josh817 Posted July 25, 2011 Share Posted July 25, 2011 Alright so I just got my 521 tuck running and I have the title. Only problem is that the title has changed hands 4 times now, however is still in the first persons name. For instance, some lady owned it, my dads friend bought it, then my dad bought it, then I bought it from my dad. Obviously the transfer title application needs her signature, so what do I do now. Last time the truck was registered was 1996. I have no idea where the lady is, if she's even alive. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
doublez Posted July 25, 2011 Share Posted July 25, 2011 I had a similar situation when I bought my Z. The car was originally in a guys name, but he died and passed the car on to his grandson. The grandson never transferred the title and then sold the car to me. I just went to the DMV and explained the situation. They wrote the papers like I had bought the car from the old guy, but was late transferring the title. They charged me a fee but it was only a couple bucks. So I recommend you go to the DMV and ask them what you should do. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
josh817 Posted July 25, 2011 Author Share Posted July 25, 2011 Sounds good. My brother in law was saying I may have to sign up for a lost title. Whatever happens it can't take like a month to do or cost a ton of money... I have the address of the lady, wish I had the phone number. Still trying to look it up online and maybe contact her. Does a "couple of bucks" constitute $1-$25? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BluDestiny Posted July 25, 2011 Share Posted July 25, 2011 When I bought my "new" ZX the guy had never transferred it in his name. The original owners signature was on the title, so it was like I was buying it from the original owner. Thank god the guy I bought it from kept it in non-op. Another note, when my brother finally got around to registering his car, the date on the title was like from 6 months old and he had to pay a late fee of $30 on top of registration fee's. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
josh817 Posted July 25, 2011 Author Share Posted July 25, 2011 The date on this title is 08/08/95... I however am still within 20 business days of ownership but I have a feeling I'll be getting hit with late fees... Well wait that wouldn't make sense. I have a Honda Civic and the title from that is probably from '99 because we've owned it that entire time. The date when I received it shouldn't really matter... I bought it from my dad so as far as I'm concerned I could have bought it yesterday. This title has no signature... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tony D Posted July 25, 2011 Share Posted July 25, 2011 Sign it, date it for yesterday, and take it to the place that handles title transfer and tell them "Hey, she signed it, I bought it, got it running, and now I want plates!" What happened in between is nobody's business! EXAMPLE: Idiot moron S.O.B. I knew bought a work truck out by my place for $1000... Got a PILE of paperwork from dealer transfers inbetween, but all within 90 days of the original SMOG CHECK. The title was signed as a City of L.A. Vehicle, and the BUYERS LINE WAS BLANK. I told him, "Take all this shite (handed him a PILE of the three or four intervening transfers), and THROW IT OUT, BURN IT, DO WHATEVER YOU WANT BUT DO NOT SHOW THIS TO THE DMV WHEN YOU REGISTER IT!" Then I gave him the title, bill of sale from City of L.A. (which was incomplete, it didn't have the buyers information filled out) and told him: "Take THIS, and THIS to the DMV. But your name HERE and HERE. It's already dated, and it's been 2 months, so they will nail you with late fees for those two months but this will be $141 for your title and registration, plus the penalties which should get you out of there under $300 to register this. Then I reiterated: DO NOT TAKE ANY OF THAT OTHER STUFF INTO THEM, DO NOT SHOW IT TO THEM. So what did he do? Took the whole goddamned PILE into the DMV and asked "what do I have to do to get this truck registered?" He came back to ME to COMPLAIN that the REGISTRATION cost MORE THAN THE TRUCK DID! Initial transfer and taxes on the first sale, plus penalties. Second transfer and taxes on the SECOND sale, plus penalties. THIRD transfer and taxes on the THIRD sale, plus penalties. Then HIS TAXES for his buying the truck.... Ended up being $1143!!!!! If you have a title, sign (or have some female sign) the damn thing, date it recently (Say 20 days ago if you wish)... go in and play dumb and say it was just parked in the yard forever and you had to trailer it out to your place and work on it for a few weeks to get it to run and pass inspection. Have your mother sign it. Have your girlfriend sign it. Just make sure they sign the right name. Female writing is flowery, I've never mastered it, have an accomplice. Screw playing those games just get it over with. You go in an ask what you need to do and you open a can of worms. Go in with a SINGLE title, signed, with YOUR name on it as the buyer and in some states you won't even need a bill of sale (California is like that!) Sometimes, less is more. Sometimes less is less. And in this case, you want less. Make it fit their expectations and you will have an easy time of it. OR you can Google the original owner, go dig her up, and have HER sign it. But my advice is bring in a signed title with you and do it that way. They will hose you any other way. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tony D Posted July 25, 2011 Share Posted July 25, 2011 FYI: From what I've seen on cars in Texas with 'lost titles' it's a big PITA. I would not go that route... I think the title is signed, you just overlooked it the first time you looked... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
josh817 Posted July 25, 2011 Author Share Posted July 25, 2011 I had a feeling it would be that way. For some reason I remember the Z being a PITA with the title and everything, it could have just been out of state sales tax or something. I remember it took another $700 just to get it registered. My only question is, my name on a title, with someone elses name on it? They wouldn't go "uh Joshua, this title is for Silvia"? Excuse me for any idiotic statements, I just woke up. lol Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
doublez Posted July 25, 2011 Share Posted July 25, 2011 (edited) Does a "couple of bucks" constitute $1-$25? Yep, It was a $2-3 fine for me Edited July 25, 2011 by doublez Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JSM Posted July 25, 2011 Share Posted July 25, 2011 (edited) Sign it, date it for yesterday, and take it to the place that handles title transfer and tell them "Hey, she signed it, I bought it, got it running, and now I want plates!" What happened in between is nobody's business! EXAMPLE: Idiot moron S.O.B. I knew bought a work truck out by my place for $1000... Got a PILE of paperwork from dealer transfers inbetween, but all within 90 days of the original SMOG CHECK. The title was signed as a City of L.A. Vehicle, and the BUYERS LINE WAS BLANK. I told him, "Take all this shite (handed him a PILE of the three or four intervening transfers), and THROW IT OUT, BURN IT, DO WHATEVER YOU WANT BUT DO NOT SHOW THIS TO THE DMV WHEN YOU REGISTER IT!" Then I gave him the title, bill of sale from City of L.A. (which was incomplete, it didn't have the buyers information filled out) and told him: "Take THIS, and THIS to the DMV. But your name HERE and HERE. It's already dated, and it's been 2 months, so they will nail you with late fees for those two months but this will be $141 for your title and registration, plus the penalties which should get you out of there under $300 to register this. Then I reiterated: DO NOT TAKE ANY OF THAT OTHER STUFF INTO THEM, DO NOT SHOW IT TO THEM. So what did he do? Took the whole goddamned PILE into the DMV and asked "what do I have to do to get this truck registered?" He came back to ME to COMPLAIN that the REGISTRATION cost MORE THAN THE TRUCK DID! Initial transfer and taxes on the first sale, plus penalties. Second transfer and taxes on the SECOND sale, plus penalties. THIRD transfer and taxes on the THIRD sale, plus penalties. Then HIS TAXES for his buying the truck.... Ended up being $1143!!!!! If you have a title, sign (or have some female sign) the damn thing, date it recently (Say 20 days ago if you wish)... go in and play dumb and say it was just parked in the yard forever and you had to trailer it out to your place and work on it for a few weeks to get it to run and pass inspection. Have your mother sign it. Have your girlfriend sign it. Just make sure they sign the right name. Female writing is flowery, I've never mastered it, have an accomplice. Screw playing those games just get it over with. You go in an ask what you need to do and you open a can of worms. Go in with a SINGLE title, signed, with YOUR name on it as the buyer and in some states you won't even need a bill of sale (California is like that!) Sometimes, less is more. Sometimes less is less. And in this case, you want less. Make it fit their expectations and you will have an easy time of it. OR you can Google the original owner, go dig her up, and have HER sign it. But my advice is bring in a signed title with you and do it that way. They will hose you any other way. Agree 100%. The female thing made me laugh. I do the exact same thing and I haven't mastered it either! Florida is wacky as well. I've learned to be nice, complimentative to the women and say things like, “wow, this line went quick†even if it didn’t and try and keep their eyes on you and not the paper work. Be cheery! I’ve become an expert at tracing if you know what I mean. It drives me nuts knowing that the state collected taxes on a vehicle so many times! Ugh! Edited July 25, 2011 by JSM Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
neotech84 Posted July 25, 2011 Share Posted July 25, 2011 FYI: From what I've seen on cars in Texas with 'lost titles' it's a big PITA. I would not go that route... I think the title is signed, you just overlooked it the first time you looked... I would just say Tony D told me to do it I just "forgot" it was signed........ Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tony D Posted July 25, 2011 Share Posted July 25, 2011 The title usually has a transfer section for the new owner on the back (my Texas-Sourced 510 did at least...) That is where your name goes. As long as her signature appears in the box assigning rights to the vehicle anybody presenting the title can claim it's theirs. I had a guy in Michigan that ALWAYS kept the title in the glove box of his car/truck. What I didn't realize is HE ALWAYS SIGNED THE RELEASE! One day someone walked off with his 78 C20 pickup loaded with tools in the back. When the cops stopped him with a blown-out lock cylinder the thief claimed he'd lost the key and it was a work truck anyway, so WTF. They were going to put him up for stealing the truck, but the guy had found the signed title and filled out his information in the buyer's section!.... I could have imagined that lowlife going 'JACKPOT!' when he saw and realized what he'd found rummaging through the glove box. Long story short: Guy ended up getting busted for stealing the tools but there was little to do about the truck. I don't know how it all ended up as I moved to Japan and lost contact before final disposition. I don't think he got his truck back, though. NEVER keep the signed title document in the vehicle. Sign it when you SELL it, and not a second before! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
josh817 Posted July 25, 2011 Author Share Posted July 25, 2011 (edited) Ahhh I see what you're saying. I'm curious if just the back of the title is enough or if I need to use the Transfer Title application too (Form 130-U). I think the Transfer Title app. is for tax purposes and the stub on the back of the title is to get it in your name. Both need signatures. I think you're absolutely right, as usual, Tony. There doesn't seem to be any time efficient, cost effective, minimal paperwork way out of it unless if it's just signed and turned in. Pay my dues to the state and get on the road. I too think it's kind of ridiculous that the state can collect 3-4 times on a single car. Luckily vehicle tax is only 6.25% and with vehicles older than 20 years you pay tax for the cost you paid and not the determined value. That would be $25 in my case. Edit: Forgot I had a video. My annoying rattruck. I'll be searching around for peoples threads of Datsun road trips. I really want to take this truck to New England. Don't know if it would make it. Don't know if the rust will kill it within the 2 weeks that I'm there. lol Edited July 25, 2011 by josh817 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
aplyedmind Posted July 27, 2011 Share Posted July 27, 2011 Don't cars go off file after 10years at the DMV? I believe that's how it works my 56 Chevy Bel Air has been off file since 1994. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
josh817 Posted July 28, 2011 Author Share Posted July 28, 2011 (edited) God I hope not. That would mean I would have to retitle it, would it not? Seriously have some questions about that now... How to go about doing this and such.. EDIT: Did a quick search and luckily Texas isn't like California where you owe the previous years registration, if the vehicle wasn't registered as nonoperational. "Registering a non-operational vehicle is not necessary. If the vehicle is not parked on public roads and you're not driving it, you can hang on to your money and register the car once it’s up and running again. When you do decide to register it, you won’t be responsible for the registration fees for years past as long as the car was not running." I guess I will call at 7:30 when they open and snag the first person. I CANNOT afford ridiculous fees and/or wait times unless if I can get temporary tags to hold me off. Edited July 28, 2011 by josh817 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JSM Posted July 28, 2011 Share Posted July 28, 2011 Take the belt off and see if the noise goes away. If it does, it is either the water pump or the alternator. If not, you've got another problem. Do you have water only in the radiator or a mix? I'm assuming Texas is like every other state. When you got to the DMV, it will be re-titlted in your name. Or transfered. I think technically it is transfered. Re-titleing would be some sort of change on the title that was either due to a mistake or a change in the vehicle. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
josh817 Posted July 28, 2011 Author Share Posted July 28, 2011 I think the belt squeal is from the alternator. I had snagged the Geo Metro alternator from our BMW because it was a one wire... Dad likes it because it's very small. Anyway I had to make a spacer, grind on the bracket, hobble it together. It was lined up correctly but I assume it may be off by a tiny bit and squealing. Filled the radiator up with water and half a gallon of straight antifreeze. When I start the car up it's fine, when you rev it, the squeal begins and doesn't go away even at idle. I feel like a butthole now for talking **** about the DMV. I got through right away and the lady said it would be fine. She also informed me that the transfer title form doesn't need the previous owners signature since it's been so long. The title needs a signature, but you know... lol Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tony D Posted August 4, 2011 Share Posted August 4, 2011 Like I said, "a lot of things go away when you have a signed title"---I have had DMV people throw away a perfectly good made-up bill of sale because the title was signed and had a selling price on it. "That's all we need, you can have the rest of this or we can throw it away for you!" Go in with that signed title in most places and that's all you need. Now, don't you feel better you didn't take a pile of crap in there and ask 'what do I need to do?' THAT is where the big $$$ and problems start! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
josh817 Posted August 7, 2011 Author Share Posted August 7, 2011 (edited) Haha thanks Tony. I got the truck inspected today and made the first hour long highway trip home without overheating or anything. My mom and I have had a very bad taste in our mouth with this truck. Even though it's working now, and just about everything except the body and suspension is replaced, I still have my doubts. The buyer for my Honda bailed on me the day before he was suppose to pick it up so I'm scrambling around desperately to get my $2800 back. Luckily none of my friends came home this summer so I don't have to bite my lip and say no I can't go to the movies because I literally have no money. It was a shitty situation for the past week trying to fight overheating. The inspection is coming up for the Honda at the end of this month but the check engine light is on for "emissions" and Mom had no money for me to borrow so I could try fixing the overheating issue... So luckily I have the truck squared away so I'm not doomed at the end of the month. Edited August 7, 2011 by josh817 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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