Long story.... we have had this truck for 4 yrs and we owed maybe $400 dollars on it at a tote the note place, the owner lost his bussiness and shut down, we continued to make payments for a while hit and miss by mail and even going to his house a few times.... we got behind and did not make payments for several weeks....shortly after all this the owner of the car lot committed suicide. Sad but true... very strange... we heard rumors, but anyway, no bank or family member of the car lot owner ever contacted us about payment or reposession and it has not shown up on our credit reports or anything of that nature.... Problem is we never got the title because in reality we still owe $400 dollars. What should we do about this situation, how could we legally get the title, We have had the truck 4 yrs scince he has passed and no contact about it at all. We are ready to sell it. help!
2006-12-05 03:41:42 · 6 answers · asked by incognito 2 in Cars & Transportation ➔ Insurance & Registration
We are not theives, thank you very much! We did try to contact them a few times right after his death but did not get a response, as his wife had already moved out and file for divorce before he died (that was the rumor we heard anyway). We never heard from anyone and we were a little apprehensive to mail hard earned money to a dead guys house, as horrible as that sounds, at least three phone calls were made to his residence after his death and we have not heard a thing from anyone. How can I pay for something when there is no one to pay it to??? why do people have to be rude in their answers?
2006-12-05 04:12:12 · update #1
Apply to the state for a lost title...
2006-12-05 03:43:51 · answer #1 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 0⤋
You should have the title. No one selling a vehicle in any state holds the title until it's paid for. They add their name as legal owner, yours as registered owner, and give you the paperwork, which you take to the tag office and get your plates, then the new title is mailed to YOU. (sometimes dealers will do that for you, but then the new plates and title would still be mailed to you.)
Of course you can't do much to the vehicle until it's paid for and you get a lien release from the lender, which you take to the tag office to get clear title.
Someone is the Representative of the estate of the person who held your note. Contact them and do whatever you need to do to get a lien release.
2006-12-05 14:35:05 · answer #2 · answered by oklatom 7 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Legally you cannot get a title to the vehicle until the lien is cleared as it is on the state records. Only two things can happen here. Either you contact the lien holder and pay off the truck, or get them to agree to release the lien without the payment. You do not legally "own" the vehicle until it is completely paid for and the lienholder has released the lien. You simply have possession of it. Now if they have closed shop and you have attempted in "good faith" to make payments on this then will have to go to court and get a judgement from the judge. This is probably going to be way more expense than will be worth though. Vehicle can be sold for scrap in most states if over 10 years old without a title, but if less than ten years old is illegal for salvage yards to buy it as well. Having worked for one for many years we had to turn down a lot of good cheap vehicles because of just this sort of problem. State comes by and checks vehicles against car titles or permits to dismantle on hand and salvage yards get into serious trouble if all is not in order. This is done to prevent folks from selling stolen vehicles, and vehicles with liens on them and where they attempt to get out of paying the money. This appears to not be the case for you as you are attempting to pay it off. Motor vehicle office in your state should be able to tell you how to contact the owners even if out of business as they have to keep records. Also all licensed car dealers have to be "bonded" by the state and the "bond" is designed to cover such things as this in case the car dealers refuse to. You have legal recourse in this, but unless the truck is worth a good deal of money doubt it is going to be worth fooling with.
2006-12-05 11:56:12 · answer #3 · answered by mohavedesert 4 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Go to the local tax office and get an application for lost title. They can also tell you what you might be able to do to clear the money owed on it. Most of the people that work there have been there a while and have seen everything you can imagine.
2006-12-05 13:29:43 · answer #4 · answered by jerrys_love 3 · 0⤊ 0⤋
pay the money owed on the title to the ppl it is owed to so they will release the title and sign off the lien, per the current titled owner's permission
the current owner will haave to sign the sellers line on the title to you,
otherwise you cant do anything, you cant go around this without breaking the law
good luck
2006-12-05 11:48:10 · answer #5 · answered by mr wabbit 5 · 0⤊ 0⤋
In most states, whoever finances the car puts their name on the title as LEINHOLDER and the DMV sends the title to them.
Then when you pay it off they send you the title.
2006-12-05 22:07:39 · answer #6 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 0⤋