YACT: Getting a title for a car

eminemrh25

Golden Member
Feb 21, 2005
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2 years ago, my sister (at the time, she is 17) decides she wants to buy a car. She buys a 1990 Hyundai Excel for $500 from some lady that lived by some people we knew.

The lady gives my mom the title to the car and the bill of sales. They drove the car home, and my sister got all mad that she paid for the car and that my mom had the title, so she took the title from my mom. Well, she lost the title. She drove it around for a while, then it wouldn't start. It seemed to be a battery issue, so she bought a new battery, put a bunch of new parts in and it still didn't work. She couldn't sell it cause she didn't have a title, and she was too dumb to go back and ask the lady to file a lost title.

Fast forward 2 years, my mom kicks her outta the house. My sister couldn't do anything with the car and my mom was getting mad at her for keeping it at our house so she ended up basically just going "Here Ryan, this is your problem now!". At first, I got it running (it was a rusted battery connector that needed to be replaced...) and I wanted to sell it. So I went to where the lady used to live, just to find out she moved. Nobody knows where to.

I now have a running car in my driveway that has expired tabs that I need to sell because I just bought a new car not too long ago and still owe my mom money for.

How would I go about getting a new title for this car?
 

Regs

Lifer
Aug 9, 2002
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Well you would need some proof of purchase or ownership. An signed affidavit from the seller or original buyer.

Or, just take the short trip to a local DMV and ask.
 

eminemrh25

Golden Member
Feb 21, 2005
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Originally posted by: Regs
Well you would need some proof of purchase or ownership. An signed affidavit from the seller or original buyer.

Or, just take the short trip to a local DMV and ask.

My sister just withdrew $500 cash from her bank account. I don't know where the seller is or else I'd have her file a lost title. The original buyer I guess would be my mom since my sister was too young, what kind of affidavit?
 

Baked

Lifer
Dec 28, 2004
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Can't you file a lost title w/ your car registration as proof of ownership @ the DMV?
 

PAB

Banned
Dec 4, 2002
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Originally posted by: Baked
Can't you file a lost title w/ your car registration as proof of ownership @ the DMV?

You cant get a registration without a title. His registration likely expired with his tags.
 

eminemrh25

Golden Member
Feb 21, 2005
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Problem being that my mom NEVER switched it into her name... So I dont have a registration that has mine or my mothers name on it
 

PAB

Banned
Dec 4, 2002
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Originally posted by: eminemrh25
Problem being that my mom NEVER switched it into her name... So I dont have a registration that has mine or my mothers name on it

So let me get this straight.

You lost an open title?
 

Lucky

Lifer
Nov 26, 2000
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Is the car really worth enough to file for a missing title and to renew the registration? What's it worth?
 

eminemrh25

Golden Member
Feb 21, 2005
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Originally posted by: PAB
Originally posted by: eminemrh25
Problem being that my mom NEVER switched it into her name... So I dont have a registration that has mine or my mothers name on it

So let me get this straight.

You lost an open title?

I'm not sure what an "open" title is, but I think so...

Originally posted by: Lucky
Is the car really worth enough to file for a missing title and to renew the registration? What's it worth?

KBB Price is 1025..

At this point, im not in it for the money. I want it gone and my friends girlfriend wants to buy it for $500. As long as the title and everything doesnt cost me more than $500, i dont care...
 

Cal166

Diamond Member
May 6, 2000
5,081
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Let me get this straight, you guys never went to the DMV to register the car and get new plates and tags? If you guys did, then its very simple to request another copied which takes about 4-7 weeks to get in the mail.
 

Tom

Lifer
Oct 9, 1999
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You can't get a title because you don't own it.

PSA-The lady could get a new title, but besides that, she is potentially liable for anything involving that car, which is why people shouldn't deliver a car to a buyer until the title has been transferred.

 

giantpinkbunnyhead

Diamond Member
Dec 7, 2005
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Sounds like y'all are hosed. It's not worth hardly anything anyway, just drop it off at a wrecking yard and maybe they'll give you $50 for the scrap metal value.

 

EagleKeeper

Discussion Club Moderator<br>Elite Member
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Oct 30, 2000
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How did you sister drive the vehicle around without proper tags.

Or did she use the existing plates from the owner (stupid of the owner).
 

mugs

Lifer
Apr 29, 2003
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Originally posted by: eminemrh25
Problem being that my mom NEVER switched it into her name... So I dont have a registration that has mine or my mothers name on it

Your mom never registered the car? :confused:

How did your mom/sister get insurance for this car?
 

Rumpltzer

Diamond Member
Jun 7, 2003
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Originally posted by: eminemrh25
Originally posted by: DayLaPaul
Need pics of sister before I can offer any useful advise.
I doubt you'd want pics... she weighs about 350lbs....
It wasn?t the battery. The car died of exhaustion.

 

eminemrh25

Golden Member
Feb 21, 2005
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Originally posted by: EagleKeeper
How did you sister drive the vehicle around without proper tags.

Or did she use the existing plates from the owner (stupid of the owner).

She used the previous owner's plates..

Edit:
They don't issue new plates when you register a vehicle

Originally posted by: giantpinkbunnyhead
Sounds like y'all are hosed. It's not worth hardly anything anyway, just drop it off at a wrecking yard and maybe they'll give you $50 for the scrap metal value.

Wreaking yard wont take it without a title either...

Originally posted by: mugs
Originally posted by: eminemrh25
Problem being that my mom NEVER switched it into her name... So I dont have a registration that has mine or my mothers name on it

Your mom never registered the car? :confused:

How did your mom/sister get insurance for this car?

It never was insured, my mom never got a chance to register it since my dumba$$ sister decided to take the title before it got switched

Edit: it is possible to get insurance for a car that you don't own through Geico
 

giantpinkbunnyhead

Diamond Member
Dec 7, 2005
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If the wrecking company wont take it, then just leave it curbside in some ghetto neighborhood. No one will notice it, and without any ppwk in your name it'll never come back to you anyway.

OH!!!! WAIT!!

Ok, strap some big styrofoam wings to the roof, put racing stripes on it, and then drive it real fast over a ramp or jump and see how long you can stay airborne! Video tape it, and post pics.