Another CA Title Question, Lien Options

[McMark]

I have a car that doesn't have a title. I will have a shop in about 2 weeks. I thought there was something I could do as a shop owner to get the title in my name. Can anyone fill in the details?

[lapuwali]

DMV page on lien sale

Sounds basically like you have to sell it to yourself if you want to keep it. There's also a "Dismantler's Handbook" section of the same site, which probably will cover the case if you want to part the car.

If it's just a case of you have the tub but no title, and you're not trying to recover any money, then you can apply for a new title pretty easily (rather too easily, really). Just get a replacement title application from the DMV and state the old title was lost. If and when you go to register it, you may need to have the car inspected (VIN check), which usually has to be done by a CHP officer. I believe you can get a title w/o that, though.

[a914luvr]

Call a lein sale business and for about $25 they will file paperwork with the DMV to conduct a lein sale on the car. They will notify all previous owners on file that if they have an interest in the car and can prove it's theirs to come get it within 35 days. Since nobody will likely claim the car, you will then receive lein sale papers in the mail and can then take those papers to the DMV and get a clean title. Just make sure you tell the lein sale co. that the car is valued at under $4000. It makes a big difference in the amount of paperwork involved and the processes in which it has to go through. Should be a piece of cake. I've done this before and have a friend in the lein business. Good luck, Glenn

[McMark]

There are back fees on the car. Does a lien sale erase those? Or am I still responsible for them?

I have the name and address last registered. If I send a certified letter that doesn't get signed for then I'm free to register it for myself.

I'm not trying to pull anything shady, but I want to understand all my options and choose the smartest route.

[lapuwali]

Pretty sure the DMV pages I linked to said something about back fees not applying. Read those pages to make sure.

[McMark]

From the FAQ:

QUOTE

Why must I pay the back penalties on a vehicle I bought at a lien sale? The Vehicle Code does not exempt lien sale vehicles from outstanding fees and penalties.

[WaltGGB]

Mark,

The only way to avoid backfees is to have a dismantler sell it to you. Only issue with that is new title issued will be a salvage title. Still would need to be leined probably, as dismantler would need some type of title. How much are the backfees?

Walt

[SLITS]

To avoid the back fees, you would have to wait approximately 7 years for the VIN to "drop off" the DMV computers. After 7 years of not registering the vehicle, they assume it no longer exists.

[scott914poor]

I once bought a 914 to use as a parts car, cut it up but had the sense to save the registration and vin plates. Some years later I realized I had title to a smog free car (1973) and I was finishing my V8 conversion (1974) that would have required me to go to the referee and jump through all their hoops. Turns out the 73 had not been registered for years and DMV wanted proof that the last owner wasn't looking for the car (stolen). Long story short by using registered mail and certifying no one was looking for the car I could register it in my name. Put VIN back in place, police dept. sent out an officer and he signed off on my unfinished conversion. I think many situations may be lots different but if you are patient there is always a way.

[dmenche914]

Seven years and off the CA DMV system???? I wish. I have a 58 Ghia, I put it on Non-Op status in Dec 97 (or so I claim) Since the neat pigs came on by my house, they noted it still had 97 tags, and call it a violation, i say no problem, I will register it, so I call my local DMV goon, and inquire about the registration fee, the dumb chick tells me it will be $266 plus the next years registration fee. I say what???? And she tells me it was never put on non-op. I tell her it was, and at anyrate it never left my driveway all these years, and she tells me that she doesn't know that (calling me a liar) I say i can supply signed statements from several folks stating so, and she still won't budge. Now I have to go to my bank and look up old checks from eight years ago (god I hope I did not pay cash in person).

I believe in all likelyhood they fucked up. Just last year my drive license, and car registration were do the same time, so i write one check for both ($10 for the license, and about $40 for the car) I include all the paper work, and write on the check what it is for. I also sent the payment to the DMV correspondence address, to be sure real person reads it.

Well, some time later I recieve the tags for my car, and note that they put the entire $50 to my car tags (it says amount owed $40, amount paid $50!!!
i call them, and talk to this idiot who tells me oh no you can't do that, I ask him to send me my drive licsence, and he tells me to write a new check for that, i say what about the "extra" money on the car regestration, can I get that refuded? he laughs, and says no. i ask if the $10 will be credited for next years registration, and he say can't do that. So he tells me I am out $10. I call the director, and explain it, she at least was helpful, but it took about two months, and several long distance calls to fix. A couple months later I send in payment for another car registration, and about a month later, my check comes back from them, cut in two by their auto letter opener machine. they need a new check from now. Hell anohter stamp wasted. No wonder they charge a "convinence fee" for credit card payments, it probably is more convinent, and I can always refuse to pay my credit card if the DMV fails to perform.

So it is not true that the car is dropped after seven years of no registration.

Now my Vanagon gets a test only notice for smog, which means if it fails, the state will pony up some cash to fix it, cuase they sent me to the more expensive test only station. My van fails, so I apply for the repair authorization (they won't let me fix it until they authorize it) It takes eight weeks to authorize my repair (slow moving state chumps) So I make an appointment at the DMV to get a temporary sticker, as mine will expire before the repairs can be done,and no permanent sticker until the repairs are done. I show the girl at the counter all the paperwork, and ask for a two month temp permit, she tells me they will only offer an one month permit to me, I explain that that means I'll have to come back again for a second permit, and she says, yes, that's right, be sure to make an appointment for faster service. Hell she doesn't know what fast is, stting on her fat (really fat) ass all day, It was painful to watch her get up and move to ask her supervisor, who was also useless.
They have too danm much job security, I'd fire the whole rotten bunch of them theiving crooks.

Needless to say I do not like them.

Now that i vented, I do hope Mark that you have a better time at registration than I. I hope to have my red car running soon, thanks to your engine mount replacement!

Fuck the DMV.

[Joe Bob]

Just another reason to go to AAA...they have people with brains.

[McMark]

QUOTE (SLITS @ Jan 29 2005, 07:09 AM)

To avoid the back fees, you would have to wait approximately 7 years for the VIN to "drop off" the DMV computers. After 7 years of not registering the vehicle, they assume it no longer exists.

I actually called the DMV about this one (if you call the 800 number you usually get nicer, smarter people and you can just ask questions about stuff, FYI). Anyway, this only work if there is no activity on that VIN/License Plate. So this car hasn't been registered for 7 years now, but because I went into the DMV when I first got the car (2 years ago) and they looked the info up I still have 5 years to go. (IMG:http://www.914world.com/bbs2/html/emoticons/sad.gif)

Looks like I'll just have to pony up the full fees. Oh well, I got the car for $50 (fifty), so I can't really complain. Now it's just a $500 (five hundred) car. Still cheap for a great condition custom color chassis.