PeachParts Mercedes-Benz Forum - Was given a car with no title, what do I do?

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I saw a form on TxDot's site "Storage Lien for Abandoned Vehicle or Private Tow" so I'm going to see what this is and if this form doesn't work find a lien form that will that the dealership can fill out and perform, if this fails then I think I'm going to call the owner and see what the deal is here. I don't understand how you can leave a vehicle someplace for a year and expect it to be just fine and not have a lien or something similar filed, and just keep paying registration like it's sitting on their driveway, if you still want the car then come and pick it up, if you don't then leave it someplace and wait for the establishment storing it to perform a lien or junk it (which I don't think was far off from how the dealership saw it) This person I'm sure isn't stupid and can't expect the dealership will happily store it for them (for free) until they feel like picking it up. Screw this person, I'm going to try my damnedest to switch over this car. *

Also the guy drove the car in when he applied for the trade in, why wouldn't you just take it with you when it fell through? :/ just drive it home, what's so hard about that? Why would you just "walk away" from it and leave it there? It's drivable and registered what would be stopping you?? Unless you didn't want the car! This situation is so lame -_- and wtf status..

Please keep us updated....

You need a lawyer, not an internet forum.

If you don't have a lien, contact the owner and offer to buy the car/title. The people who gave you the car didn't legally own it.

Jimb I believe had it right. Check with TXDOT about a storage lien etc etc. In PA it is kind of the same type of deal. After a mechanic or storage lien is placed or filed the "owner" has X number of days to come forward and pay. After the time expires it goes up for sale. After it is sold the difference can be turned over for collection.

I have an acquaintance who has a wrecker service and he keeps us filled in with the rebuildables that come in and are not claimed.

Im very curious who wanted to trade it in ,was this guy not the owner.Sounds to me if you call you better have all the facts straight .Ask the people who gave you the car who brought it in to them ,if they dont have that info it may be a bit strange to talk to an owner who has no idea who you are and how you come across to having his car.I see people on craigslist trying to trade vehicles for other vehicles,this usually means they dont have a title.Trade for anything of value, translates ,I dont own.A Bill of sale also wont get it done in the state of Texas ,it has to have a title .An rv ,boat ,anything they dem as a titled vehicle or trailer.I see alot of travel trailers being sold this way ,it wont work.

Quote:

Originally Posted by JordaanDMC-12 (Post 2633995)

Ok, so I was working with a buddy in the service department at a Porsche dealership here in Austin, I spotted a sad looking early 90's BMW 5 series sitting in the grass with flat tires and door damage on the passenger side, I asked my buddy what was going on with it and he wasn't sure.

Well I forgot about it, we ate lunch and he went off somewhere and then came back and joined in the conversation we were having, then says; "hey you know that BMW? You can have it" I thought he was joking but he was serious, turns out the owner had came in and wanted to use it as a trade in, the deal fell through and the owner walked away, leaving it there for about 8 months to a year.

The dealership was fed up with it just sitting there and when they heard someone wanted it, they said "tow it tow it tow it" so I had it towed home and have been cleaning it up. Runs nice, is 5 spd and is a great car. Problem is they gave it to me with no title and the car is still currently registered to Washington DC. I was going to apply for a bonded title here in Texas, got the papaerwork and started filling it out when, it says you can't get a bonded title on an "abandoned vehicle" I decided to car fax it and see what's going on with it, and to my surprise, despite the car sitting there for almost a year, the registration in DC was "issued or renewed" on december 5th of 2010??? :confused: So the owner is still renewing the registration from DC even though it was rotting away here in Texas?

I'd love to keep this car and register it here in Texas because it's a real hoot to drive and it runs great, just has some cosmetic issues but I don't know what to do now?? Do I contact the "owner"? Or what????

Can't you get the dealer to put a lien on it for staorage and send a bill? Offer to help thjem do the paperwork. Then when a local judge gives it to them, they can "sell" it to you for 100 bucks. Then money has cjanged hands, you have a mechanic's lien and the owner has no ability to prosecute.

Have you considered the possibility that the renewed registration may actually be one another car and the owner is using the VIN of the one you have?

This sounds fishy, personally I would bring it right back to the dealer and say no thanks. They are just pawning their problem off on you, and have no legal right to move that car or sell it. The PO either doesn't care or is "off" so you don't want them flying back into town and reporting it stolen, which they have every right to do.

The dealership would have taken title and junked it if they could, their is probably something else going on here.

If you want to call the owner don't tell him you have the car, tell him you were at the dealership and saw it. You are interested in if he would be willing to sign it over to you for the storage fee's. If he says no bring it right back to the dealer and park it where it was.

I didn't say this but the best way of dealing with such cars is parking them on a city street at night and walking away, better yet in front of a parking meter. The city will handle it, ie tow, contact the PO, take title, and auction. Not that you would want to do that.;)

i didnt think they could start a storage lien unless it is in the signage of the lot or after they have notified owner by registered letter. dealer should have done it, there must be some headache or they would have rather than having it sit on their lot for so long.

I sent a letter to the previous owner stating the vehicle had been on my property (a business zoned repair shop owned by my friend where the car was) and stated he needed to come get the car and pay the $10/day storage fee or furnish a title so the car could be recycled. Had my title in 3 days.

Also, if it is a business property the business can apply for title by abandonment. They send the last person it was titled to the same, come get your car or bring me a title letter. And if they don't reply there is a form you fill out to prove you tried to get a hold of them, and the BMV will issue a title by abandonment.

Both ways require the car to be on some sort of official business property. It is hard to do this from your home driveway.

Call your local BMV, don't read them a vin.

So what I've decided to go ahead and do is print out the Storage lien for abandoned vehicle form and take it to the dealer to see if they'll do it, if they do they send the bill to the "owner" and it takes 90 days and if the owner says nay then they get the title and can sell it to me for say 100$. Sounds easy enough right? haha

If that doesn't go down, then my last option is to call the owner and see what's going on with it and if selling is an option and for how much, if that is a nay then drop it back off at the dealer and forget the whole thing ever happened. :(

I'll keep y'all updated, thanks everyone for all the advice and input!

I would cut out the middle man and actually call the owner. Your chances of getting the dealer to do anything are slim to none now. Saves a whole lot of time and paper work.

Quote:

Originally Posted by Aquaticedge (Post 2635191)

I would cut out the middle man and actually call the owner. Your chances of getting the dealer to do anything are slim to none now. Saves a whole lot of time and paper work.

Yup, the dealer already unloaded his problem.

Take the car back and drop it off when there is no one at the dealer. THEN call the owner. As it stands now YOU are the guilty one if the owner cries "theft".

Sounds to me the car was left by a kid whose parents are in D.C. . They probably automatically renewed the registration not knowing the car was sitting at the dealer's lot.