Sold my car, Now I need help! (legal, plates)

[JGMotorsport64]

I'd ignore him, if he presses tell your insurer. You shouldn't need to actually pay for a lawyer if you have insurance, they may indemnify you.

What everyone else said is correct, however it isn't like DMV timeline of sale and boom it's over, it's more like "here's a bunch of evidence demonstrating that the driver wasn't my agent nor acting on my behalf, and I reasonably believed him to have purchased the car as evidenced by . . . "

But I doubt it gets that far.


This message does not qualify as legal advice.

[johnp292]

Originally Posted by CSD610

It does not matter if anyone has experienced with something similar, it is a legal matter and no one here can give you legal advice, it is against TOS.

Whether giving or asking for legal advice on a forum is a good idea is certainly debatable, but I don't see anything in the TOS that prohibits it.

[observer53]

Originally Posted by CSD610

It does not matter if anyone has experienced with something similar, it is a legal matter and no one here can give you legal advice, it is against TOS.

It's not against the TOS to give legal advice. An anonymous internet forum is certainly not the best place to get legal advice, but that doesn't mean it's against the rules here.

[cactusland]

I am not a lawyer and this is not legal advice...

with that being said, dmv.org states that the signature is very important to prove the sale happened, however AZ doesn't require it. You have no obligation to respond to him, and I would suggest against it in the event of escalation.
Arizona Bill of Sale Form & Requirements | DMV.org
"NOTE: The AZ MVD Bill of sale asks for only the seller’s signature; however, the buyer should also consider signing the document. The buyer’s signature further indicates both parties were knowingly involved in the transaction."

I think the buyer is trolling you and trying to get more money out of you. I hope you removed the plates and such. If he is driving it around, then he already has it registered in his name if he did it properly and it is no longer your concern.

[TAZORAC]

Originally Posted by sailmotion

It's a legal matter. Consult an attorney. And BTW, I would refrain from making admissions on an open forum; but that's just me.

You think somebody who just sold a car for 180 bucks has the money for a lawyer?

[TAZORAC]

Originally Posted by britanylynn

Hello everybody, thanks for coming to read my post.

So, a week ago, I sold my vehicle that was no longer running. The transmission went out, and the buyer bought the whole car for $180. Yeah, I know. He got it for a really cheap price. I had considered it a loss, and I just wanted it gone. So I got a bill of sale notarized, and I also filled out a vehicle sold notice on the DMV website.

He did not sign the bill of sale in front of my father who was the one who sold it for me and I don't have any information on the buyer other than a phone number. The buyer texted me and told me that one of the tires fell off after he fixed the car and it caused him to hit another vehicle. I had no issues with the tires but it had been sitting awhile before I had sold it to him, which we told him as well. I am guessing he has not put his name on the title yet. I have not texted him back yet.

Is there any way this could come back and hurt me in any way? The vehicle was sold as is. Considering he had already got it running within a week, he just paid $180 for a vehicle that needed a few days worth of work.

Any information on this would be great. Thank you!

Ignore him, the car is his now.

[Jimrob1]

You are not responsible for anything going on with that car now. I just bought a used car from a private party here in Fla. I had the car checked by a mechanic before I bought it. If anything went wrong after the bill of sale was signed, then it is my responsibility. I would not worry about this matter at all. It is the new owners responsibility. You said the car was sitting for awhile. Right there should have signalled the new owner to really check the car out. Rest your mind. You have no responsibility to that car any longer. A used car is sold as is. Go out and about enjoy your weekend without that car on your mind.

[britanylynn]

Thank you everybody for your comments. Sadly, my father did not take my plates off of the car. He hasn't texted me again so I am not sure if his statements were true or false. I appreciated the insight.

Just to be clear, I was not looking for legal advice, only asking if anybody had any knowledge about the subject.

[Zippyman]

Originally Posted by britanylynn

Thank you everybody for your comments. Sadly, my father did not take my plates off of the car. He hasn't texted me again so I am not sure if his statements were true or false. I appreciated the insight.

Just to be clear, I was not looking for legal advice, only asking if anybody had any knowledge about the subject.

So the buyer was likely scooting around with your plates & no insurance. That's the issue - I'd suspect if there was an old proof of insurance in the car, that would have been passed off to the other driver. You're not responsible, but you might have to "prove yourself innocent" by showing the dmv notice of sale. Whatever you do, if you're called by an insurance company that isn't your own, refuse to make any statements. The other driver will make a claim to their insurance, who may try to get your insurance to pay. Only talk to your agent, no one else's- your liability ended with the sale, but everyone involved has an incentive to ding your insurance instead. There's really no way the buyer could have obtained lawful plates in a few days with just a bill of sale in az. The buyer needs a title, not a bill of sale.

[locolobo13]

Many years ago my Dad sold his car. Like you he notified DMV. A few weeks later the police asked him about it. Turned out somebody had used the car in a robbery. He gave them a little more info than was in the DMV notification, description of the buyer. That was it. This is not legal advice, just my opinion, I wouldn't worry about it.