No title for my 98 D1. Suggestions please

BDM

BDM

Well-known member
May 23, 2005
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I recently purchased a 98 D1 from a guy in CA. Originally the title had been lost and he was going to reapply for the title and send it out to me. In the mean time (naively of me) I sent him the money for the disco and took the delivery of the vehicle.

It's been nearly 3 weeks and the guy won't respond to vmails or text messages. So now I'm thinking I'm screwed with a truck that's worthless because I can't title it. Yes, I know, rookie move on my part.

Anyone have any suggestions? I'm currently in NC. My only course of action I can see is taking a loss on the truck and selling it as a parts vehicle.

Any help is greatly appreciated!
 
BDM

BDM

Well-known member
May 23, 2005
333
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He owns a shop and apparently did a bunch of work to it. He obtained the disco through a lien sale when the owner couldn't pay for the bill. I have the lien sale paperwork which is signed over to me but the state of NC needs a title to transfer ownership. So I need this guy to file the paperwork on his end so he can obtain a title and send it to me.
 
Shiftonthefly1

Shiftonthefly1

Well-known member
Aug 11, 2014
433
15
Las Vegas
I know this may not be helping...but here in NV you can't even junk a vehicle with out a title. So as for selling it as a parts vehicle...you may need to find some one who doesn't mind the legality of sawzall-ing it into tiny pieces.

Or you could buy another cheap donor vehicle and swap everything over to that one. Scrap what's left of the CA truck.
 
jim-00-4.6

jim-00-4.6

Well-known member
Sep 30, 2005
2,037
6
61
Genesee, CO USA
Jimmy said:
BBB complaint, if all else fails?
Click to expand...
Personally, I have never checked to see if someone I was doing business with had any sort of BBB stuff.

I recall back in the 80s, the BBB people coming door-to-door, pressuring shopkeepers to pay the membership fee for their club, so they could put the BBB sticker on the window.
It seemed like a scam to me, so I've never dealt with BBB; they didn't seem trustworthy. hahahah

Same reason I pay no mind to Consumer Reports (are they still around?)
Way back in the day, they had a completely bullshit article about VHS video tape.
I figured since they got every single thing wrong in that one article, they were a bullshit organization.
 
kade

kade

Well-known member
Oct 15, 2013
235
7
Upstate, SC
Have an attorney send him a letter ? He obviously isn't going to file the paperwork, he already has the money and it would take time, effort, and money to get a title
 
squirt

squirt

Well-known member
Nov 13, 2008
824
13
Los Angeles
I've bought a few cars in the past from shops that have taken ownership after the original owner abandoned the cars. I have never even considered going through the hassle of getting a title for them.

You're relying heavily on the fact that the seller and lienholder went through the efforts and legal hoops in the right order to obtain a title. Reference below:
https://www.dmv.ca.gov/portal/dmv/?...dmv_content_en/dmv/pubs/brochures/howto/htvr7

Was your seller the holder of the mechanic's lien and buyer at the lien sale, or just the buyer? Look at steps 6A and 6B attached. If he was just the buyer, you're kind of fucked. Bonded title would be your best bet, but if the lienholder didn't do things the right way, there's always a chance that the original owner could lay claim to the vehicle.

If you really want to register and drive this truck, the best advice was given further up in the thread, regarding buying a clean title chassis rustbucket locally and swapping parts. Definitely do NOT just do a VIN swap. That would be completely illegal and immoral. Yeah, for sure don't do that.
 
BDM

BDM

Well-known member
May 23, 2005
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OR
Good advice squirt. Actually was able to get ahold of the guy. From what he says, after speaking with the DMV, he'll be able to transfer the title properly to his name as a non-op. From there he'll send it over to me. Sounds like I dodged a bullet. Hopefully it works out.
 
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