DMV puzzler
09-23-2010, 03:18 PM
#1
Member
Squid
Thread Starter
Join Date: Oct 2008
Location: San Pedro, Ca
Posts: 49
DMV puzzler
I have a riddle for you guys--
You're in California, and you own an out-of-registration motorcycle. You PURCHASED IT LEGALLY from the owner, but have no paperwork. The owner moved to another country, and you have no way of contacting them. There are no theft reports and no liens, but there is an accident salvage. The riddle--
How do you transfer the title to your name? You could do a statement of facts (where they check the VIN) but the value is over $1000 so the DMV won't do it. You could get a defective title bond for the value of the vehicle, but no company will issue the bond without a bill of sale, which you cannot acquire. You cannot forge a bill of sale, as you don't know the owners full name, and the DMV is not allowed to give you the contact information for the registered owner.
What would you do, or what have you done? I'm aware that you need to be a jackass to get yourself into this situation, and I know the the obvious answers "part it out" or "you're screwed." Any thoughts outside of those would be much appreciated, as this is the situation I find myself in now, with my superhawk. Thanks!
-Ian
You're in California, and you own an out-of-registration motorcycle. You PURCHASED IT LEGALLY from the owner, but have no paperwork. The owner moved to another country, and you have no way of contacting them. There are no theft reports and no liens, but there is an accident salvage. The riddle--
How do you transfer the title to your name? You could do a statement of facts (where they check the VIN) but the value is over $1000 so the DMV won't do it. You could get a defective title bond for the value of the vehicle, but no company will issue the bond without a bill of sale, which you cannot acquire. You cannot forge a bill of sale, as you don't know the owners full name, and the DMV is not allowed to give you the contact information for the registered owner.
What would you do, or what have you done? I'm aware that you need to be a jackass to get yourself into this situation, and I know the the obvious answers "part it out" or "you're screwed." Any thoughts outside of those would be much appreciated, as this is the situation I find myself in now, with my superhawk. Thanks!
-Ian
09-23-2010, 03:38 PM
#2
the boss
SuperBike
Join Date: Mar 2010
Location: largo,fl
Posts: 1,182
if you know where the past owner use to live and they owned the house,you could just go thru public records and find their property tax papers and home owners info,it might be public info.
but thats all a pain still to deal with to be going thru all that.
its much more simple to just look for a straight good frame with title and just swap it,much cheaper,less headache.
but thats all a pain still to deal with to be going thru all that.
its much more simple to just look for a straight good frame with title and just swap it,much cheaper,less headache.
09-23-2010, 03:59 PM
#3
Senior Member
Back Marker
Join Date: Apr 2008
Location: Orlando, FL
Posts: 148
I have titled vehicles in the past by going through a title company in Maine. Maine has very relaxed rules about titling vehicles. I don't remember who I used or the details as it was several years ago. Basically you sell them the vehicle then they get a title/registration in Maine and sell it back to you. Google brings up several companies that do this.
If this doesn't work for you maybe you could declare it abandoned somehow?
If this doesn't work for you maybe you could declare it abandoned somehow?
09-23-2010, 06:50 PM
#6
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Squid
Thread Starter
Join Date: Oct 2008
Location: San Pedro, Ca
Posts: 49
All of these are excellent suggestions, guys.
I think the mechanics lien would be the most likely, but I'd have to wait about 3 months. I considered Saige's advice, and found a wrecking yard with a head tube and salvage cert on the VIN for $150. Since this is the amount I almost paid for the title bond, I went ahead and told the guy I'd buy it this Saturday.
Unless something radical happens, this will be my (admittedly shady) course of action. I don't want to go on about it on a public forum, but the question then would be... VIN on the bike, or VIN on the cert? They are both clean salvage VIN's, I just need to make them match.
No more details though, don't want to encourage lurkers who would abuse such knowledge
I think the mechanics lien would be the most likely, but I'd have to wait about 3 months. I considered Saige's advice, and found a wrecking yard with a head tube and salvage cert on the VIN for $150. Since this is the amount I almost paid for the title bond, I went ahead and told the guy I'd buy it this Saturday.
Unless something radical happens, this will be my (admittedly shady) course of action. I don't want to go on about it on a public forum, but the question then would be... VIN on the bike, or VIN on the cert? They are both clean salvage VIN's, I just need to make them match.
No more details though, don't want to encourage lurkers who would abuse such knowledge
09-30-2010, 10:28 AM
#7
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Squid
Thread Starter
Join Date: Oct 2008
Location: San Pedro, Ca
Posts: 49
Okay, the guy who I got the bike from initially (not the registered owner though) has a friend in the DMV who may try to get a duplicate salvage cert issued. It costs $5, but no guarantees yet. I'm keeping my fingers crossed--
Also, thanks for the PM!
Also, thanks for the PM!
09-30-2010, 11:19 AM
#8
www.its-titles.com does title work out of Las Vegas. After you use them they get you a new registration and then work on the title. I am working on the same issue in NJ, because the original owner took off without signing the title and I can't find him.
10-21-2010, 02:11 PM
#10
Member
Squid
Thread Starter
Join Date: Oct 2008
Location: San Pedro, Ca
Posts: 49
Okay-- I bought a titled frame, if anyone wants it I have it for cheep.
I was able to sort the issue without resorting to anything (very) antisocial. I found out who had the salvage cert issued, and contacted them regarding it. They said in the DMV file my name is already attached to it, so they mailed me a blank salvage cert form along with the DMV printout showing the information that had been previously entered on the form.
Now how ridiculous is this? In order to solve my problem, they printed out what the DMV person had been staring at as they denied me registration, and mailed it to me along with a blank form I could have picked up while I was there. The only thing keeping me from registering the bike was that I didn't have the freely available form filled out physically, though the DMV personnel had access to the information and could have filled in the blanks. I see the opportunity for someone to abuse this, but... it was MY NAME!! and ADDRESS!!
ridiculous
I was able to sort the issue without resorting to anything (very) antisocial. I found out who had the salvage cert issued, and contacted them regarding it. They said in the DMV file my name is already attached to it, so they mailed me a blank salvage cert form along with the DMV printout showing the information that had been previously entered on the form.
Now how ridiculous is this? In order to solve my problem, they printed out what the DMV person had been staring at as they denied me registration, and mailed it to me along with a blank form I could have picked up while I was there. The only thing keeping me from registering the bike was that I didn't have the freely available form filled out physically, though the DMV personnel had access to the information and could have filled in the blanks. I see the opportunity for someone to abuse this, but... it was MY NAME!! and ADDRESS!!
ridiculous
10-21-2010, 02:20 PM
#11
the boss
SuperBike
Join Date: Mar 2010
Location: largo,fl
Posts: 1,182
aint that some ****,all these problems and all it would have taken is for the person not to be in a hurry to go to lunch to figure that simple little thing out.
they are always so quick to answer something they havnt even given a chance.
the dmv gets a big slap in the back of the head from me.
so now is all good,how much you asking for frame.
they are always so quick to answer something they havnt even given a chance.
the dmv gets a big slap in the back of the head from me.
so now is all good,how much you asking for frame.
10-24-2010, 01:51 PM
#15
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Squid
Thread Starter
Join Date: Oct 2008
Location: San Pedro, Ca
Posts: 49
Here's the clincher though... 3 different DMV personnel wouldn't transfer the info to a blank cert despite it being my name! It wasn't the fault of the individual worker, it was some goofy bureaucratic/systemic limitation, and I was caught in a funky grey area.
Ah well. sorted!
Ah well. sorted!
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