Title problems? This might help

Guys,

If you recall previously I was pondering not titling or registering my '53 bel air and running plates anyways. I received a lot of questioning about it (rightfully so), and decided to do things the right way. I know that a lot of people have title issues with some of the old cars and I just thought I would post my experience and some of the lessons I learned along the way.

So the original issue I had was with my title. When I purchased my vehicle (online) I received the title with the purchase. Unfortunately the title was not in the sellers name. Nor was it in the name of any of the last 3 sellers. Although I had all the proper signatures from my seller, none of it mattered because the title was not in the sellers name. Well I ended up having to get a "bonded title." Pretty tedious process but here is what I had to do.

1. Get the car appraised. The lower the appraisal value the better here. Less money you have to pay to bond the title out.

2. Go to the state and ask them to write a title registration rejection letter.

3. Take the rejection letter, and bond amount to an insurance company so they buy the liability to the bond. This is just in case someone comes back and says they really own the vehicle and it was sold unlawfully. You pay a percentage of the appraised value here.

4. Take the bond, rejection letter, appraisal letter, and title registration forms to the state and have it re-titled in your name. That includes registering any plates you want. I decided to run '53 plates I found online, and they had to register it as an antique which means I can only technically drive it to shows and parades.

All in all it ended up costing me about $600 to do all of this for a vehicle that had a purchase price of $5500. I now know that there is a difference between "I had a good title," and "I have a good title IN MY NAME." The last is worth it's weight in gold really. Not sure how it all works in other states, but in Texas that's the process for getting a vehicle titled in your name without proper documentation or signatures for a normal transfer of title. I am pretty sure that you could also do this for a lost title in the state of Texas.

 

Good move. Now you don't have to panic when a cop pulls up behind you.

 

I used Broadway Title, and if the DMV workers didn't have their heads up their asses, it would have been easy.

 

I just did my 63 olds, and i took a while and hunting for the most helpfull dmv but i got the car with bill of sale then got it verified did a statement of fact and only answered the questions asked and walked out with reg and plates 2 weeks later title in the mail. I may have gotten lucky but as long as you give them what they want it goes sorta' smooth.

 

Yep, Texas DMV folks are the spawn of Satan! Broadway title in Birmingham can get it done for usually less than $200.00. If you need some help (Texas) I have some other contacts in Mississippi and Alabama as well...

 

The Texas DMV is notorious for give you a hard time about everything. It's pretty ridiculous what I had to go through just to get the vehicle registered. I am just glad she is legal now and I don't have to sweat it anymore.