Lost car title HELP ME HELP ME!! (buyer, DMV)

[rpmhigh]

I bought a 1994 mazda miata 4 months ago from a private dealer who had bought this car from an auction in pensylvania. The car was in terrible conditions and I repair and got it running again. However, during this time the car was parked in the drive way and I did not register under my name. And the title in no where to be found. Does anyone know what should a do to get another duplicate!!! or go to court instead!!! thankss!!!

Dan

[ChristineVA]

Dan,

When you bought the car from the dealer, were you given a title signed over to you? If so, that should be recorded at the DMV as the dealer would have submitted that. You can just go to the DMV (actually use their website, I think it tells you how to get another title). It should be no problem as long as the paperwork was done properly when you purchased the car. I have gotten duplicate titles before. It was no big deal.

[car54]

Dealers do not automatically submit the title work on behalf of vehicle purchasers. It is a service they can provide....for a fee.

If the title you lost was only signed over to you, but never retitled IN YOUR NAME...then you have a problem. The duplicate title must be obtained by the previous owner, then signed over to the dealer(s) who then re-assigns the title to you. This hassle will likely cost you.

By the way, what is a "private dealer? If you mean an unlicensed dealer, better known as a "curbstoner"...good luck even finding the guy.

[pamela40]

Hi everyone,

My son purchased is first car through Auto Trader from a private seller, he paid $3.200 for this 1994 Acura Legend to the seller, the Seller's name wasnt on the Title , also the Seller was the person who sign the bill of sale, now when my son went to the Florida DMV they told him it dosent work that way and he needs the person whose name is on the Title needs to sign the Bill of Sale,basically the signature dosent match the one on the Title. So he called up the guy (the Seller) and told him what had happened, and the seller said that the owner of the car which is his uncle had to travel to Haiti due to some family emergency and will be returning in three weeks time to date of purchased, and he will have to wait until the uncle gets back to the USA..

Now What can he do instead of wait for this uncle? because the car is park outside in front of our house, and the city will come and tow it if it sits out there too long with any Plate etc, also when we told the seller that we are going to contact the broward sheriffs office in regards to this matter, his reply to that was he did not do anything wrong must do what we have to do plus he had already spend the money and can't repay my son.

[car54]

Originally Posted by pamela40

Hi everyone,

My son purchased is first car through Auto Trader from a private seller, he paid $3.200 for this 1994 Acura Legend to the seller, the Seller's name wasnt on the Title , also the Seller was the person who sign the bill of sale, now when my son went to the Florida DMV they told him it dosent work that way and he needs the person whose name is on the Title needs to sign the Bill of Sale,basically the signature dosent match the one on the Title. So he called up the guy (the Seller) and told him what had happened, and the seller said that the owner of the car which is his uncle had to travel to Haiti due to some family emergency and will be returning in three weeks time to date of purchased, and he will have to wait until the uncle gets back to the USA..

Now What can he do instead of wait for this uncle? because the car is park outside in front of our house, and the city will come and tow it if it sits out there too long with any Plate etc, also when we told the seller that we are going to contact the broward sheriffs office in regards to this matter, his reply to that was he did not do anything wrong must do what we have to do plus he had already spend the money and can't repay my son.

This is called "skipping titles". Curbstoners do this to avoid paying the titling tax to get the vehicle into their name. When they buy a car, they tell the seller to just sign the title and leave the "Buyer" field blank....and then when they resell the car, they write their buyer's name on the title...or they might leave it blank too if their buyer is also looking to skip title.

The official records will then show that the end purchaser of the car bought it straight from the original owner...and any and all owners in between remain unknown.

LICENSED dealers are legally allowed to skip titles by using documents called "dealer reassignments". Why don't curbstoners just obtain a dealer's license? Because they would have to post bond, maintain a place of business, and comply with myriad other dealer laws.

I've bought beaters that the title was skipped....but I'd NEVER buy a high value car with a skipped title because you would have no recourse against the seller of record....because he didn't you the car...he sold it to the curbstoner.


....and if you buy a car with a skipped title....DON'T LOSE IT! The original owner is the only one that can legally obtain a duplicate title, and he won't know you from Adam...he sold the car to someone else.

[YorkMobileNotary]

The Notary Certificate of Default Method has a way of almost forcing any government agency or a private individual to honor you in their interactions with you. This is done through a sequence of notarized correspondences between you and your opponent, which is akin to receiving an administrative judgment against someone. The person granting the administrative judgment is the notary who is supervising and monitoring and enforcing your interactions with the third party that you are corresponding with. They provide legal proof that you sent the conditional acceptance to the
third party and proof that there was no response. Since they are notaries and notaries are officers of the court, then an officer of the court certifies with a notarized affidavit provided to you that you sent
the conditional acceptance to the claimant and that there was either a response, no response or a dishonor of your offer or request. The notary is identified in your correspondence as the proper person for
the claimant to respond to. The notary then awaits the response of the claimant and when they refuse to respond, then a notarized affidavit from the notary is provided to you indicating the default
and grant an administrative law judgment against the claimant that you can take into a court of law to get a summary or default judgment against them.

[YorkMobileNotary]

The Notary Certificate of Default Method has a way of almost forcing any government agency or a private individual to honor you in their interactions with you. This is done through
a sequence of notarized correspondences between you and your opponent, which is akin to receiving an administrative judgment against someone. The person granting the administrative judgment is the
notary who is supervising and monitoring and enforcing your interactions with the third party that you are corresponding with. They provide legal proof that you sent the conditional acceptance to the
third party and proof that there was no response. Since they are notaries and notaries are officers of the court, then an officer of the court certifies with a notarized affidavit provided to you that you sent
the conditional acceptance to the claimant and that there was either a response, no response or a dishonor of your offer or request. The notary is identified in your correspondence as the proper person for
the claimant to respond to. The notary then awaits the response of the claimant and when they refuse to respond, then a notarized affidavit from the notary is provided to you indicating the default
and grant an administrative law judgment against the claimant that you can take into a court of law to get a summary or default judgment against them.