Vehicle Title Experts - anyone?

[OffRoad Rage]

Didn't get the answer from the MVD that we'd hoped for so if any of you have experience or could offer up a suggestion I'd be grateful. In a nutshell:

Buyer A gets truck from Seller B
Buyer A then sells truck to Buyer C without having re-titled it. Title was notarized and both Buyer A and Seller B signed the title. MVD says only a dealer can reassign the title. Now 6 plus years later Buyer C wants to title it.

MVD solution - contact the seller (Buyer A) and get a power of attorney. Over six years later not sure if the current owner still has Buyer A's contact information.

File for a lost title? Believe that would be around $300 and take a few weeks. (anyone confirm?)

Suggestions anyone?

Fire away, I'll make sure Buyer C has a flame suit on . . . . . . . . it's the cost of not fully knowing this states vehicle rules back then.

 

[Delancy]

Lost title or abandoned vehicle bond may be the best option, short of contacting POs, for AZ.

If you what to ship it to OK, I can get one in ninety days....

 

[Living in the Past]

Lost title or abandoned vehicle bond may be the best option short of getting it titled out of state and then getting it inspected and new title issued here. I have bought vehicles that were notarized by the seller but the buyer left their name and date blank. This allow a next buyer to title the vehicle. Once the buyer A signed the title he was suppose the transfer the title. Besides the transfer title once signed and dated by the buyer there is a time period to transfer the title. Years ago I gave my 79 Fj40 to my daughter and her husband. When they went thru a divorce I got it back. They never transferred the title and the ex husband claimed he couldn't find the title. Because it hadn't been registered in five years DMV dropped it from the system. The VIN did nothing to get me a duplicate title. Was told I needed to go downtown to office for a old title search. Later I found I have made a copy of the title. With the title number it only took a few minutes to get a duplicate title. I think in your case it would be seller B that is needed to be contacted. That will be the last recorded owner DMV would sound. Buyer didn't transfer the title so would not legally be the owner. If buyer C has this title seller B info should be on the title. If Seller B takes that title number to DMV he should be able to get a duplicate title and transfer it to who ever he wants. I hope Buyer C got a real good deal for all the hassle getting a title. In the future never buy a vehicle unless the seller has the title in their name. Plus don't wait six years to resolve the issue.

 

[Delancy]

In the future never buy a vehicle unless the seller has the title in their name.

I'll go one further.

If you can't personally inspect the title, as in an out of state deal, be sure to find a carrier that will and certify, or escrow the purchase funds until the title is successfully delivered to you.

 

[peacesells63]

If the person's contact info listed on the title is still good, contact them. Hopefully there is a bill of sale to accompany the title. My first car (a 63 mercury) had a lost title that was never transferred, and the guy I bought it from was able to track the guy he bought it from down 23 years later to get a PO. Made things simple, and no bond required. If you are unsure about the prior owner(s) giving you trouble about giving PO on the vehicle, or if it is worth some good money, get a bond.

 

[OffRoad Rage]

So the Paul Harvey rest of the story is, I was able to get back in touch with the seller, scan him a Power of Attorney, and he got it notarized and express mailed back to me. Moral, you never know until you do some research and ask. The guy went over and above my expectations. Great advice Peacesells63.
Small rant though and buyers beware, if you buy a non-running vehicle now, you have 15 days to do the title transfer without penalty. The big catch is the only way you can avoid having to immediately register it at the same time (requiring emissions testing) is that you have to have a Level 1 inspection preformed at the MVD (free) or pay to have an inspector come to you to prove it's non-running. Apparently a new law as of last year. Really? I have to prove it's not running just to get a title? Seems very excessive and a little heavy handed on the state's part. So that's my PSA to the club, be prepared to pay up to $100 in penalties for not re-titling the vehicle right away, or you have to drag it down to the MVD for the freebee inspection. Rant off.

 

[Living in the Past]

This is news to me. I have titled many non operating cruisers with no issue. The two weeks to transfer the title has been in effect for a long time. I've always done it right away. I didn't think the penalty was a $100 in the past. Proving non operating is new. If I come across a problem I'll just transfer the title in Winslow DMV using my up north address. So emissions should be a non issue.