Buying a vehicle without a title???

Anyone have any experience on getting a replacement title if you aren't the original owner...

I'm working on it right now and it's a pita...

I am currently having the same delima. I've been getting told to just get a mechanix title if everything checks out with the vin number and the car isin't reported stolen or lost. Maybe just check with the registrations office and see what info they can tell you it wont cost anything for information.

yeah i've been looking into bonded titles one of my buddies said he got his by saying it was his grand fathers and he passed away and they pretty much gave him everything after that

hmmm...Not too bad of a story...lol

I've done it twice. Once it worked well & the other time I got screwed.

The first one was straight forward...mechanic's lein, add in the paper of my home town & the previous owner's, police inspection, little paperwork & it was mine.

Second one was (still is) a nightmare. Followed the same procedure & began building it. Half way through the deal I got a call from some finance company's lawyer saying the guy I bought it from used it as an asset in his bankruptcy and they were coming to get it but I had it so dismantled they couldn't take it. My lawyer said that there's some sort of time frame in which they must take control of property and that was well expired and now the storage fee alone is much more than the truck was valued by the bankruptcy people so I guess there's hope. I have just cut my losses & used most of the parts off of it for other projects.

Good luck. And before you use the grandfather story, you may want to make sure that the previous owner wasn't a woman!

first you can only force a lein if you are either a body shop, mechanics facility, or a towing company...(at least in florida)...so if you are not a certified shop. many you have your occupational licensing etc to be a legit business you may not get a lein placed.

most peps try the salvaged title route. buy a junk get a salvaged or rebuilt title swap the vins...not really legal but hard to prove otherwise.

you can also go to a state that is a little softer on their registration process. Mississippi, Georgia and i sure there are a few others.

most states can pull the owner of the vehicle by the vin if they know the last state it was registered in. so telling them it was someones vehicle when it wasn't may not be the best move. if they varify the owner through the system they may think you stole the vehicle.

your local DMV should beable to tell you if the vehicle has a lein on it..just take the vin # in and ask....telling them you are looking to buy it but the guy cant find the title. you just want to make sure it is legal. there should not be any charge.

if your not a legit shop find a friend who ownes one or a tow truck buddy in florida it is 254.00 bucks and thirty days...hope this info helps

just move on, and find another one, i have had bad experiences and im over it.

That's when you find a vehicle of the same make and model that is good for nothing. Possibly heading to the junkyard or being sold dirt cheap for parts or whatever. Get the title from the owner before he junks it and pop rivet the vin number where yours is now. Not sure how they do it in other states but here in the KY all they look at is the title. We don't have inspections unless they are out of state and even then all they do is compare the title vin to the vin on the dash. But no inspection at all if in state. I could drive to the circuit clerk in a Lamborghini Gallardo with a 67' VW Beetle title and they wouldn't know the difference lol.

It varies from state to state. I deal with this alot in Texas and its not too complicated. I can pay $2 at the DMV and find out the last registered owner using the vin or license plate and 99% of the time that is the person on the title. You can look them up and call and see if they will file for a lost title (usually have to offer them some cash or something for their time) and then they can sign the title over to you. Bonded titles get expensive and complicated and people can get screwed. If you know someone with a shop the mechanics lein is the easiest route.

Originally posted by mtm



That's when you find a vehicle of the same make and model that is good for nothing. Possibly heading to the junkyard or being sold dirt cheap for parts or whatever. Get the title from the owner before he junks it and pop rivet the vin number where yours is now. Not sure how they do it in other states but here in the KY all they look at is the title. We don't have inspections unless they are out of state and even then all they do is compare the title vin to the vin on the dash. But no inspection at all if in state. I could drive to the circuit clerk in a Lamborghini Gallardo with a 67' VW Beetle title and they wouldn't know the difference lol.

HAHA this is very true!!!