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Paperwork

Started by Barry M Wheeler #2189, December 27, 2017, 11:08:20 AM

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Barry M Wheeler #2189

Glory Hallelujah! My attorney sent me an email last night that the title to the '91 Seville came in the mail yesterday. She wrote me a week ago that the reason it had been "delayed" was that the guy who sold it to me did not have the legal right to do so. The car has been tied up in his father's estate with an IRS lien against it (and all the assets). I could see paying the IRS what they wanted for the car and then trying to get my money back from the seller. Then my (LawLady) wrote just before Christmas that the guy was going to turn over the $$$ and then their lawyer would release the title. So, yesterday I got a delayed Christmas present.

When I bought the car, he said he "forgot" to bring his portable printer with him for a receipt, but since he was going to deliver the car on a trailer the next day, and offered to give me back some of the Franklins that I'd given him, I let it slide. And when he did deliver it as promised, he said he'd contact the lawyer and get the title on its way.

I went through all the mail carefully for the next ten days or so, then contacted him and he wrote back and said it "had been sent to an old address." Well, I knew the USPS took "forever" to send back misdirected mail so I waited some more. After a couple of weeks, that's when I asked Miriam's opinion. And then I got the idea to check with the County Clerk of the county where his dad had lived. I easily obtained the name of the attorney for the estate as that is public domain information. I gave it to my attorney and that's when she found out about the lien.

The reason for the post is to caution all that might be thinking about purchasing a car this coming year that one of the first things you might do is to glance at the car, say "It's nice, and now let's check the paperwork to make sure the #s match." (This is before you inspect the car and "fall in love with it.") This is where the tall tales start to surface if there's going to be a problem.

"It's in my safety deposit box." "We had a fire and the title burned up." "My wife and I got a divorce and we're both on the paper work, and she took it with her." "The dog ate it." This last worked in sixth grade re: homework." "I don't have a bank account so I can't use a wire transfer." "I can't notarize the paperwork at the local car dealer because we got into a fight the last time I bought a car there." "I don't have a pen and paper to  give you a receipt." And so on...

I feel that I was extremely lucky to not have had to have gone to court in this matter. So don't fall for ANY tale of woe about the car. I should have walked away several times during my proceedings. And this guy was in no hurry, quite friendly, and eager to get the car to me the next day. Sent about three messages about why he was having trouble getting the trailer from U-haul.

What I thought was "funny" was that my search for a nice low mileage "semi-modern" car involved two 1991 Sevilles. The "other one" is still on Craigslist. The seller has gone from being a med student to a seventy year old man with bad eyes that can't drive any more, to a son selling the car for his elderly dad. I was supposed to send a substantial deposit to the guy's brother as he had some business partners that he didn't want to know that he'd come into some $$$. I didn't send it and when he called wondering if I had, he got "mad" at my lack of trust.

I told him I'd go through with the deal if he'd send me a photo of his DL, the title and have the address match the #s on the mailbox that showed on his photos in the ad. That never happened. The current photos do not show the one with the mailbox...  I feel that if I'd have gone ahead, I'd have been wandering around that airport all day waiting to be picked up. (His phone on white pages had a completely different name.)

If you're interested in a 50K nice '91 Seville, I can put you on to it. It's silver with a red leather interior. It's sitting at $3250 right now I believe. But I sure wouldn't fly in to look at it. Drive in with the cash only.

I guess all's well that ends well. Just don't fall for any tall tales about your car's paperwork.
Barry M. Wheeler #2189


1981 Cadillac Seville
1991 Cadillac Seville

The Tassie Devil(le)

Boy, what a saga.

Good to see your Christmas was extended.

Bruce. >:D
'72 Eldorado Convertible (LHD)
'70 Ranchero Squire (RHD)
'74 Chris Craft Gull Wing (SH)
'02 VX Series II Holden Commodore SS Sedan
(Past President Modified Chapter)

Past Cars of significance - to me
1935 Ford 3 Window Coupe
1936 Ford 5 Window Coupe
1937 Chevrolet Sports Coupe
1955 Chevrolet Convertible
1959 Ford Fairlane Ranch Wagon
1960 Cadillac CDV
1972 Cadillac Eldorado Coupe

James Landi

Used to be that a handshake and a person's  "word" was all that was necessary.  Glad that you finally own the car... did it all work out mechanically?   I vividly recall there were some serious challenges with its operation as well.    Happy day,  James

The Tassie Devil(le)

Down here it is still a Handshake, but have to have the Registration Papers in the sellers' name.   That is all that is needed for the "Title" in Australia.

Bruce. >:D
'72 Eldorado Convertible (LHD)
'70 Ranchero Squire (RHD)
'74 Chris Craft Gull Wing (SH)
'02 VX Series II Holden Commodore SS Sedan
(Past President Modified Chapter)

Past Cars of significance - to me
1935 Ford 3 Window Coupe
1936 Ford 5 Window Coupe
1937 Chevrolet Sports Coupe
1955 Chevrolet Convertible
1959 Ford Fairlane Ranch Wagon
1960 Cadillac CDV
1972 Cadillac Eldorado Coupe

Dave Shepherd

Most of this BS began with widespread internet sales.  Don't believe anything you are told without hard proof.

cadillacmike68

Old: No tickee, no shirtee,

New: No title, no benjies.   :P

Latest: show me the carfax.  :o
Regards,
"Cadillac" Mike

Jeff Rosansky CLC #28373

Boy you're not kidding. Paperwork can be scary. When I bought the 55 a few months ago it had a 20 year old out of state title signed over to a dealership (long story). I have a friend at the dmv and sent her pictures of the paperwork to check. She told me the car needed a vin verification. Because it wasn't driveable we had the hwy patrol come out to sign the forms. He was also there when we signed papers and exchanged $$. I was worried the whole time until the title came in the mail.
Glad it worked out for you.
Jeff
Jeff Rosansky
CLC #28373
1970 Coupe DeVille (Big Red)
1955 Series 62 (Baby Blue)
Dad's new 1979 Coupe DeVille

cadillacmike68

When I bought my 1996, it was fairly straightforward, but the title clerk gave me a few wary glances when I gave her the title with all the assignments. I'm in FL, and the car was in SC. A funeral home owned it and I think it went through 2 or 3 dealers to get to the dealer I bought it from in SC. And then then she said my wife didn't sign the title application (I had made it for both of us). I had to "go have her sign it". But she took it all and I got the title a few weeks later.
Regards,
"Cadillac" Mike

Maynard Krebs

'Twas interesting reading of M. Santos' experience.   They're easier to get along with down there.. compared with TAXachusetts RMV.   I bought a car a few years ago; the seller signed it on the wrong line.   The Mass. RMV made the seller, via me, to get a new title, at 75 bucks, T-Y, to be able to sell it to me.. for another $75 title fee.

I can't wait to leave TAXachusetts.... but the wife won't leave.

Dave Shepherd

Better not come across the border to NYSE, same bs here!!

Barry M Wheeler #2189

By chance, this thread was revived on the same day I finally GOT MY TITLE. Well, it's sent in to the place where they make up the new ones in Indy. I've got a temporary plate and registration! So I can finally get it parked on the street and even drive it. I plan to take it to Lafayette on Thursday when the temperature breaks and put a set of tires on it and perhaps have the radio re-installed. I got one like the one they "switched to" to make it easy to re-hook up.

By sheer chance, I even got waited on by the same young lady that gave me the list of things I had to get to satisfy the BMV. She looked them over, and then gave me the total I had to pay. So hopefully, in about ten days I will get a longish package in the mail with a permanent plate in it.

So remember, don't fall in love with the car before you see the paperwork. Or hand over any money.

Barry M. Wheeler #2189


1981 Cadillac Seville
1991 Cadillac Seville

cadillacmike68

Quote from: Maynard Krebs on January 16, 2018, 08:33:03 PM
'Twas interesting reading of M. Santos' experience.   They're easier to get along with down there.. compared with TAXachusetts RMV.   I bought a car a few years ago; the seller signed it on the wrong line.   The Mass. RMV made the seller, via me, to get a new title, at 75 bucks, T-Y, to be able to sell it to me.. for another $75 title fee.

I can't wait to leave TAXachusetts.... but the wife won't leave.

I left tax-a-chu in 1992. Stopped in NY for a few years and have been here since. I can drive my DVC today even in the 40F temps, and at least I won't have a flash flood that freezes on my car.  :P
Regards,
"Cadillac" Mike

e.mason

I have a horror story concerning getting the title to a inherited car.  Took almost a year to get a duplicate!  Without going into the sordid details.  I will just say, if you are the buyer, MAKE SURE YOU HAVE A VALID TITLE IN HAND,BEFORE YOU HAND OVER ANY MONEY! 
Eric Mason

Cape Cod Fleetwood

Quote from: Maynard Krebs on January 16, 2018, 08:33:03 PM
'Twas interesting reading of M. Santos' experience.   They're easier to get along with down there.. compared with TAXachusetts RMV.   I bought a car a few years ago; the seller signed it on the wrong line.   The Mass. RMV made the seller, via me, to get a new title, at 75 bucks, T-Y, to be able to sell it to me.. for another $75 title fee.

I can't wait to leave TAXachusetts.... but the wife won't leave.

Where in Taxachusetts are you? I'm on Cape Cod.
I wouldn't even consider a car unless they showed me the title that day.
When I registered The Ark at the RMV they wouldn't even consider the price I paid for it (2K, listed on the RMV sales form you print out), they used THEIR value of $4500 to figure sales tax.
Laurie!
There are 2 kinds of cars in the world, Cadillac and everything else....

The Present -1970 Fleetwood Brougham

The Past -
1996 Deville Concours
1987 Sedan De Ville "Commonwealth Edition"
1981 Coupe De Ville (8-6-4)
1976 Sedan De Ville
1975 Sedan De Ville

The Daily Driver and work slave -
2008 GMC Acadia SLT *options/all

The Tassie Devil(le)

Quote from: Cape Cod Fleetwood on January 26, 2018, 10:33:24 PM
......When I registered The Ark at the RMV they wouldn't even consider the price I paid for it (2K, listed on the RMV sales form you print out), they used THEIR value of $4500 to figure sales tax.   Laurie!   
The authorities don't have to go with the quoted price, simply because they are aware that buyers in a lot of cases under value a vehicle, just so they don't have to pay the correct taxes.

Bruce. >:D
'72 Eldorado Convertible (LHD)
'70 Ranchero Squire (RHD)
'74 Chris Craft Gull Wing (SH)
'02 VX Series II Holden Commodore SS Sedan
(Past President Modified Chapter)

Past Cars of significance - to me
1935 Ford 3 Window Coupe
1936 Ford 5 Window Coupe
1937 Chevrolet Sports Coupe
1955 Chevrolet Convertible
1959 Ford Fairlane Ranch Wagon
1960 Cadillac CDV
1972 Cadillac Eldorado Coupe

Barry M Wheeler #2189

#15
Today I have in my hot little hand the plate and registration for the car!!! It is "for sure" and finally mine. An easy job to do after lunch (If I have the right special "head" wrench in my assortment from Sears.) Evidently, the former owner didn't want to take a chance on having his plates stolen so he used special head screws with a snap on cover. Snazzy.

Not only did he use the special screws, but the tool needed to have a hole drilled in the center of it. Guess what? The plates on the '79 are the special screws finger tight and the ones on the '91 are plain old Phillips. There's taking "theft protection" just a little too far.
Barry M. Wheeler #2189


1981 Cadillac Seville
1991 Cadillac Seville