Craigslist alert thread:

[vwnate1]

That's a hard to find one being the last year, 1985 with the improved final drive, tranny and so on -but-

No matter how you slice it, this isn't a $2,500 car sans title .

As long as he has the DMV printout it'll be possible to get title, depending on how you go it might co$t upwards of $500 just for the title alone .

The dash wood is married and doesn't even come close to matching, the clear coat peeling doesn't look factory to me .

If you're a W123 Coupe Enthusiast, this car is prolly the right one to buy *if* the color doesn't bother you .

-Nate

Originally Posted by dieseldiehard

This appears to be a quite decent example of a 123 COUPE
Unfortunately seller says no title available
This can be a serious problem if you go to sell later and I'm not sure how insurance would treat that either.
How people can buy a car without the pinkslip I don't understand, unless for a parts car.
https://sfbay.craigslist.org/sfc/cto/d/san-francisco-1985-mercedes-300d/6935741385.html

[dieseldiehard]

Originally Posted by Squiggle Dog

I've never had a problem buying cars without a title. Just register them in Vermont (they don't issue titles and don't require you to even be a resident) and then take your Vermont registration to your local licensing office to register it in your state. It's fast and cheap.

well, the CL listing is gone, someone is going to do whatever it takes to get a title.
re: Vermont loophole
Nice to know, how can the allow that I wonder? wouldn't they require a vehicle inspection?

[Squiggle Dog]

Originally Posted by dieseldiehard

well, the CL listing is gone, someone is going to do whatever it takes to get a title.
re: Vermont loophole
Nice to know, how can the allow that I wonder? wouldn't they require a vehicle inspection?

No inspection required. I just took my Vermont license plate and registration to the Arizona Department of Licensing and they gave me an Arizona title, registration, and plate.

[Frank Reiner]

Originally Posted by Squiggle Dog

I've never had a problem buying cars without a title. Just register them in Vermont (they don't issue titles and don't require you to even be a resident) and then take your Vermont registration to your local licensing office to register it in your state. It's fast and cheap.

Originally Posted by Squiggle Dog

No inspection required. I just took my Vermont license plate and registration to the Arizona Department of Licensing and they gave me an Arizona title, registration, and plate.

SD:

If you are able to, please take us through the process of: first obtaining a Vermont Title/Registration & plates for a car being sold in California without a title, and then, if obtained, using that VT identification to obtain a CA title.
In reading through the VT online registration requirements, it would seen that both proof of price paid AND ownership, and an in-person appearance for vehicle inspection are necessary. For NY, MA, and NH not too difficult; for CA a bit of a sticky wicket.

[Squiggle Dog]

Originally Posted by Frank Reiner

SD:

If you are able to, please take us through the process of: first obtaining a Vermont Title/Registration & plates for a car being sold in California without a title, and then, if obtained, using that VT identification to obtain a CA title.
In reading through the VT online registration requirements, it would seen that both proof of price paid AND ownership, and an in-person appearance for vehicle inspection are necessary. For NY, MA, and NH not too difficult; for CA a bit of a sticky wicket.

Here are a couple videos that explain the process: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=M8sWBqgP1PI and https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_pgK4pbaA1g .

Have the person selling the car fill out their part of a Bill of Sale: https://dmv.vermont.gov/sites/dmv/files/documents/VT-005-Bill_Of_Sale_Odometer_Cert.pdf and Vermont registration application form: https://dmv.vermont.gov/sites/dmv/files/documents/VD-119-Vehicle_Reg_Tax_Title_App_0.pdf ( https://dmv.vermont.gov/registrations/new ).

Then you mail in those two documents with a check for the total amount which you have to calculate (keep in mind you need to pay the NADA value for your car, no matter how much you actually paid for it--make sure it's what NADA currently says it's worth!). After a few weeks if it's accepted, they'll mail you a registration and a license plate.

You do not need to be a resident of Vermont, and you do not have to appear in person in Vermont nor have the vehicle inspected there. Anything you have to do besides mailing them a form and a check would be a requirement of the state in which you reside.

Then you take the registration paper and license plate to your state's Department of Licensing and tell them that Vermont does not issue titles on older vehicles. Then they'll give you a title, registration, and plate in your state, unless they absolutely have to have an inspection. In this case, you'll have to either bring the car with you to the licensing office (probably best if it not have your state's plate on it), or you'll have to arrange to have a police officer come by to inspect the vehicle at your house and then bring in the form the officer signs with you.

Also, keep in mind there could potentially be a problem if you register your vehicle in the same state in which you bought it AND it has been reported as stolen or there is a lien on the lost title.

[BWhitmore]

In California the only inspection is to ensure that the VIN number on the car matches the VIN number shown on the title. If you are registering a late model car or truck you will also need a smog inspection.

[vwnate1]

Any motor vehicle fro 1976 tp present will need a SMOG test before title is issued .

A DMV person will need to personally inspect the VIN and I've had all manner of problems from Women (they were NOT 'Ladies' !) who wore angora sweaters to do this job and also some who flat refused to inspect the VIN is there was -one- piece of cracked glass or a headlight missing....

The Ca. DMV WILL take the time to do national VIN checks so you'd best be damn sure there's no parking tickets etc. against it ~ no matter how inconsequential they'll use it as an excuse to permanently ban it from Ca. titling .

BT, DT .

If you're in California it's smarter to do a Mechanic's Lien against it, not terribly co$tly and clears up any and all claims before they issue the new title .

[Squiggle Dog]

Originally Posted by vwnate1

Any motor vehicle fro 1976 tp present will need a SMOG test before title is issued .

In California you can't get a title if a vehicle made from 1976-up isn't running? That's strange.

[ROLLGUY]

Originally Posted by Squiggle Dog

In California you can't get a title if a vehicle made from 1976-up isn't running? That's strange.

I have gotten many non-running cars in my name, but they were all Diesels, so no smog check. If they were going to be parts cars, I just did a non-op on them. I recently sold seven parts cars, and at least three were in my name, and they all had non-op status.

[vwnate1]

Yes, on gassers or other 'problem' vehicles you can get seriously stuck .

As I said, BT, DT and took hard financial hits .

As Rich mentions, Diesels are kinda off their radar but a ticket or old lien, ban note that no one ever bothered to remove from the out of state title can make it a nightmare .

I don't mean not to buy out of state junkers, just be aware and understand there's a reason why junkyard junkies like me rarely pay over scrap value for anything .

Once (or a few) times burned you learn to be proactive .

[GhostRider8]

https://huntsville.craigslist.org/pts/d/somerville-1979-mercedes-300sd-turbo/6936683752.html

[tdoublenastywitit]

I dunno this whole Vermont thing kinda seems like u got lucky.

It doesn't make any sense they would just register any car that's mailed to them... This means I hyothetically I could steal a car, forge the paperwork and it's mine, unless papers need to be notarized, although a "one party" notary stamps are readily available for a premium at strip mall print shops for $100-$200

But even in just like a regular no title sale situation it doesn't make sense that Vermont would just be happy to register a car with to a person with no valid Vermont address

Not to mention the $1200+ this would cost plus months of waiting, but I understand that in some select situations this would be worth it.

[Squiggle Dog]

Originally Posted by tdoublenastywitit

I dunno this whole Vermont thing kinda seems like u got lucky.

It doesn't make any sense they would just register any car that's mailed to them... This means I hyothetically I could steal a car, forge the paperwork and it's mine, unless papers need to be notarized, although a "one party" notary stamps are readily available for a premium at strip mall print shops for $100-$200

But even in just like a regular no title sale situation it doesn't make sense that Vermont would just be happy to register a car with to a person with no valid Vermont address

Not to mention the $1200+ this would cost plus months of waiting, but I understand that in some select situations this would be worth it.

No luck required. It's strange but true. There are many thousands of people who have done it successfully, and it's a big money-maker for their state. In theory you probably could steal a car, register it in Vermont, and then title it in your state, unless it's registered as stolen in your state or there is a lien on the previous title. No notary required, either.

Why would it cost $1,200+ to register a vehicle in Vermont unless its NADA value is super high? I've only paid about $200 when I've done it, plus the cost of titling it in my own state. It's more like 2-4 weeks of waiting.

You can be skeptical all you want, but it works.

[Frank Reiner]

Originally Posted by Squiggle Dog

No luck required. It's strange but true. There are many thousands of people who have done it successfully, and it's a big money-maker for their state. In theory you probably could steal a car, register it in Vermont, and then title it in your state, unless it's registered as stolen in your state or their is a lien on the previous title. No notary required, either.

Why would it cost $1,200+ to register a vehicle in Vermont unless its NADA value is super high? I've only paid about $200 when I've done it, plus the cost of titling it in my own state. It's more like 2-4 weeks of waiting.

You can be skeptical all you want, but it works.

The overall transaction time notwithstanding, the $1200 example (the total for VT and the destination state) is not out in the stratosphere. For a $8000 NADA vehicle, VT will take ~$500 in tax & fees, and as an example, CA would take ~$600 in tax & fees (if you could have it accepted as a $2000 vehicle) including an out-of-state origin fee.

As you noted, VT uses the NADA values, which are quite high, to generate revenue; the process is a cash cow. To give VT only $200, the vehicle NADA value would have to be on the order of $1800-1900; a '76 240D has a NADA value of ~$3500.

[Squiggle Dog]

Originally Posted by Frank Reiner

The overall transaction time notwithstanding, the $1200 example (the total for VT and the destination state) is not out in the stratosphere. For a $8000 NADA vehicle, VT will take ~$500 in tax & fees, and as an example, CA would take ~$600 in tax & fees (if you could have it accepted as a $2000 vehicle) including an out-of-state origin fee.

As you noted, VT uses the NADA values, which are quite high, to generate revenue; the process is a cash cow. To give VT only $200, the vehicle NADA value would have to be on the order of $1800-1900; a '76 240D has a NADA value of ~$3500.

I'm thinking more of vintage automobiles, specifically 1960s-1980s Mercedes diesels. A 1985 W123 300D, for example, has a low NADA value of approximately $4,125 in Vermont. You only have to use the low NADA value, by the way. It's also cheapest to register it with an antique plate.

The last vehicle I did was a 1965 W111 220B. It had a low NADA value of $4,375 in Vermont at the time. The total registration fees were $285.50--$262.50 of it was tax. Vermont only charges 6% sales tax on vehicles. Sales tax on a $3,500 car would only be $210.

So, for the type of vehicle which is relevant in the context of this thread, it shouldn't cost more than about $300 to register it in Vermont. Costs to title it in your own state will vary by state.

I'm only trying to help. I have nothing to gain from this!