on and 500 lbs of stuff on the back.
 
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Oct 9, 1999
15,216
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okay he said the plate was 'handicap' before now its got a non-handicap plate, so it shouldnt be a problem.. just turn in the title to the DMV with the plate, and get a new plate.. Its a royal pain in the butt I tell you.

I am going to go to the DMV / AAA tomorrow and check to see if the plate matches the VIN number in the DMV system since its current. If so then all it requires is drive over the border, register turn in CA plates, register as AZ plates
 
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Vic Vega

Diamond Member
Sep 24, 2010
4,535
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I bought a car this way a few years ago (edit: strange how a few turns into 20 real fast).

Dude #1 buys a car from dude #2. Dude #2 signs title and gives to dude #1.

Dude #1 (for whatever reason) renews the CURRENT registration (most likely with dude #2's permission) and drives the car for a year or so. Dude #1 never changes the title.

Dude #1 sells the car a few years later to dude #3, he has the original signed title he got from dude #2. The title goes with dude #3.

That may be what happened, dude.
 
Oct 9, 1999
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the problem with that story, you got turn in plates / title to get new plates.

at least that is my understanding.. I may run down to teh local PD and see if they can pull up the car to make sure its not titled to something else.
 

TallBill

Lifer
Apr 29, 2001
46,017
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Not if it changed states. I never had to turn in my dads plates when I got my truck retitled in AZ. All I had to give them was the title that he signed to me.
 
Oct 9, 1999
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I am hoping for a easy resolution. The truck is for a friend who wrecked his. It was a long search for one that had what he was looking for in the price he was looking for..

I wish he had used teh $$ to buy a newer truck with the money as downpayment, but he said his credit is shot for now. He couldnt afford a truck from carmax or any other places.
 

WilliamM2

Platinum Member
Jun 14, 2012
2,587
603
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May be different there, but here in Michigan when you sell a car, you keep the plates. The new owner registers it and gets their own plates, or transfers the plate from their old vehicle. The only problem you would have, is there is a fine if the vehicle isn't registered within 10 days of the sell date on the title.
 

Doppel

Lifer
Feb 5, 2011
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My guess is this wasn't done properly but no big crime/impersonation took place. Once you clear it up I bet it's all okay.
 

smackababy

Lifer
Oct 30, 2008
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May be different there, but here in Michigan when you sell a car, you keep the plates. The new owner registers it and gets their own plates, or transfers the plate from their old vehicle. The only problem you would have, is there is a fine if the vehicle isn't registered within 10 days of the sell date on the title.

I have never bought or sold a used car in Texas with plates remaining on it. Why would you trust some random driving a car registered to you. Always seemed like a liability.
 
Sep 7, 2009
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People do this to skip out on taxes.....

My bet is that the guy has some other truck with current tags and swaps them back and forth to avoid taxes/insurance on two vehicles. In my state the plate follows the owner, and would be irrelevant in this situation.

Depending on the state you could be fairly screwed by the tax side of things... If the title is the same state as yours they will likely want back taxes on it.


Be very careful. Even if it's 'legit' (not stolen) you can still get major headaches with these third party transfers. I did it once when I was a kid, the guy I bought a motorcycle from bought it from his neighbor 2-3 years earlier. For some reason they put down a totally incorrect date... like 2009 instead of 1999 or something like that.. A date 'in the future'... And my tag office tried to seize the title to force me to get a new one when I was honest about me buying it from someone who didn't sign the title. It was a PITA and took a good couple months to properly resolve.
 

smackababy

Lifer
Oct 30, 2008
27,024
79
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Can someone enlighten me on how that would be a good idea (or at least why they do it that way)?

I would really like to know this. By removing / keeping the plates you force the new owners to either drive without plates (which means the first cop they see is going to pull them over) or register the car.
 
May 13, 2009
12,333
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I would really like to know this. By removing / keeping the plates you force the new owners to either drive without plates (which means the first cop they see is going to pull them over) or register the car.

Temporary tag off the dmv website. It is good for 5 days and only good to drive home and to the dmv to get the car registered. I am selling a car and I state specifically in my ad that I will be keeping my license plates so they need to have the money for the car and the money to have it registered.
 

smackababy

Lifer
Oct 30, 2008
27,024
79
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Temporary tag off the dmv website. It is good for 5 days and only good to drive home and to the dmv to get the car registered. I am selling a car and I state specifically in my ad that I will be keeping my license plates so they need to have the money for the car and the money to have it registered.

I meant the argument for the plates staying with the car. I would never sell a car and not keep the plates.
 

Midwayman

Diamond Member
Jan 28, 2000
5,723
325
126
I bought a car this way a few years ago (edit: strange how a few turns into 20 real fast).

Dude #1 buys a car from dude #2. Dude #2 signs title and gives to dude #1.

Dude #1 (for whatever reason) renews the CURRENT registration (most likely with dude #2's permission) and drives the car for a year or so. Dude #1 never changes the title.

Dude #1 sells the car a few years later to dude #3, he has the original signed title he got from dude #2. The title goes with dude #3.

That may be what happened, dude.

Sounds like what may have happened one time I sold a car. Guy had me sign off on the title. You're supposed to fill in the buyer, etc, but he had me leave that open. I assumed it was since he planned on reselling
 

WilliamM2

Platinum Member
Jun 14, 2012
2,587
603
136
Sounds like what may have happened one time I sold a car. Guy had me sign off on the title. You're supposed to fill in the buyer, etc, but he had me leave that open. I assumed it was since he planned on reselling

Leaving any part blank is illegal, and opens you up to liability. I always copy the completed and signed title, so I can prove I sold the vehicle.

The guy who bought my ZX11 wanted me to leave the dollar amount and date off last summer, so he wouldn't have to register it right away. I refused, all I need is for something to happen while the state still thinks it's mine.
 

TallBill

Lifer
Apr 29, 2001
46,017
62
91
Leaving any part blank is illegal, and opens you up to liability. I always copy the completed and signed title, so I can prove I sold the vehicle.

The guy who bought my ZX11 wanted me to leave the dollar amount and date off last summer, so he wouldn't have to register it right away. I refused, all I need is for something to happen while the state still thinks it's mine.

Lol screw that
 
Oct 9, 1999
15,216
3
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UPDATE - May 20, 2013


Went to AAA office this afternoon, that after I dropped the truck off at the local mechanic to give it a once over. AAA states everything is correct. Turns out, yes it does have a new plate, yes its registered, and yes the title is correct. So apparently the guy managed to change it from a 'commercial' plate to a normal plate without turning in the title. But apparently everything checks out, so its a matter of him signing the title and turning it into the AZ state DMV office.

So that is a huge relief. Even though the guy who sold it to us is not the guy who's name is on the title. It shouldnt be a huge issue though from what AAA said.

On the flip side, to make the truck work the way it should (we're doing a precautionary replacement of fluids / parts), it will run my friend another 1500. Still for under 5000, not a bad driving truck. I took it this morning to the LA port area to drop off a consignment package, and the truck did fine with the AC on and 500 lbs of stuff on the back.
 

Zap

Elite Member
Oct 13, 1999
22,377
2
81
Can someone enlighten me on how that would be a good idea (or at least why they do it that way)?

IDK.

In CA it is okay to drive around without plates when the car is new and you will get mailed plates. People have been known to go for many, many months without installing their plates, to keep that "new car look."

In WI the dealer has a selection of WI plates to put on your car so you drive off with plates (or use your own).

In IL you get yellow cardboard temporary plates and get mailed permanent ones.
 

smackababy

Lifer
Oct 30, 2008
27,024
79
86
In Texas, you get a piece of paper that says the purchase date. No idea how long it is good for. Probably 30 days or something. But that is only on new cars.
 

Topweasel

Diamond Member
Oct 19, 2000
5,437
1,659
136
In Texas, you get a piece of paper that says the purchase date. No idea how long it is good for. Probably 30 days or something. But that is only on new cars.


Depending on the dealer its the same in Michigan. Though larger dealerships now have plates, but if I want a special one they can put a paper plate on it till I get to the DMV (SoS here). In theory I think the Title and Registration are already handled you just have to SoS pay the plate fee (normal plus the cost of the "special" plate).
 

Raduque

Lifer
Aug 22, 2004
13,140
138
106
In Texas, you get a piece of paper that says the purchase date. No idea how long it is good for. Probably 30 days or something. But that is only on new cars.

Two months, usually. I bought my truck on September 28th and my dealer temp tag expired on the same day in November.